Not currently on display at the V&A

The Cricket on the Hearth, The Old School and The Bee and the Orange Tree

Playbill
1846 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Playbill advertising The Cricket on the Hearth, The Old School, and The Bee and the Orange Tree, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London, 14 February 1846.

This was the 18th performance of The Cricket on the Hearth, described as 'an entirely New Drama, founded on the New Christmas Tale, by Charles Dickens, Esq.' Dickens' Christmas novel about the cricket whose chirruping protected the Peerybingle family had only been published in December 1845, but Ben Webster made a speedy (and unauthorised) stage adaptation that opened at his theatre on 6th January 1846, starring John Baldwin Buckstone as Tilly Slowboy, and William Farren as Caleb Plummer.

It was followed by the 5th performance of 'a New Original Comedy in Two Acts', The Old School, and the 44th performance of 'the Successful New Fairy Extravaganza', The Bee and the Orange Tree, also decribed on the playbill as 'an entirely new Grand Christmas Fairy Extravaganza In One Act.... founded on the Countess d'Anois' [sic] Fairy Tale 'L'Abeille et L'Oranger'[sic]. The text is referring to the French author of fairy tales Marie-Catherine Baronne d'Aulnoy and her fairy story L'Orangier et l'Abeille from Les Contes des Fées (1697).

After their triumphant success in Ion the previous evening, the playbill notes the return of sisters Charlotte and Susan Cushman in Ion the following week, starring Charlotte in the title role and Susan as Clemanthe, and Romeo and Juliet with Charlotte as Romeo, Susan as Juliet, and Mrs. Glover as the Nurse.




Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Cricket on the Hearth, The Old School and The Bee and the Orange Tree (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Printed paper
Brief description
Playbill advertising The Cricket on the Hearth, The Old School and The Bee and the Orange Tree, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London, 14 February 1846
Physical description
Letterpress playbill, printed in two columns, advertising The Cricket on the Hearth, The Old School and The Bee and the Orange Tree, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London, 14 February 1840. The playbill gives the casts of the plays and lists the scenes of The Bee and the Orange Tree. There is also an announcement of forthcoming performances by the Cushman sisters in Ion and Romeo and Juliet.
Dimensions
  • Height: 51.2cm
  • Width: 51cm
Credit line
Given by the British Theatre Museum Association
Object history
Given to the British Theatre Museum Association by Mrs Buckeridge in October 1964.
Summary
Playbill advertising The Cricket on the Hearth, The Old School, and The Bee and the Orange Tree, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London, 14 February 1846.

This was the 18th performance of The Cricket on the Hearth, described as 'an entirely New Drama, founded on the New Christmas Tale, by Charles Dickens, Esq.' Dickens' Christmas novel about the cricket whose chirruping protected the Peerybingle family had only been published in December 1845, but Ben Webster made a speedy (and unauthorised) stage adaptation that opened at his theatre on 6th January 1846, starring John Baldwin Buckstone as Tilly Slowboy, and William Farren as Caleb Plummer.

It was followed by the 5th performance of 'a New Original Comedy in Two Acts', The Old School, and the 44th performance of 'the Successful New Fairy Extravaganza', The Bee and the Orange Tree, also decribed on the playbill as 'an entirely new Grand Christmas Fairy Extravaganza In One Act.... founded on the Countess d'Anois' [sic] Fairy Tale 'L'Abeille et L'Oranger'[sic]. The text is referring to the French author of fairy tales Marie-Catherine Baronne d'Aulnoy and her fairy story L'Orangier et l'Abeille from Les Contes des Fées (1697).

After their triumphant success in Ion the previous evening, the playbill notes the return of sisters Charlotte and Susan Cushman in Ion the following week, starring Charlotte in the title role and Susan as Clemanthe, and Romeo and Juliet with Charlotte as Romeo, Susan as Juliet, and Mrs. Glover as the Nurse.


Associated object
S.949-1996 (Object)
Other number
1964/G/81 - BTMA accession number
Collection
Accession number
S.338-2016

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Record createdJuly 13, 2016
Record URL
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