William Terriss (1847-1897) played Don Pedro, the Prince of Arragon in Henry Irving's sumptuous 1882 production of Much Ado About Nothing at the Lyceum Theatre, that opened on the 11th October 1882 and ran until 1883. This is a page from the 1883 The Era Almanack in which his portrait was reproduced and Terriss has inscribed it with Don Pedro's Act 111, scene ii line from the play: 'I have the toothache', along with its title: 'Much Ado', the date: 2.11.1882 - the year of which must be an error for 1883 - and his signature.

Henry Irving played Benedick, and the cast also included Ellen Terry as Beatrice and Johnston Forbes-Robertson as Claudio. Over 600 people were involved in creating the production, which was sumptuously dressed and set in every detail. One commentator of the day noted that it was only the excellence of the acting that saved it from being 'overweighted with upholstery and wardrobe' The V&A owns Irving's costume as Benedick from this production, which gives the contemporary viewer a glimpse of the 'gorgeous bejewelled costumes of silk and satin' as described by The Times reviewer on the 12th October 1882.