Silk programme for a performance of A Chinese Honeymoon, by George Dance and Howard Talbot, Royal Strand Theatre, 1902

Cream silk programme with integral fringe, printed in blue ink, for a performance of the musical comedy A Chinese Honeymoon by George Dance, with music by Howard Talbot, directed by Guy Waller, produced by Charles Wilson, at the Royal Strand Theatre, lessee and manager Frank Curzon. With Picton Roxborough as Hang Chow, E. Boyd-Jones as Chippee Chop, Percy Clifton as Hi Lung, Farren Soutar as Tom Hatherton, J.T. MacMillan as Mr. Pineapple, Fay Wentworth as Florrie, Edith Neville as Violet, Rosie Edwardes as Violet, Euphemia Barnes as Millie, Marie Daltra as Gertie, Jessia Lait as Mrs. Brown, Fanny Wright as Yen Yen, Madge Temple as Sing Sing, Kate Cutler as Soo Soo, Marie Dainton as Mrs. Pineapple, and Louie Freear as Fi Fi.

The Gardens of the Hotel at Ylang Ylang, Act I were designed by Philip Howden, and the Room in the Emperor's Palace, Act II, by Walter Hann. Dances were arranged by Will Bishop and Fred Farren, costumes designed by Attilo Comelli, modern dresses by Mme. Blancquaert, millinery by Mrs. Violette, and wigs by Gustave. The assistant stage manager was Clarence Hunt, the musical director Ernest Vousden, and business manager R. Byron Webber.

Givenby Margaret Hopes

Silk and satin theatre programmes were produced for special performances of a production. This programme does not note the event or date but would have been made between March and October 1902 when Kate Cutler played Soo Soo.

A Chinese Honeymoon was a huge success in London's West End, opening at the Royal Strand Theatre on 5 October 1901 and running for 1,075 performances, the first musical to achieve over 1,000 performances. With its orientally-inspired settings and costumes and whimsical plot, it echoed and owed inspiration to Gilbert and Sullivan's Japanese-inspired comic musical The Mikado. A Chinese Honeymoonalso ran at the Casino Theatre, New York, from 2 June 1902, for 376 performances.

S.150-2020