Playbills.- Collection of c.210 printed playbills, of which c.10 for Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, c.90 for Royal Strand Theatre of which c.85 double playbills, c.110 for Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, of which c. 20 double playbills, occasionally laid down or with repairs to verso, rest loose, some staining, foxing and browning, some chips and tears to edges affecting text, some creasing, folds, v.s., 1802-1871.

⁂ An excellent collection of playbills, providing a rich insight into popular theatre at London's highly frequented theatres in the early- mid-nineteenth century. Many playbills for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane are advertising scenery and moving dioramas by Clarkson Stanfield, as well as popular actors such as Macready, Liston, and Ellen Tree. The majority of Royal Strand Theatre playbills advertise burlesques, burlettas, farces, and operatic extravaganzas, with contemporary plays such as 'Esmerelda', 'Kenilworth' 'Pygmalion' and 'William Tell', 'Freischutz' and 'Field of the Cloth of Gold' quite irreverently, with the complete cast and scenery details.

Plays of note in this collections include: the first performance of the later highly celebrated 'Miriam's Crime', with Kate Saville in the leading role, October 9 1863, Royal Strand Theatre; the promotion of the 'Great Success of Mr J.S. Clarke, the celebrated American Comedian', Monday 30 November, Royal Strand Theatre; performances by the successful Madame de Meric, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Friday April 13 1832, and William Macready's 'Farewell of the Stage' in Macbeth, Wednesday February 26 1851, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.