• PLAYBILLS •
 Dramatic
Romance & Comic
Opera —With Hot Air Balloons!  (Theater Playbills). Theatres-Royal. London, 1783–84. Folios. [1] f.Each: $450.00• This list is one of individual offerings from a group of broadsides advertising productions at the Theatres-Royal in Covent Garden and Drury Lane, with dates running from the winter of 1783 through the spring of '84. Featured plays include Romeo and Juliet, Douglas, The West Indian, and "a new comic opera" called Robin Hood; or, Sherwood Forest.
Secondary attractions range from dances to minor dramatic works to pantomimes, with sheets for consecutive evenings showing how a main attraction might be paired with a comedy one night and a musical entertainment the next. John Kemble and his sister Sarah Siddons appear together on several playbills, while William Lewis (that "airiest and most mercurial of comedians," according to the Oxford Companion to the Theatre) takes the lead role in many productions. All of the playbills list cast members by part, and the majority have a final banner promoting the next evening’s production. Many include the phrase "Vivant Rex & Regina," while on several sheets it is mentioned that the main play’s accompaniment will be a "Pantomime Entertainment called Fortunatus / In which will be introduced an Air Balloon." Throughout the series, the typography is workmanlike—reflecting speedy job-printing—but is surprisingly accurate, with only a few reversed letters, hardly any letters dropped, and consistent orthography. • In Mylar folders. Most leaves with chipped edges, in a few cases touching last lines; a few leaves with small holes. Leaves in overall good condition, with varying degrees of off-setting, fading, and age-toning.
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Look Closely: This Playbill & the Next
ARE NOT Duplicates!
$450.00
$450.00
6 December 1783, Drury-Lane. The Gamester (Edward Moore) [for the fifth time] with The Deaf Lover (Frederick Pilon). • Mr. Kemble, Mr. Brereton, Mr. Packer, Mr. R. Palmer, Mr. Phillimore, Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Brereton, Mrs. Siddons. • Advertised for the next day: The Metamorphosis. In Mylar folder. Shallowly chipped edges, traces of soiling
in top margin; in overall good condition.
$450.00
10 December 1783, Covent-Garden [conjoined with] 11 December 1783, Drury-Lane. (10th) More Ways than One (Henry Carey) [Fourth night] with The Poor Soldier (John O’Keeffe). • Mr. Lewis, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Wewitzer, Mr. Fearon, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Jones, Mr. Helme, Mr. Wroughton, Mrs. Kemble, Mrs. Wilson, Miss Platt, Miss Younge. • Advertised for the next day: Venice Preserv’d. (11th) The West Indian (Richard Cumberland) with The Camp (Richard Sheridan) ["To conclude with a perspective representation of the camp at Cox-Heath"]. • Mr. Bannister, Mr. Aickin, Mr. Moody, Mr. Packer, Mr. Brereton, Mr. Baddeley, Mr. Waldron, Mrs. Hopkins, Mrs. Brereton, Miss Hale, Miss Farren. • Advertised for the next day: The Plain Dealer with The Ladies’ Frolick.
In Mylar folder. Lightly age-toned with shallowly chipped edges and traces of soiling; in overall good condition. 
12 December 1783, Covent-Garden. More Ways than One (Henry Carey) [Fifth night] with The Poor Soldier (John O’Keeffe). • Mr. Lewis, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Wewitzer, Mr. Fearon, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Wroughton, Mrs. Kemble, Mrs. Wilson, Miss Platt, Miss Younge. In Mylar folder. Lightly age-toned with shallowly
chipped edges and traces of soiling; left edge trimmed with early paper repair
resulting in loss of parts of letters.
$450.00
15 December 1783, Covent-Garden [conjoined with] 16 December 1783, Drury-Lane. (15th) More Ways than One (Henry Carey) [Seventh night] with Rosina (Frances Brooke). • Mr. Lewis, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Wewitzer, Mr. Fearon, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Wroughton, Mrs. Kemble, Mrs. Wilson, Miss Platt, Miss Younge. • Advertised for the next day: The Merchant of Venice with Love a-la-Mode. (16th) King John (Shakespeare) with Comus (Milton). • Mr. Kemble, Mr. Bensley, Mr. Staunton, Mr. Williames, Mr. Chaplin, Mr. Smith, Mr. Aickin, Mr. Barrymore, Miss Field (as Prince Arthur), Mr. Packer, Mr. Farren, Mrs. Hopkins, Miss Palmer, Mrs. Hedges, Mrs. Siddons. • Advertised for the next day: The Tender Husband, or the Accomplished Fools with Fortunatus ("in which will be introduced an air balloon").
17 December 1783, Covent-Garden [conjoined with] 18 December 1783, Drury-Lane. (17th) More Ways than One (Henry Carey) [Eighth night] with The Poor Soldier (John O’Keeffe). • Mr. Lewis, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Wewitzer, Mr. Fearon, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Wroughton, Mrs. Kemble, Mrs. Wilson, Miss Platt, Miss Younge. • Advertised for the next day: Venice Preserv’d. (18th) The Gamester (Edward Moore) [Sixth time; ending with a new comic ballet by Mr. and Miss Hamoir] with Who’s the Dupe? (Hannah Cowley). • Mr. Kemble, Mr. Brereton, Mr. Aickin, Mr. R. Palmer, Mr. Phillimore, Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Brereton, Mrs. Siddons. • Advertised for the next day: The Chances with Fortunatus [with air balloon]. In Mylar folder. Lightly age-toned with shallowly chipped edges and traces of soiling; in overall good condition.
22 December 1783, Covent-Garden. More Ways than One (Henry Carey) [Tenth night, "being the last time of performing it till after the holidays"] with The Poor Soldier (John O’Keeffe). • Mr. Lewis, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Wewitzer, Mr. Fearon, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Wroughton, Mrs. Kemble, Mrs. Wilson, Miss Platt, Miss Younge. • Advertised for the next day: The Winter’s Tale and Friar Bacon, or Harlequin’s Adventures into Lilliput, Brobdingnag, &c. In Mylar folder. Lightly age-toned with shallowly chipped
edges and traces of soiling in the margins; in overall good condition.
$450.00
14 April 1784, Covent-Garden. The Careless
Husband (Colley Cibber) ["By particular desire For the benefit of Mrs.
Mattocks . . . ninth time"] with The Rival Knights and Rosina
(Frances Brooke). • Mr. Lewis, Mr. Wroughton, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Henderson,
Mrs. Mattocks, Mrs. Bates, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Abington. • Advertised for
the next day: Rule a Wife and Have a Wife. In Mylar folder. Light waterstain
in margin, shallowly chipped edges; in overall good condition.
[SOLD]
22 April 1784, Covent-Garden. The Castle of Andalusia (John O’Keeffe) with The Rival Knights and Barnaby Brittle (Thomas Betterton). • Mr. Mattocks, Mr. Reinhold, Mr. Bannister, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Brett, Mr. Booth, Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Bannister, Mrs. Wilson, Signora Sestini. • Advertised for the next day: Which Is the Man? and The Flitch of Bacon. In Mylar folder. Shallowly chipped edges, traces of soiling
in lower margin; in overall good condition.
$450.00
1 May 1784, Drury-Lane. Tancred and Sigismunda (James Thomson) with The Ladies’ Frolick. • Mr. Kemble, Mr. Bensley, Mr. Farren, Mr. R. Palmer, Miss Kemble, Mrs. Siddons. • Advertised for the next day: Twelfth Night with Duke and No Duke. In Mylar folder. Shallowly chipped edges, traces of soiling in top margin; in
overall good condition.
$450.00
4 May 1784, Drury-Lane. Douglas (John Hume) with Too Civil by Half (John Dent). • Mr. Brereton, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Farren, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Phillimore, Mr. Bensley, Miss Wheeler, Mrs. Siddons. • Advertised for the next day: The Jealous Wife with High Life below Stairs. In Mylar folder. Shallowly chipped edges, traces of soiling
in top margin; in overall good condition.
[SOLD]
6 May 1784, Covent-Garden. All in the Wrong (Arthur Murphy) with The Rival Knights and The Sultan ["To conclude with a grand dance"]. • Mr. Wroughton, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Fearon, Mr. Helme, Mr. Wewitzer, Mr. Lewis, Mrs. Mattocks, Miss Stuart, Mrs. Davenett, Mrs. Morton, Mrs. Abington. • Advertised for the next day: The Wives Revenged with Man and Wife and Poor Vulcan. In Mylar folder. Shallowly chipped edges, traces of soiling
in top margin; in overall good condition.
$450.00
8 May 1784, Drury-Lane. Tancred and Sigismunda (James Thomson) with The Deaf Lover (Frederick Pilon). • Mr. Kemble, Mr. Bensley, Mr. Farren, Mr. R. Palmer, Miss Kemble, Mrs. Siddons. • Advertised for the next day: Love Makes a Man; or, the Fop’s Fortune with Duke and No Duke. Shallowly chipped edges, traces of soiling
in the margins; in overall good condition.
$450.00
11 May 1784, Covent-Garden. Robin Hood; or, Sherwood Forest (Leonard MacNally) [Seventh night; ending with the dance "Rural Merriment"] with The Commissary (Samuel Foote). • Mr. Bannister, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Johnstone, Mr. Brett, Mr. Davies, Mr. Fearon, Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Martyr, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Kemble, Mrs. Bannister.
In Mylar folder. Lightly age-toned; corner dog-eared, traces of soiling in the margins; in overall good condition.
$450.00
12 May 1784, Covent-Garden. Robin Hood; or, Sherwood Forest (Leonard MacNally)with Adelaide de Brabant, or The Triumph of Virtue and Three Weeks after Marriage (Arthur Murphy). • Mr. Bannister, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Johnstone, Mr. Brett, Mr. Davies, Mr. Fearon, Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Martyr, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Kemble, Mrs. Bannister. In Mylar folder. Lightly age-toned with shallowly
chipped edges and traces of soiling in the margins; in overall good condition.
$450.00
[SOLD]
$450.00
14 May 1784, Covent-Garden. More Ways Than One (Henry Carey) ["Positively the last time of performing it {this season} For the benefit of Mrs. Kemble" at top, first line shaved with loss] with Midas (Kane O’Hara). • Mr. Lewis, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Booth, Mr. Wewitzer, Mr. Fearon, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Wroughton, Mrs. Kemble, Mrs. Wilson, Miss Younge. In Mylar folder. Lightly age-toned with shallowly chipped
edges and a small internal hole (cutting off parts of letters) and traces of
soiling in the margins; top edge closely trimmed cutting off part of top line.
$450.00
19 May 1784, Covent-Garden. Robin Hood; or,
Sherwood Forest (Leonard MacNally) [Eleventh night;
ding with the dance "The Poney Races"] with All the World’s a Stage (Isaac
Jackman). • Mr. Reinhold, Mr. Quick, Mr. Edwin, Mr. Johnstone, Mr. Brett,
Mr. Davies, Mr. Booth, Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Martyr, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Kemble, and
Mrs. Bannister. • Advertised for the next day: The Man of the World with Harlequin
Rambler, or The Convent in an Uproar. In Mylar folder. Lightly age-toned
with shallowly chipped edges (cutting off parts of letters, especially in bottom
line) and traces of
soiling in the margins.
$450.00
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All material © 2008
The Philadelphia Rare Books & Manuscripts
Company
These theatrical ephemera are quite scarce: While 19th-century examples are fairly common, a check of ESTC found only a few scattered instances of 18th-century Theatre-Royal playbills, none with more than one holding.
A few playbills are actually bifolia—double spreads—with
conjoined leaves for consecutive nights at the two different theaters, showing
that Covent-Garden
and Drury-Lane sent their bills in to be printed at the same time.
