The Washington times., 1905-06-04
Ancient PIaubIIls.
Curious Use Made of Them on the
English Stage.

While there is every reason, I believe,
that programs were utterly unknown IN
the English theatsr In the post-restora-
tion period, one cannot overlook the
fact that handbilIs of another order
were occasionally distributed gratis 10
the audience. When Dryden in 1855
wrote g sequel TO Sir Robert Howard's
play. THE Indian Queen called THE
Indian Emperor" he desired to draw at
tention to the connection between the
two. and effected his purpose by means
OF a handbiII. Years afterward the
Duke of Buckingham ridicuIed the ex-
pedient in The Rehearsa il making
Mr.. Bayes TO say; i have printed above
a hundred sheets OF paper to insinuate
the plot into the boxes"
A stiIl more curious resort vas made
10 handbilIs at Drury Lane in October,
1861, in connection with the Earl of
Orrery's new play, The Black Prince"
On the first day the reading OF long
and very tedious letter whose contents
were vital to the conduct of The plot
almost resulted In the damning OF the
piece Obviously It had TO be- cut out.
but as its absence left the audience in
the dark as 70 certain matters the no
bic author had the missiye printed and
distributed on subsequent occa sions in
the house. Again. we learn from a let
ter of Mrs. Evelyns TO an Irish friend
that when the Duke OF Newcastless
comedy, THE Heiress." was rrodueed
at Drury Lane on January 90 1863
printed apologies were SCATTERED In
the assembly by Briden's lausry Dry
den's) order. either for himself. who
had some hand IN it, Of for the author
most; I think both had right to them. "
IH1T fIaa
Lane bill OF 1868 must now perforce be
repudiated as a forgery, what, IL may
be asked, Is the oldest daybin in ex-
istence? Fourteen years ago. when
that erudite historian, the late Robert
w Lowe. published his monograph on
Thomas Betterton, he could cite
nothing more remote than the follow
ing mutilated daybili. the date of which
he showed to be February q, 100:
W. r.
At the desire of several Persons of
Quality.
at the
NEW THEATRE.
IN Little Lincoln SLIM Fields
This present TUESDAY, being the 9TH
of February,
Will be presented a traget.y cafI,d
THE MOURNING BRfI-ls.
....,h Entry performd d by
'''''-.''.'s....-.-e Boy.
s1SaL Hf&.
AS Mr. Lowe made no attempt to fiji
in the missing portions ii may be point
ed out here that the two imperfect lines
should read: Moorish Entry perform d
by the little Boy"
Through constant dclving into the
Tnusty archives of the past it has been
my good fortune TO unearth a f,ayhiIl
which must be at least some eight wears
older than he. oTe mat
property of Sir Edmund Verney. Bart.
OF Clayton House. County Bucks. and
has apparently been for long In the pos
session OF that distinguished family. Il
tiny sheet. only six inches by three. 1t
bears the following announcement:
At the Theatre Royal in Dr,iry Lane
this present Wednesday. being the
last day Of November, Will
be presented
play called
THE INDIAN EMPEROR
THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO BY
-. THE sPANIARDs
no money TO be returned after the Cur
tain is drawn
By tneir Majesties servants.
RiKanI Rex ef Regina
Some little difficulty Is experienced In
arriving at an approximate date for this
nlaybill owing principally to the fact
that THE Indian Emperor" enjoyed
much vogue and was long-iived play.
But the absence Of the cest shows that
the bill was not an eigt teeuth century
one, ard as Dryden's pla~ was first pro-
duced In 1865. il must hay,, been between
that year and 1854 that the bill was Is
sued. Starting from 1865 one finds by
means OF perpetual calendar that the
only years within that period on which
the a9th or November fell upon a We'd
nesday we're 1870. 1851. 1887 and 1892 Ny
reason for placing the boundary at 1884. |