1879-c1888 Three Programs for the St. James's Theatre

Description

Publishers' Original Binding, Very Scarce

Three very scarce programs for the St. James's Theatre. 

'The Queen's Shilling', by G. W. Godfrey, produced in 1879, algonside 'Monsieur le Duc' by Val Prinsep. This was the first production under the new Hare and Kendal management, a revival of the popular play. 

'The Squire', by A. W. Pinero, produced in 1881, alongside 'Cousin Dick' by Val Prinsep. 

'Ladies' Battle' by T. W. Robertson, alongside 'Old Cronies' by A. Theyre-Smith, and 'A Regular Fix' by J. Maddison Morton, produced c1888.

St James's Theatre was opened on King Street, St James's, in 1835, by the signer John Braham. The theatre lost money, and failed to be a success for forty years, until 1879, when the theatre came under new management: this team of John Hare, and married couple Madge and W. H. Kendal. The team led the theatre to a prosperous few years, until it was succeeded in 1888. They renovated the theatre with decor by Walter Crane. In 1950 the theatre was taken over by Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, before it was demolished in 1957.