A group of playbills advertising plays, musical performances and other spectacles at the Theatre Royal in Hull, an important port city in East Yorkshire on the Humber estuary. This collection provides evidence of which actors where touring the provinces and which plays were popular.
A number of the performances advertised here were “by the desire” of the local Freemason’s and include Masonic songs and, on one occasion, a large painted “transparency” showing “the Mysterious Emblems of Masonry.” The theatre was also used for a performance for the local hunt with appropriate hunting songs between the plays.
These playbills document the period when the Theatre Royal was managed by the great theatrical empresario, Tate Wilkinson (1739-1803) who documented his life in the theatre in great detail in Memoirs of his Own Life (1790) and The Wandering Patentee, or, A History of the Yorkshire Theatres from 1770 to the Present Time (1795).
Very Rare. Not in ESTC or OCLC. There are copies of many of these playbills in York Minster Library in Tate Wilkinson’s own collection of playbills from his time as actor/manager of the Hull Theatre Royal 1766-1803 (see Fitsimmons and McDonald, The Yorkshire Stage 1766-1803 (1989) which includes a calendar of all the playbills in the Wilkinson collection at York Minster.
Tate Wilkinson (1739-1803) was a successful actor and theatre manager who was responsible for the northern circuit of theatres which included Hull but also York and Leeds and made them highly successful by transferring popular plays from London but also reflecting the interests of the local audience. In 1769, Wilkinson purchased two Royal Patents that allowed his theatres in York and Hull to be named “Theatre Royal.”
Benefit of Mr. Warren…Friday Evening the 27th of December, 1793, will be performed a Comic Opera, call’d the Duenna; or the Double Elopement…To which will be added (2d Time) a Musical Piece in two Acts, called Children in the Wood.
Includes “the first Appearance on any Stage” of the young Master Hamerton playing the part of Boy in Children in the Wood. Manuscript note in the lower half of the sheet recording the takings (£13.13.0)
Benefit of the Musicians…Wednesday Evening the 8th of January, 1794, will be Performed a Play call’d the Surrender of Calais…To which will e added a Farce….call’d Two String to your Bow.
Benefit of Mr. Warren and Mrs. Jarman. Wednesday Evening the 22nd of January, 1794, will presented a favorite comedy, call’d the Dramatist; or, Stop Him Who Can…at the End of the Play, A Dissertation on Jealousy, describing its various Effects in the Spanish, Dutch, Italian, French and English Husband, by Mrs Jarman…to which will e added a Comic Opera…call’d Castle of Andalusia; or, The Man’s the Master.
With a long note at the head of the sheet stating that a previous benefit for Warren and Jarman at the Theatre Royal had been “exceeding unproductive” and that Mr. Wilkinson has therefore allowed them to perform again with a polite appreciation of the “kind patronage and support of a candid and generous public.” Manuscript note in the lower half of the sheet recording the takings (£20.10.0)
Benefit of Miss Reynolds…Tuesday Evening the 28th of Nauary, 1794, will be Performed a Comic Opera in three Acts, call’d the Haunted Tower…to which will be added a Comic Opera, (never perform’d here) call’d Sprigs of Laurel.
Manuscript note in the lower half of the sheet recording the takings (£37.5.6)
By Desire of the Worshipful Master and Brethren of the Rodney Lodge. Benefit of Mr. Michell…Friday Evening the 31st of January, 1794, Will be presented a favorite Comedy, call’d the Young Quaker…A Transparency, representing the Genii of the Masonic Order unfolding a Mantle containing the Mysterious Emblems of Masonry. Painted by Mrs Michell for the Rodney Lodge. A Masonic Song by Mr Michell. And (by Desire) the favorite Comedy of the Child of Nature…A Sea Song by Mr Michell. After which a favorite Burletta, called Poor Vulcan.
(Last Night but One.) For the Benefit of Mr. Walker and Mrs. Bainbridge…Wednesday Evening the 5th of February, 1794, will be presented a Musical Farce, call’d Rosina…and with a Farce call’d Modern Antiques; or, the Merry Mourners…The celebrated Song of, The Wolf, by Mr Walker. To which will be added the Comic Opera of No Song no Supper
Tuesday Evening the 11th of Novemer, 1794, will be presented a favourite Comedy called, The Child of Nature…after which the Comic Opera of the Flitch of Bacon…to which will be added, The Sultan; or, a Peep into the Seraglio
Tuesday Evening the 9th of December, 1794, will be presented a New Tragedy (never performed here) called, Fontainville Forest. (As performed at the Theatre-Royal, Covent Garden with universal Applause)…To which will be added a New Comic Opera, (never performed here) called, My Grandmother…with New Scenery, painted by Mr. Michell.
With a note after the main text on pricing: “Tickets, Boxes 3s.- Pit 2s*.* -First Gal 1s. 6d. – Upper GAL. 1s…No places kept after the first Act. – No Half Price to the Upper Gallery. – No servants to be admitted without Pay.”
Wednesday Evening the 10th of December, 1794, Will be presented the favourite Comedy, of Every One has his Fault…to which will be added a Comic Opera, calld Sprigs of Laurel.
A printed note at the foot of the sheet announces two new plays coming to the theatre on the following Friday: the Beggars Opera and Irishman in London.
Benefit of Mr. and Mrs. Wood…Friday Evening the 19th of December, 1794, will be performed a Comic Opera, called The Maid of the Mill…the favourite Glee, “We be three Poor Mariners”…after which (never Sung here) the much admired Glee, “You Gentlemen of England,”…to which will be added a Farce called Animal Magnetism. (Written by Mrs Inchbald).
By Desire of the Worshipful Master & Brethren of the Rodney Lodge. Benefit of Mr Michell. On Friday Evening, January 23, 1795, will be presented a Comedy (in three Acts) call’d The Country Girl…End of Act 2d, a Masonic Song by Brother Mitchell. After which a New Musical Entertainment, called the Glorious First of June…To conclude with Rule Britannia, in full Chorus. To which will be added, a Comic Opera, called Inkle and Yarico.
(Last Week but One) by Desire of the Gentlemen of the Hull Hunt. Benefit of Mr & Mrs Kelly. On Tuesday Evening, January 27, 1795, will e performed a Comedy called the Fashionable Lover…End of Act 2d. (by particular Desire of the Gentlemen of the Hunt) Mr Hopp, of this Town will sing the favourite Hunting Song, called “The Blush of Aurora,” And at the End of the 4th Act, “Lash’d to the Helm.” End of the Play, a Hunting Song by Mr Michell. After which Mr Kelly will deliver his Imitations of the following London Performers…To which will be added a Musical Farce, called The Deserter.
The Last Night of Subscription…On Wednesday Evening the 25th of November 1795, will be presented a New Comedy, never performed here, called, the Deserted Daughter…to which will be added a Farce, in two Acts called All the World’s a Stage.
On Friday Evening November 27, 1795, will be presented a Tragedy, called,The Grecian Daughter…To which will be added a Farce, in two Acts, called, The Old Maid.
For the Benefit of Mr Turpin…on Friday Evening the 11th of December, 1795, will be presented a Comic Opera, called, Hartford Bridge; or, the Skirts of the Camp….for that Night only, “A Dissertation on Husbands” by Miss Collins. After which a favourite Comedy…called, The Child of Nature…Between the Play and Farce, the favorite New Glee of, “Poor Barbara,” (The Words by Shakespeare, the Music by Shields.)…after which the admired Song of, Sally in our Alley,…to which will be added a New Musical Piece, (neer performed here) called, The Apparition.
Benefit of Miss Collins…on Friday Evening February 5, 1796, Will e presented a Comedy called The Conscious Lovers..To which will be added a Farce, in two Acts called Animal Magnetism. Written by Mrs Inchbald.
A printed notice at the foot of the sheet states: “Mr Wilkinson respectfully assures the Public that the Change of the Farce, &c. is owing to indispensile necessity; as Miss Collins is deprived of the Honour of paying her Respects to the Public on her Benefit Night, by a dangerous Illness, that of the Measles, but hopes her present unfortunate situation will not prevent her receiving the Patrongage of the Town, and her Friends”
(The Last Week)…on Tuesday Evening the 9th of February, 1796, will be presented a Comedy called, the Jew; or, a Peep at the Human Heart…To which will be added a Musical Farce called, The Agreeable Surprize.
A printed notice at the foot of the sheet states: “No play to-morrow, being Ash-Wednesday. On Thursday, As You Like It, after the Play (2d time) Mr Richer’s performanc[e] After which, The Virgin Unmask’d.
(The Last Night.) By Desire of the Minerva Lodge. Benefit of Mr & Mrs Edwin. On Tuesday Evening February 16, 1796, will e presented, a Comedy, called, She wou’d & She wou’d not; or, the Kind Imposter. End of Act II. A Masnic Song, to be Sung by Brother Michell, assisted by Brothers Edwin, Wood, &c. End of Act IV. A New Comic Song called Lump’d Together; or the Chapter of Players, by Mr Edwin. End of the Play, Mr Edwin will Fence with a Professor of that Art, After which a favorite Musical Entertainment (in one Act) called, The Recruiting Serjeant…to which will e added, a Farce (in one Act) called, Lover’s Quarrells; or, Like Master like Man…by Permission of the Commanding Officer of the Royal Surry Militias the Band will performed between the Acts.
Tickets to be had as usual, and of Mr and Mrs Edwin, at Mrs Wilson’s, Oyster Warehouse in the Butchery.
