PRINCESS'S

[ Wilson Barrett, English actor-manager. ] Autograph Letter Signed to Lady Greville, thanking her for her 'good opinion' of a performance, and complaining of 'heavy pressure of work'.

Author: 
Wilson Barrett [ William Henry Barrett ] (1846-1904), English manager, actor, and playwright, successful in the field of melodrama
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Royal Princess's Theatre, London ('LESSEE & MANAGER, MR. WILSON BARRETT.'). 10 April 1884.
£30.00

2pp., 12mo. On first leaf of a bifolium, the blank second leaf of which is laid down on a leaf of yellow paper removed from an album. In good condition, lightly-aged. He thanks her for her letter, '& the good opinion you express upon the performance'. He hopes to accept her invitation when he no longer labours under 'the heavy pressure of work, now rather weighing me down'.

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[ Henry Russell, song writer and entertainer. ] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Massingham' [ W. W. Massingham of the Princess's Theatre ], requesting complimentary tickets to 'the Pantomime'.

Author: 
Henry Russell (1812?-1900), English song writer and entertainer [ William Wright Massingham, essee of the box-office at the Princess's Theatre, London ]
Publication details: 
Without date or place. On paper watermarked 'A PIRIE & SONS | 1852'.
£30.00

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper, with minor traces of glue from mount on reverse. Reads: 'My ydear Massingham. | Will you give me an admission for myself & friend to see the Pantomime - I hear it is great - how are you - can I do any thing for you! - | Thine sincerely | Henry Massingham'. 'Old Massingham' was well-known in his day as 'the lessee of the box-office at the Princess's Theatre during the reign of Keeley and Charles Kean'. His collection of theatrical material was auctioned after his death.

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[ Edward Fitzball, English playwright. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('E. Fitzball.') [ to Charles Kean ], requesting a box for a performance of King Lear [ at the Princess's Theatre ].

Author: 
Edward Fitzball (1792-1873), English playwright [ Charles Kean (1811-1868), English actor, born in Ireland; Walter James Macqueen-Pope (1888-1960), theatre manager and historian ]
Publication details: 
9 Upper Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy Square [ London ]. 18 May 1858.
£45.00

1p., 16mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, laid down on damaged leaf from album. At head, in another hand: 'for Saturday'. Reads: 'My dear Sir: | I shd. feel greatly obliged if you could without inconvenience to yr interest, give me a box, any night this week, to see King Lear.' At head is note in another hand (see below): 'for Saturday'. From the collection of Macqueen-Pope, who has written at the foot of the leaf on which the letter is mounted: 'To Chas Kean Princess's Theatre | Note at top, either by CK or Massingham the boxoffice m[ana]g[e]r.'

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[ Charles Dance, playwright. ] Autograph Letter Signed to 'My dear Kean' [ Charles John Kean ], requesting a box for his performance of Richard II [ at the Princess's Theatre, London ].

Author: 
Charles Dance (1794-1863), English dramatist who collaborated with James Planché [ Charles John Kean (1811-1868), actor and theatre manager, son of Edmund Kean (1787-1833) ]
Publication details: 
64 Mornington Road, Regent's Park, N.W. [ London ] 4 May 1857.
£80.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper. He hopes he is not 'premature' in asking for 'a box for Richard 2d for tomorrow - Tuesday - night!' If he is not he will be 'thankful'; if he is he will 'wait patiently for a future occasion'. Kean's Richard II opened at the Princess's Theatre on 14 March 1857 and ran for 112 nights.

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Autograph Letter Signed from the actor-manager Wilson Barrett [William Henry Barrett] to Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine, regarding the dramatisation of his novel 'The Deemster' (renamed 'Ben-my-chree') for performance at the Princess's Theatre, London.

Author: 
Wilson Barrett [William Henry Barrett] (1846-1904), English actor and playwright, manager of the Princess's Theatre, London [Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine (1853-1931), novelist]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Hedingham, 21 Maresfield Gardens, South Hampstead, London. 28 April 1888.
£45.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Barrett writes: 'Dear Hall Caine/ | The scheme promises well. I have made an arrangement for eight weeks at the Princess's. I thought it better to fight for the play there. Will certainly have a fair chance, although there can be no <?>.' According to Barrett's entry in the Oxford DNB, he returned from the Globe Theatre 'to the Princess's, where he began work with Hall Caine on adapting The Deemster, renamed Ben-my-chree (17 May 1888).

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