[St James’s Theatre, London: 1936 centenary production of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, designed by Rex Whistler, and starring Celia Johnson and Hugh Williams.] Manuscript ‘Treasury Sheets’ of itemized accounts for 9 weeks of performances.

The Gilbert Miller production of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, designed by Rex Whistler, and starring Celia Johnson as Elizabeth Bennet and Hugh Williams as Mr Darcy, was a great success. It opened at the St James's Theatre, London, on 27 February 1936, and closed on 21 November 1936; with a Christmas revival between 26 December 1936 and 16 January 1937. There was a royal performance before Queen Mary on 15 February 1937, and the production went on tour for the rest of the year. The present material provides a wonderful opportunity to study the financial set-up of the 1930s London stage, by means of the accounts for nine weeks of a run of a significant production by a major theatre. Completed in manuscript for ‘St James’s Theatre. / Pride & Prejudice’ on nine printed forms, each form for a week of eight performances, running from the week ending 12 September to the 14 November 1936, but lacking the week ending 19 September 1936. Each on one side of a landscape folio leaf, and all headed ‘[ ] Performances. Treasury Sheet for Week Ending [ ] 19[ ]’ and ruled in red. Printed on each form are entries under the headings ‘Artistes’ Salaries’, ‘Advertising’ (including ‘L. E. R. Lifts’, ‘Boardmen’ and ‘Hire of Sign’), ‘Stage Expenses’ (including ‘Dressers’, ‘Call Boy’, ‘Hire of Wigs’), ‘Front of House Expenses’ (including ‘Fireman’, ‘Linkmen’, ‘Florist’ and ‘Coal and Coke’, ‘Gas and Electricity’ (including ‘Lamp Maintenance’), ‘Printing & Stationery’ (including ‘Box Office Tickets’), ‘Author’s Fees’, ‘Orchestra’, ‘Rent’, ‘Miscellaneous’, ‘Receipts’, ‘Summary of Expenses’. Somewhat creased and worn, with chipping to extremities, but in fair overall condition, and no damage to text. Celia Johnson was the undoubted star of the show, earning £75 per week, with the next highest salary of £50 going to Williams, Dorothy Hyson and Athole Stewart. During the period of these accounts the theatre cost around £220 a week to rent (the sum is variable) and in most weeks the show made a loss: £61 5s 11d for week ending 3 October and £39 6s 7d the following week; but profit of £2 1s 10d in the first week and of £28 17s 0d in the last. Around £55 a week was spent on newspaper advertising, and the weekly cost of cleaning the theatre was around £21. The cost of Electricity was around £24 a week, and the author’s fees (presumably linked to takings) began at around £63 a week, dwindling to about £30 by the end.