Kean as Richard III, directed to the left, stands on a large volume with the word 'Shakespear' written on the top edge. Resting on his head and humped shoulders is a model of Drury Lane Theatre, a massive block, inscribed 'Whitbreads Intire.' On the roof is poised an ugly figure of Fame, blowing through a trumpet 'Puff Puff Puff', and holding behind her a second trumpet, from which issue the words 'Puff Puff P'. At the entrance to the theatre straddles a tiny Whitbread, his legs and arms projecting from a cask which forms his body; he says: "Now by St Paul the work goes bravely on" (altering Richard's words from 'this news is bad indeed'). Kean stoops, leaning on a cross-hilted sword, inscribed 'A Keen supporter'; he has misshapen bandy legs. He says: "Well, as you guess." He wears an ermine-trimmed cap encircled by a crown, slashed doublet and trunk hose, a sleeveless coat bordered with ermine and embroidered with a (Yorkist) rose, with flapped and spurred boots. (The figure, with the position of the arms altered, is a travesty of J.J. Hall's portrait of Kean interrogating Stanley on the approach of Richmond. The costume is correct.) The stage is indicated by curtains flanking the design. In the background are clouds of smoke.--Adapted from British Museum
Description:
Title from text etched below image., Complete imprint statement and dimensions supplied from British Museum impression., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark with loss of characters in the publisher's name.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 7th, 1814 by H. Humphrey, St. James's Street
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Kean, Edmund, 1787-1833, Kean, Edmund, 1787-1833,, Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616,, and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London, England)
pubd. according to act of Parliamt., March 28th, 1761.
Call Number:
Topos Ox98 no. 2++
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"The interior of the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, looking towards the rear, the seats around the sides, in the gallery and in the stalls, crowded with scholars and others listening to a debate between two academics facing each other in pulpits on either side, observed by the chancellor in a pulpit in the centre, with women among the spectators grouped in front of the benches in the foreground and showing part of Streater's paintings on the ceiling above."--British Museum online catalogue
"View of the Surrey Theatre on Great Surrey Street, with the obelisk in the left foreground, showing also the Magdalen Asylum, and a carriage passing through the turnpile; a farmer leads sheep and a cow down centre of street in foreground, a woman sweeps to the right, other figures beyond"--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from caption below image. and Plate numbered "141" in upper right corner.
Publisher:
Published March 2, 1812, by Robt. Laurie & Jas. Whittle, No. 53 Fleet Street
"View of the grand front of the theatre; a lion and unicorn to left and right of the pedament at top, with a sculpture of armour and weapons in the centre, pillasters across middle of building and an iron balcony above ground floor; in foreground to right a carriage and a sedan chair, to the left street traders and other figures."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Nouvelle façade, vers Bridges Street, de la principale entrée du Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Description:
Titles engraved below image, in English and French., "Possibly an illustration from 'The Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adam', 1773-1822"--Curator's comments, British Museum online catlalogue, registration no.: 1880,1113.3116., and Tipped in at page 640 (leaf numbered '89' in pencil) in volume 4 of an extra-illustrated copy of: Moore, T. Memoirs of the life of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
London (England), England, London., and London,
Subject (Name):
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London, England), and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London, England)
Subject (Topic):
Buildings, structures, etc, Buildings, Theaters, Facades, Carriages & coaches, Sedan chairs, Street vendors, and Dogs
"A struggling crowd, partly within and partly without the pit door, a spiked gateway, of Drury Lane Theatre. Men, respectably dressed but of plebeian appearance, stand in the foreground on the outskirts of the crowd or fight their way in, some with sticks. There are a few women; one who has fainted but is in an erect position owing to the crowd, is being revived with smelling-salts. A man is vomiting. In the foreground two lady's hats, the ribbons partly torn off, lie on the ground with shoes and the broken fragments of a shoe-buckle. In the background two ladies and a man are passing through a narrow door into the theatre itself; through the doorway is seen a section of an upper gallery and boxes below it, both crowded. On the exterior wall, above the heads of the crowd, is a playbill ..."--British Museum online catalogue, description of the related print
Alternative Title:
Porte du parterre
Description:
Title from related print, which bears both the English title "The pit door" and the French title "La porte du parterre"., Unsigned and undated; artist attribution and approximate date from those assigned to the related print in the British Museum catalogue. See no. 6769 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum, v. 6., Inscribed on poster in upper center portion of image: By Command of their MAJESTIES. At the Theatre Royal Drury Lane The Grecian Daughter And Euphrasia Mrs Siddons To which will be added The Devil to Pay Tomorrow the Tragedy of Hamlet HAMLET by MR KEMBLE., and Laid down on wove paper with watermark "B. E. & S."
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Kemble, John Philip, 1757-1823., Siddons, Sarah, 1755-1831., and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London, England),
Subject (Topic):
Theaters, Crowds, Gates, Doors & doorways, Vomiting, Loss of consciousness, and Signs (Notices)