A Playbill and Signed Ticket for a "Strictly Private" Amateur Performance
Bradbury And Evans, 1845.
The original playbill, and a ticket signed by Dickens, for the amateur performance of Ben Jonson's Every Man In His Humour in which Dickens starred. The playbill (250 x 200mm) attractively printed in green, red and gold. The ticket (95 x 130mm), titled "Strictly Private" and inscribed in Dickens's hand for "Miss M. Holskamp", and offering her seat no. "40" in "Boxes. Second Circle". The ticket is also signed by Dickens to verso. In excellent condition, the playbill once lightly folded. Now both items mounted, framed and glazed, with a window mount to verso showing Dickens's signature.
An excellent relic of a extravagant evening of amateur dramatics, both organised by and starring Charles Dickens.
Dickens had warmed to the idea of himself as a performer after giving a small reading of The Chimes in 1844. By the following September he had organised and cast the evening's entertainment remembered here, the highlight of which was Dickens's own performance as Jonson's Captain Bobadil. Jonson's play was both preceded by and followed by the performance of Rossini overtures, with the evening concluded by Catherine Gore's one act farce A Good Night's Rest.
Attendance at the private performance at Miss Kelly's Theatre was by invitation only, with both the playbill and ticket titled "strictly private". The "Miss M. Holskamp" of Dickens's inscription is Margaret Holskamp (1827-1908), a correspondent of Dickens's favourite child Kate.
PROVENANCE: Miss Margaret Holskamp, the "Miss M. Holskamp" of Dickens's inscription. One of four sisters and a correspondent of Dickens's favourite child, Kate.
Stock ID: 40892
£9,500.00
