1875 - 1889Other Shakespeare performances
21 May 1887

The Merchant of Venice

Location Royal Lyceum Theatre, London, UK
Plays performed The Merchant of Venice

Programme

Date 21 May 1887
Play(s) The Merchant of Venice
Production Date(s) Saturday 21st May 1887
Venue Royal Lyceum Theatre
Time of performance 8.15pm
Stage Manager H. J. Loveday
Scene Designer Hawes Craven, W. Cuthbert, W. Hann, W. Telbin
Music Director Meredith Ball
Document ID ET-D85 Original record
Held by The British Library
5 scanned images
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The Merchant of Venice, 21 May 1887, Image 1 of 5

ROYAL Lyceum Theatre. Sole Lessee and Manager, MR. HENRY IRVING. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

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The Merchant of Venice, 21 May 1887, Image 2 of 5

THIS EVENING, SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1887, AT A QUARTER PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK, WILL BE PRESENTED SHAKESPEARE'S COMEDY, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. --- Shylock: Mr. IRVING. Duke of Venice: Mr. H.HOWE. Prince of Morocco : Mr. TYARS. Antonio : Mr. WENMAN. Bassanio : Mr. G. ALEXANDER. Salanio : Mr. HAVILAND. Salarino : Mr. HARBURY. Gratiano : Mr. GLENNEY. Lorenzo : Mr. MARTIN HARVEY. Tubal: Mr. J. ARCHER. Launcelot Gobbo : Mr. S. JOHNSON. Old Gobbo : Mr. CARTER. Gaoler : Mr. HELMSLEY. Leonardo : Mr. MARION. Balthazar : Mr. BAKER. Stephano : Mr. CLIFFORD. Clerk of the Court : Mr. CALVERT. Nerissa : Miss MATTHEWS. Jessica : Miss WINIFRED EMERY. AND Portia ... Miss ELLEN TERRY Synopsis of Scenery. ACT I. SCENE I. VENICE-A PUBLIC PLACE - HAWES CRAVEN. SCENE 2. BELMONT-PORTIA's HOUSE - " SCENE 3· VENICE-A PUBLIC PLACE - " ACT II. SCENE I, A STREET - W.HANN. SCENE 2. ANOTHER STREET - HAWES CRAVEN. SCENE 3· SHYLOCK'S HOUSE BY A BRIDGE - W.TELBIN ACT III. SCENE I, BELMONT - A ROOM IN PORTIA'S HOUSE - HAWES CRAVEN. SCENE 2 . VENICE - A STREET - ". SCENE 3, BELMONT - A ROOM IN PORTIA'S HOUSE - " SCENE 4· VENICE - A STREET - " SCENE 5. BELMONT - A ROOM IN PORTIA'S HOUSE - " ACT IV. SCENE. VENICE-A COURT OF JUSTICE - W.CUTHBERT. ACT V. SCENE. BELMONT-PORTIA'S GARDEN WITH TERRACE- HAWES CRAVEN. --- PROGRAMME OF MUSIC. --- Overture "Merchant of Venice" Hamilton Clarke Entr'acte "Portia" - " Ballet Music "Faust" Gounod. Entr'acte "Aubade Printaniere" Paul Lacombe.

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The Merchant of Venice, 21 May 1887, Image 3 of 5

The Bill of the Play will in every part of the House be supplied without charge. No Fees of any kind are permitted, and Mr. IRVING trusts that in his endeavour to carry out this arrangement, he may rely on the co-operation of the Public, who are requested, should there be any cause of complaints, or especial satisfaction, to refer to the Acting Manager --- Stage Manager - Mr. H. J. LOVEDAY. Musical Director - Mr MEREDITH BALL. Acting Manager - Mr. BRAM STOKER. --- DOORS OPEN AT 7.45. PERFORMANCE COMMENCES AT 8.15. CARRIAGES AT ELEVEN. --- Opera Glasses can be had on Hire from the Cloak-room Attendants, One Shilling each, in all parts of the House. --- NO FEES OF ANY KIND. --- Stalls, 10s. 6d.; Dress Circle, 6s 6d.; Upper Circle, 4s.; Amphitheatre, 2s.6d.; Pit, 2s.; Gallery, 1s. Private Boxes, £2 2s. to £4 4s. --- Box Office open 10 till 5, under tbe direction of Mr. JOSEPH HURST, of whom seats can be booked Four Weeks in advance, also by Letter. Every Friday Evening AT A QUARTER-PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK, FAUST. Mephistopheles: Mr HENRY IRVING. Margaret: Miss ELLEN TERRY. --- Saturday Evening, May 28th, (For 9 Nights,) AT A QUARTER-PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK LOUIS XI Louis XI: Mr HENRY IRVING.

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The Merchant of Venice, 21 May 1887, Image 4 of 5

PROSPECTIVE ARRANGEMENTS --- In accordance with a promise made, Mr IRVING begs to announce that the following Plays from the Lyceum repertoire will be presented furing the present season:- --- MAY 16 TO MAY 26 (Friday Evenings excepted): THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (9 NIGHTS.) --- MAY 28 TO JUNE 9 (Friday Evenings excepted): LOUIS XI. (9 NIGHTS.) --- JUNE 13 TO JUNE 28 (Friday Evenings excepted): MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (10 NIGHTS.) --- JUNE 29 OLIVIA. --- Every Friday Evening until the Close of the Season. FAUST. And on Saturday Morning, July 2nd. --- NOTICE. --- MORNING PERFORMANCES On Saturdays, June 4th and 11th. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE On Saturdays, June 18th and 25th. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. And on Thursday Morning, June 9th, LOUIS XI., FOR TH EACTORS' BENEFOLENT FUND. --- EVERY STAURDAY EVENING IN JUNE THE THEATRE WILL BE CLOSED --- The Season will terminate on Saturday, 16th July, last appearance of Mr. HENRY IRVING, Miss ELLEN TERRY and the Lyceum Company till April, 1888. MISS ELLEN TERRY'S ANNUAL BENEFIT, MONDAY, JUNE 13TH, When will be presented for the First Time this Season, Shakespeare's Comedy, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Benedict: Mr HENRY IRVING. Beatrice: Miss ELLEN TERRY. --- A SPECIAL MORNING PERFORMANCE will take place at this Theatre, on TUESDAY, JUNE 7th when an Original Poetical Fancy, in Three Acts, by ALFRED C.CALMOUR, will be produced, entitled the AMBER HEART in which Miss ELLEN TERRY. will appear for the first time. The Theatre has been specially lent for this occasion by Mr. irving. Characters by Mr. H.BEERBOHM TREE. Mr H.KEMBLE. Mr. FRANK TYARS. Mr. A. BEAUMONT. Mr. E.S.WILLARD. Miss CISSIE GRAHAME. Miss HELEN FORSYTH. Miss GIFFARD, AND Miss ELLEN TERRY. (The above Artists will appear by permission of their respective Managers.)

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The Merchant of Venice, 21 May 1887, Image 5 of 5

Testimonial Benefit ot Dr. Westland Marston, Wednesday Afternoon, 1st June, AT HALF PAST TWO, On which occasion Mr. IRVING will produce, for the FIRST TIME UNDER HIS MANAGEMENT, LORD BYRON'S Tragedy, WERNER; Or, THE INHERITANCE. Werner (Count Siegendorf): Mr HENRY IRVING (First time) Ulrie (His Son) Mr. ALEXANDER Baron Stralenheim (Usurping WErner's right): Mr. C.GLENNY. Gabor (The Hungarian): Mr WENMAN. Idenstein (The intendant) Mr. HOWE. Fritz (A domestic): Mr. CARTER. Rodolph (Friend of Ulric) Mr. HAVILAND. Henrick, Eric, Arnheim, Ludwig (Retainers of Siegendorf): Mr. ARCHER, Mr.CALVERT, Mr.CLIFFORD, Mr.HARVEY. Josephine (Wife of Werner): Miss ELLEN TERRY (for this occasion only). Ida Stralenheim (Daughter of Stralenheim ): Miss EMERY. --- The Scenery by Mr. Hawes Craven. The Dresses by Auguste et Cie., from designs by Mr. Seymour Lucas, A>R>A, who most kindly volunteered his help. The Music Composed and arranged by Mr. Meredith Ball. --- WERNER. Lord Byron's Tragedy, arranged for the Stage in Four Acts. For the literary work in connection with this production Mr. F.A.Marshall is responsible. WERNER is founded upon a story in the so-called "Canterbury Tales," entitled "Kruitzner," by Harriet Leo. The play follows the story closely, but the concealment from the reader of the murderer's identity, which is, perhaps, the strongest point in th estory, becomes a blemish in the play. An audience unacquainted with the play of "Werner" or with the tale of "Kruitzner" would eithe rbe entirely in the dark as to the connectin of Ulric wiht the murder, or, at the best, would be enabled to make but a vague guess as to his guilt. The true tragic interest of "Werner" may be said to lie in the proud and passionate love which Count Siegendorf (Werner) has for his son, of whose real character he has not the slightest suspicion; an dit is the shock of the disovery that Ulric is a robber and a murderer which atually proves fatal to the agonised father. The additions now made at the end of Act II. in this verion are simply amplifications of what is described in the original play, and it is hoped that they will help to strengthen the dramatic interest of the last act. --- PRICES: Stalls, £2 2s.; Dress Circle (front row), 31s. 6d.; other rows 21s.; Upper Circle (front row), 15s.; other rows, 10s. 6d.; Amphitheatre, 6s.; Pit, 5s.; Gallery, 2s. 6d. Box Office now open. --- W.S.Johnson, -Nassau Steam Press, 60, St. Martin's Lane, Charing Cross, W.C.

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Did you know?

Edith Craig is said to be the model for Miss La Trobe in Virginia Woolf's last novel, Between the Acts (1941).

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