The Rivals Playbill Swap

Dearest Friends,

Let us turn our attention to the theatre. Our next swap shall transport us directly to the candle-lit corridors and velvet-draped boxes of our own theatre, The Wishart, nestled in the heart of nearby town, Bexford. We shall be celebrating none other than Mr. Sheridan’s glittering masterpiece, The Rivals. This popular play has been a sensation in Town for quite some time and it was no easy task for Lady Caroline and myself to bring it to our humble theatre. Our willing troupe of actors have been practising all summer to bring this production to us. We hope to see you all in attendance.

We remain, as ever, your devoted servants and fellow admirers of the arts,

Lady Elizabeth Marlowe and Lady Caroline Farnsworth Patronesses of the Bexford Wishart Theatre

A Little History of Theatre Going in our Era

Going to the theatre, was one of the most popular past times of the Georgian/Regency Era, but it was not as we know theatre today. It was a loud, chaotic, and thrilling five-hour marathon where the audience was just as much a part of the show as the actors. Because only London’s patent theatres like Drury Lane and Covent Garden could legally perform spoken drama, minor venues created packed schedules with wild spectacles, live animals, singing and comedic sketches to accompany the plays. Inside the candle-lit playhouses, society was split by admission price, from the wealthy elite showing off their finest attire in the boxes to rowdy working-class crowds packed into the high, cheap galleries. The atmosphere was electric and famously unruly; audiences would openly cheer, hiss, heckle and even throw orange peels if they didn't like a performance.

There were no tickets, per se, but tokens one could purchase for a box, for an evening, or the season. Others would receive a playbill with the details of the performance upon paying their admission.

And if you would like to have a little flavour of Old Time Theatre, please follow this link

The Details

For this swap, you will have one partner and will create a playbill for the play “The Rivals” which is to be performed at our local theatre, in Bexford. Use the information below as an example to help in the creation of your playbill. Please include a date for evening or matinee viewing, in November. A typical evening at the theatre was about 4 – 5 hours in length and would have consisted of several elements, such as: The Play, Song and dance routines, a sing-a-long with the audience and comedic bits. Bills of this time were not colourful, and were usually text only, printed in black ink, so you may want to add a few flourishes to embellish. Remember, in our time, these things would have been printed by hand, so there would be smudges and imperfections. The bill should be at least 5 x 7, which is about 12.5 cm x 17.75 cm in size, and you may fold it to mail. Please include a note from your character with your bill.

This is a LINK to an actual playbill, but yours need not be so in depth. Below is a more simple example to give you inspiration, but please, use your imagination and create the bill you want. This may be handwritten or printed, whichever you prefer.

THE WISHART THEATRE, BEXFORD

By Permission of the Magistrates, This Evening, will be presented a Celebrated COMEDY, called THE RIVALS Written by RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN, Esq.

With New Scenery, Costumes, and Ornaments by our own Mr. Aneurin Rhys Walters

THE CHARACTERS BY MEMBERS OF THE CIRCLE:

Sir Anthony Absolute ——— Mr. Edward Philpot

Captain Absolute ——— Mr. Reginald Miller

Bob Acres ——— Mr. Charlie Watson

Faulkland ——— Mr. Lewis

Sir Lucas O’Trigger ——— Mr. Clinch

Mrs. Malaprop ——— Mrs. Bess Stanhope

Lydia Languish ——— Miss Ruth Emily Clement

Julia ——— Mrs. Bulkley

Lucy ——— Mrs. Lessingham

To which will be added a Splendid After-piece with Songs and Divertisements.

Boxes 5s. — Pit 3s. — Gallery 1s. No Persons admitted behind the Scenes, nor any Money returned.

If you would like to read the play, HERE IS A LINK This play has endured and is still performed today and is quite popular.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below of get in contact with the founders, we are always happy to help.