Theatrical portrait

Theatrical souvenir plate engraved with four portraits representing the actors 'Mr Phelps as Hamlet, Mrs Warner as Queen, Miss Vincent as the Ladies Highwayman and Miss Daley as Joe Gesamy'. Such sheets would have been sold as theatrical souvenirs for tinselling and colouring at home.

In the early 1800s theatre was divided between legitimate and illegitimate drama. In London only two theatres were allowed to show classical theatre and Shakespeare plays. Other theatres showed melodramas with musical accompaniment. The two styles of theatre were blurred as time passed. In 1843 the law was changed and theatres could present all kinds of plays. This sheet shows characters from Shakespeare and melodrama, showing that audiences enjoyed both forms of drama.