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| Title: |
For the benefit of J. Butler and W. Bryant : at the Theatre, Sydney on July 30, 1796 will be performed Jane Shore ... : after the play The Wapping landlady ... to which will be added The miraculous cure. |
| Published: |
[Sydney : George Hughes, Govt. Printer for Theatre, Sydney, 1796] |
| Physical Description: |
1 broadside ; 20 x 12 cm. (8vo) in case 35 x 27 cm. |
| Summary: |
The earliest extant Australian imprint dated Saturday, 30 July 1796 and an artefact associated with the First Fleet. A playbill printed in Sydney on a small wooden screw press and type which came out with the First Fleet. Printed by the first Australian government printer George Hughes. It is advertising three theatrical performances to be held in Sydney and includes the names of actors, other company members (and Hughes) involved in the performances. The verso of the playbill has been annotated and signed PG King, i.e., Philip Gidley King. The handwritten note is addressed to George Chalmers, Esq., and lists two other plays performed earlier in Sydney and Norfolk Island. |
| Notes: |
Caption title.
At head of title: By permission of His Excellency.
"Front boxes 3s.6d. Pit 2s.6d. Galley 1s. Doors to be opened at half past five, begin at six. Tickets to be had of Mrs Greville, of W. Bryant and a Saturday at the House adjoining the Theatre"; Performers listed on playbill as acting in Jane Shore: Hastings (I. Sparrow); Belmour (R. Evans); Catesby (H.Lavell); Ratcliffe (L. Jones); Glosser (W. Chapman); Shore (H. Green); Alicia (Mrs Davis) and Jane Shore (Mrs Greville); Gift from the Government of Canada to the people of Australia, 11th September 2007, Parliament House, Canberra. Presented by The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada to The Honourable John Howard, PM, Prime Minister of Australia.
Printed on hand-made laid paper, deckle edge at right hand side. Watermark not visible. Visible portion of countermark reads: CURTE/17. Font probably Caslon in various point sizes.
Inscriptions: "Play acted at Port Jackson, June 4th 1789 The Recruiting Officer" - Handwritten in iron gall ink on reverse.
Inscriptions: "Play performed at Norfolk Island, December 1793 Richard 3rd Poor Soldier PG King" - Handwritten in iron gall ink on reverse.
Inscriptions: "To George Chalmers Esqr" - Handwritten in iron gall ink on reverse.
Condition: Small vertical tear at centre of bottom edge.
Not in Ferguson but eligible.
The other four earliest extant imprints from Hughes' press are two 1796 broadsides F245-F246 (Nov. 16; 18 respectively) located at the State Records Authority of New South Wales and two 1800 playbills F319-F320 (Mar. 8; Apr. 8 respectively) held by the Mitchell Library of the State Library of New South Wales.
Jordan, Robert. The convict theatres of early Australia, 1788-1840, p.223 (Hughes); Australian dictionary of biography, v.1, p.562 (Hughes); Available in an electronic version via the Internet at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn4200235; A playbill found in the collections of Library and Archives Canada, formerly the National Library of Canada. Previously bound in a scrapbook which had been transferred to the National Library by Canada's Library of Parliament in 1973. Originally compiled by Dawson Turner the scrapbook contained other ephemera and pamphlets relating to Canada and England but no other Australiana. It is not known how Dawson Turner acquired the playbill, nor its history prior to that acquisition. The handwriting of Philip Gidley King present on the reverse of the item would suggest that at some point it was in his custody. When investigations by the Library and Archives Canada revealed the significance of the playbill, it initiated the playbill's return to Australia as a gift to the Australian people. It will be permanently located in the Australian Collection at the National Library of Australia.
Library's copy includes facsim. of verso containing inscriptions. |
| Contributor: |
Hughes, George, fl. 1796-1800.
King, Philip Gidley, 1758-1808.
Chalmers, George, 1742-1825.
Turner, Dawson, 1775-1858.
Rowe, Nicholas, 1674-1718. Jane Shore.
Forde, Brownlow. Miraculous cure, or, The citizen out-witted.
Library and Archives Canada.
National Library of Australia.
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| Subjects: |
Sydney (N.S.W.) -- Social life and customs -- 1788-1851.
Printing -- New South Wales -- Sydney -- Specimens.
Printing -- Australia -- Specimens.
Playbills -- New South Wales -- Sydney.
Theaters -- New South Wales -- Sydney.
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| Call Number: |
RBRS N 686.2099441 F692 (Fragile material-not available for public use. An electronic version is available online) |
| To cite this item use: |
http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn4200235 |
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