LIB/DG/F/1

LIB/DG/F/1

Item

Framed reprint of the bill for David Garrick's first professional appearance, Goodman's Fields Theatre, 19 October 1741

1819

1 framed playbill

An 1819 reprint of the bill announcing David Garrick's first anonymous appearance in London as a professional actor, in the part of Richard III, at Goodman's Fields, 19 October 1741. The performance is advertised as 'A Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Music, Divided into Two Parts' in which 'Between the Two Parts of the Concert will be presented an Historical Play, called the Life and Death of King Richard the Third'. The cast list for the play declares 'The Part of KIng Richard by a Gentleman, (Who never appeared on any Stage)', the 'Gentleman' was David Garrick. The main play and the afterpiece 'The Virgin Unmasked' were both to be 'performed Gratis, by persons for their Diversion', to evade the restrictions of the Licensing Act which forbade the performance of serious drama other than at the Drury Lane or Covent Garden theatres. The copy of the playbill was probably taken from the advertisement in the 'London Daily Post and General Advertiser', 19 October 1741. The date of the reprint is given in a note framed beneath it.