Description

Date: 1908

Theatre: Lyric Theatre

Performance: The Explorer

Main Actors: Mr Lewis Waller

Written By: William Somerset Maugham

This theatre programme is for the 1908 production of The Explorer, a play in four acts by Mr William Somerset Maugham. It stars the popular actor, Lewis Waller, playing a strong male lead as Alexander Mackenzie. Lewis Waller, born William Waller Lewis, 3/11/1860 – 1/11/1915. He was a popular English stage actor in London Theatre and was also a successful stage manager. Over the span of his successful acting career he enjoyed playing more serious roles and often performed in Shakespeare’s plays.

The pages hold informative advertisements relative to the times, some of which are accompanied with detailed illustrations. The cast list is presented across page 6 & 7 of the programme. The programme still has the original red seal sticker on front and back cover pages.

The Lyric Theatre was the second theatre to be built on Shaftesbury Avenue in Westminster, London and is now the oldest theatre on the street and is a grade II listed building. It was designed by C. J. Phipps and built in December 1888 by the famous producer Henry Leslie. The Theatre originally held comic operas and later went on to show light comedies to musicals. Interestingly, the Lyric Theatre still uses an electric pump and to this day still uses water to operate its stage curtain which originally pumped water from the River Thames.

This theatre programme is made up of a matt cream card for front and back cover printed with blue ink and the internal pages are a smooth cream paper printed with blue ink.

12 pages including front and back cover, Approx. H 18cm x W 13cm.