A Playbill and Signed Ticket for a "Strictly Private" Amateur Performance

DICKENS, Charles

DICKENS, Charles A Playbill and Signed Ticket for a "Strictly Private" Amateur Performance

Bradbury And Evans, 1845.

The original playbill, and a ticket signed by Dickens, for the amateur performance of Ben Jonson's Every Man In His Humour in which Dickens starred. The playbill (250 x 200mm) attractively printed in green, red and gold. The ticket (95 x 130mm), titled "Strictly Private" and inscribed in Dickens's hand for "Miss M. Holskamp", and offering her seat no. "40" in "Boxes. Second Circle". The ticket is also signed by Dickens to verso. In excellent condition, the playbill once lightly folded. Now both items mounted, framed and glazed, with a window mount to verso showing Dickens's signature.

An excellent relic of a extravagant evening of amateur dramatics, both organised by and starring Charles Dickens.
Dickens had warmed to the idea of himself as a performer after giving a small reading of The Chimes in 1844. By the following September he had organised and cast the evening's entertainment remembered here, the highlight of which was Dickens's own performance as Jonson's Captain Bobadil. Jonson's play was both preceded by and followed by the performance of Rossini overtures, with the evening concluded by Catherine Gore's one act farce A Good Night's Rest.
Attendance at the private performance at Miss Kelly's Theatre was by invitation only, with both the playbill and ticket titled "strictly private". The "Miss M. Holskamp" of Dickens's inscription is Margaret Holskamp (1827-1908), a correspondent of Dickens's favourite child Kate.

PROVENANCE: Miss Margaret Holskamp, the "Miss M. Holskamp" of Dickens's inscription. One of four sisters and a correspondent of Dickens's favourite child, Kate.

Stock ID: 40892

£9,500.00

Add to bag Add to favourites Make an enquiry

Browse related books

A Christmas Carol

DICKENS, Charles

£30,000.00

A Christmas Carol

DICKENS, Charles

£375,000.00

Barnaby Rudge and the Old Curiosity Shop

DICKENS, Charles

£6,000.00

Dealings With the Firm of Dombey and Son

DICKENS, Charles

£950.00

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

DICKENS, Charles

£750.00

A Christmas Carol

DICKENS, Charles / BROCK, C.E.

£800.00

American Notes

DICKENS, Charles

£2,250.00

Bleak House

DICKENS, Charles

£12,500.00

Household Words

DICKENS, Charles

£2,500.00

The Personal History of David Copperfield

DICKENS, Charles

£22,500.00

Mrs Cratchit Entered - Flushed, but Smiling Proudly - With the Pudding

DICKENS, Charles / RACKHAM, Arthur

£9,500.00

Dealings With the Firm of Dombey and Son

DICKENS, Charles

£750.00

Martin Chuzzlewit

DICKENS, Charles

£4,500.00

Memoirs of Grimaldi

DICKENS, Charles / "BOZ"

£350.00

Lady Windermere's Fan

WILDE, Oscar

£8,750.00

The Bostonians

JAMES, Henry

£17,500.00

Queen Mab

SHELLEY, Percy Bysshe

£60,000.00

Cunning Murrell

MORRISON,Arthur

£650.00

To London Town

MORRISON,Arthur

£95.00

Last Poems

BROWNING, Elizabeth Barrett

£400.00