{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O130958"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O130958/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HB1996/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HB1996/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HB1996","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O130958/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O130958","accessionNumber":"S.1-2007","objectType":"Playbill","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Printed playbills existed from Shakespeare's day, although few before 1700 are extant.  The earliest playbills were handwritten, but since many were illiterate, publicity was also announced by word of mouth.  By 1700 bills were usually printed, although they did not give the year until the 1760s.  Despite the handwritten note dating this to 1725, the correct date is 1718.  In addition to the smaller bill, larger posters were printed nearer the performance date, a fact indicated by the words: 'as will be express'd in the Great Bill'\r\n\r\nThe bill advertises a Benefit performance for Margaret Saunders (1686-c.1745), an actress whose illness forced her early retirement in 1721.  She was renowned for her lively portrayal of chambermaids - hence the choice of a popular comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher, which would have enabled her to show her talents to the full.  As beneficiary she would have been entitled to the proceeds of the performance, less the house charges of £40 or more.  She could have earned perhaps twice that amount if the house were full, and she would have tried to sell as many tickets as possible.  The bill shows that the performance began at 6pm, the usual starting time for the theatre during much of the 18th century.","physicalDescription":"Playbill headed with a woodcut image of the royal crest, a lion and a unicorn round a shield, with flags incorporated in the design with G and R on them, above letterprint information about the Benefit, for Mrs Saunders, of <i>Rule a Wife and Have a Wife</i>, Theatre Royal, 'With Entertainments of Singing and Dancing, as will be Express'd in the Great Bille.'","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woodcut and letterpress on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014HB1996"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES404996"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"posters","id":"AAT27221"}],[{"text":"playbills","id":"AAT27216"}],[{"text":"handbills","id":"AAT27033"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1718","earliest":"1718-01-01","latest":"1718-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"21.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"maximum height","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"17.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"maximum width","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"The bottom edge has been torn lengthwise so some of the text is missing, and the hand-made paper is of an irregular width.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'1725'   and '(In the Time of Wilks - and Mrs. Oldfield)'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Written in ink"},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":" ","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Playbill advertising <i>Rule a Wife and Have a Wife</i>, a Benefit for Mrs. Saunders, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 14 April 1718. Woodcut and letterpress.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers and other Stage Personnel in London, 1600-1800</i> Highfill, Burnham, Langhans"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Images of Show Business</i> edited by James Fowler, published Methuen, 1982."}],"production":"The printer's name is not on the playbill but it would have been printed near, if not at Drury Lane Theatre.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Saunders, Margaret","id":"N5283"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1-2007"],"accessionNumberNum":"1","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2007,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2007-01-19","availableToBook":false}}