{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1469837"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1469837/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LJ3356/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LJ3356/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019LJ3356","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1469837/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1469837","accessionNumber":"S.3-2019","objectType":"Poster","titles":[{"title":"The Importance of Being Earnest","type":"published title"}],"summaryDescription":"This poster advertises the original date intended for the opening of Oscar Wilde's play <i>The Importance of Being Earnest</i> at London's St. James's Theatre, Tuesday 12 February 1895. Since several cast members were suffering from colds, the opening was delayed until Thursday, 14th. That was to prove a momentous night for Wilde despite the play's brilliant reception, since it was then that the Marquess of Queensberry delivered his 'bouquet' of turnips and carrots for Wilde, in disgust at his son Lord Alfred Douglas's relationship with the playwright. The evening began at 8.30pm with Langdon Mitchell's one-act 'curtain-raiser' <i>In The Season</i>, with Wilde's play at 9.00. George Alexander, who played John Worthing, had insisted that Wilde condensed his original four act play into three acts, to accommodate the 'curtain-raiser'.\n\nThe poster is illustrated with an image of a Yeoman of the Guard, dressed in the distinctive Tudor uniform that marks the foundation of the guard by King Henry Vlll in the 15th century. The actor-manager George Alexander introduced the image for his programmes and posters when he became the theatre's lessee in January 1891, because of the theatre's name and proximity to St. James's Palace, guarded by the order. Alexander introduced an even more colourful pictorial image for his theatre programmes in 1895 - a lithograph produced by Mardon's of Bristol featuring a reversed image of the Yeoman standing next to a roundel depicting St. James's Palace from the park and in front of the Tower of London. The figure shown on the poster does not wear the cross-belt adopted by the regiment and is dressed as a Yeoman Warder (or 'Beefeater'), the guards of the Tower.","physicalDescription":"Typographic poster for St James's Theatre, advertising <i>The Importance of Being Earnest</i>, opening on 12  February 1895, preceded  by the curtain-raiser <i>In The Season</i>. Printed in red and black, with an image of a Yeoman of the Guard used as a logo by the St James's Theatre.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"David Allen & Sons Ltd.","id":"A9085"},"association":{"text":"printers (people)","id":"AAT25732"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Mardon's","id":"AUTH351261"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"AAT25190"},"note":"Mardon's of Bristol & London designed the image of the Yeoman of the Guard that featured on programmes for the St. James's Theatre, and was used, reversed, for the theatre's posters"}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"printing","id":"AAT53319"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Printing ink on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Posters","id":"THES252963"},{"text":"Advertising","id":"THES49001"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2019LJ3356"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES345226"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"posters","id":"AAT27221"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1895","earliest":"1895-01-01","latest":"1895-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.149:380-2007","id":"O236021"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"45.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"poster","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"28.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"poster","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This poster advertises <i>The Importance of Being Earnest</i> opening at the St. James's Theatre on 12 February 1895, preceded by the curtain-raiser <i>In The Season</i>. Since the opening night was postponed until 14 February 1895, this poster was probably not used, which would explain its good condition. It gives the actors in <i>The Importance of Being Earnest</i> as Mr. George Alexander, Mr. Allan Aynsworth, Mr. H.H. Vincent, Frank Dyall, Mr. F. Kinsey Peile, Miss Rose Leclercq, Miss Irene Vanbrugh, Miss Evelyn Millard and Mrs. George Canning. The scene designers were H.P. Hall and Walter Hann. The cast of <i>In The Season</i> are listed as Mr. Herbert Waring, Mr. Arthur Royston and Miss Elliott Page. The furniture was by Frank Giles &amp; Co., High Street Kensington, and the wigs by Clarkson. The business manager of the theatre was Mr. Robert V. Shone, the stage manager Mr. H.H. Vincent, the musical director Mr. William Slaughter, and the lessee and manager Mr. George Alexander. The prices of the tickets are listed, with a note that bonnets were allowed for patrons of the upper boxes.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Poster advertising the intended opening date of <i>The Importance of Being Earnest</i> by Oscar Wilde, and <i>In The Season</i> by Langdon E. Mitchell, St. James's Theatre, 12 February 1895. Printed by David Allen & Sons, 1895","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Wilde, Oscar","id":"N732"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.3-2019"],"accessionNumberNum":"3","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2019,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-19","recordCreationDate":"2019-01-16","availableToBook":true}}