{"product_id":"silk-theatre-playbill-printed-in-1844-at-secunderabad-india-by-j-torrick-for-the-9th-26th-and-38th-madras-infantry-gentleman-amateurs-for-their-performances-at-the-cantonment-theatre","title":"Unrecorded Silk Theatre Playbill Printed in 1844 at Secunderabad (India) by J Torrick for the 9th, 26th and 38th Madras Infantry \"Gentleman Amateurs\" for their performances at the Cantonment Theatre","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSilk Theatre Playbill Printed in 1844 at Secunderabad (India) by J Torrick for the 9th, 26th and 38th Madras Infantry \"Gentleman Amateurs\" for their performances at the Cantonment Theatre.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e \"Cantonment theatre, Secunderabad.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The Gentleman Amateurs. Under entire new management, This Theatre will open on Monday, the 22nd, and Wednesday, the 24th of January, 1844, with a Comedy in 2 Acts, with new Scenery, Dresses, and Decorations; entitled \"The Youthful queen;\" or, \"Christine of Sweden!\"...\"To conclude with the Laughable Farce, in One Act, entitled \"A Day after the Fair.\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrinted by J Torrick in Secunderabad in 1844.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e23 x 35cm laid down on modern mount. Old centre fold. Otherwise near fine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bill announces a two-act comedy entitled \u003ci\u003eThe Youthful Queen; or, Christine of Sweden\u003c\/i\u003e, followed by the farce \u003ci\u003eA Day After the Fair\u003c\/i\u003e, with tickets priced at 2 Rupees 8 Annas and proceeds handled through the Club Butler.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the date of printing (January 1844), Secunderabad served as the principal cantonment of the Hyderabad Subsidiary Force under the Madras Presidency Army. The East India [Company] Register and Army Lists for 1843–44 confirm the presence of the 9th 26th and 38th Madras Infantry in Secunderabad at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe officers named in the playbill correspond closely with those stationed in these regiments at Secunderabad at the time. From examining the lists, the most probable identifications include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLieutenant Charles Winn Huet\u003c\/b\u003e, 38th Madras Native Infantry — listed as Manager of the Theatre and performer in multiple roles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaptain John Thomas Ashton\u003c\/b\u003e, 26th Madras Native Infantry — cast prominently in the farce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLieutenant M. Brady Ward\u003c\/b\u003e, 26th Madras Native Infantry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLieutenant John Wilson\u003c\/b\u003e, 26th Madras Native Infantry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLieutenant G. F. Shakespear\u003c\/b\u003e (26th) OR \u003cb\u003eLieutenant C. M. Shakespear\u003c\/b\u003e (9th), both stationed in Secunderabad in 1844.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Youthful Queen; or, Christine of Sweden\u003c\/i\u003e dramatised the life of Queen Christina of Sweden. The play dealt with themes including female sovereignty, abdication, and intellectual independence. The concluding farce, \u003ci\u003eA Day After the Fair\u003c\/i\u003e, provided comic relief, with Captain Ashton reportedly undertaking multiple exaggerated character roles. Play performances formed an important element of British cantonment culture in India. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e As there were no women in military bases, men often played multiple women’s parts - as can be seen by Lieutenant Huet’s multiple roles in this playbill for the Day After the Fair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e Silk theatre programmes were produced for commemorative or prestige occasions and were often lost through time. Printed locally in Secunderabad by J. Torrick, the survival of a local Indian printed silk playbill is uncommon. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot on OCLC - apparently unrecorded. One other imprint by Torrick is recorded on OCLC (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1125865845) - a later 1848 Silk imprint for the \"Theatre Royal\" in Secunderabad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"De Bry Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56767704760698,"sku":null,"price":2500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0624\/2969\/2075\/files\/PHOTO-2026-02-20-02-28-28.jpg?v=1775197076","url":"https:\/\/debryrarebooks.com\/products\/silk-theatre-playbill-printed-in-1844-at-secunderabad-india-by-j-torrick-for-the-9th-26th-and-38th-madras-infantry-gentleman-amateurs-for-their-performances-at-the-cantonment-theatre","provider":"De Bry Rare Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}