EIGHTEENTH CENTURY DRAMA Censorship, Society and the Stage

“The Larpent plays have many new discoveries to yield. This unique digital resource makes them available online for the first time.” Robert D. Hume, Pennsylvania State University Delve into the theatrical world of eighteenth-century society, and explore how the Larpent plays reflect the politics of the time, the role of women, views on race and religion, opinions on empire, and European and British past. Overview

Eighteenth Century Drama features the John Larpent was the English Inspector of Plays from The primary source content is supported by two John Larpent Collection from the Huntington 1778-1824 and responsible for executing the Licensing essential reference works for theatre history: Library – a unique archive of almost every play Act of 1737, a landmark act of censorship which The London Stage 1660-1800 and A Biographical required the Lord Chamberlain’s Office to approve any Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, submitted for licence between 1737 and 1824. play before it was staged. Larpent preserved the original Dancers, Managers & Other Stage Personnel submissions, over 2,500 of which are presented here. in London, 1660-1800. Also included are the diaries of Larpent’s wife and This truly interdisciplinary resource is rich in the professional collaborator Anna, recording her criticisms breadth and scope of eighteenth-century material of plays, as well as insights into theatrical culture available, and will appeal to researchers working on and English society. Hundreds of further documents not only theatre and drama, but literature, history, including playbills, theatre records and correspondence politics, music, censorship, gender and Romanticism. provide social context. Images: Bottom left – , Top right Lind – Jenny Top left Bottom – Stephen Kemble, Images: Material Additional Key Types Features Themes

• Theatrical Addresses • Two landmark works of reference, • Censorship The London Stage 1660-1800 and • Artwork • Celebrity culture and key figures A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, • Biographical Documents in theatre Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers • Correspondence & Other Stage Personnel in London, • Society and fashion • Diaries 1660-1800, now available for the first • Women in eighteenth-century drama • Epilogues time in a searchable database • The rise of the opera • Financial and Legal Documents • An interactive map of eighteenth- • Notes century London’s theatre district • The business of theatres • Miscellanies • A detailed chronology charting the • Sets and stage design • Objects key historical events that affected • Politics • Plays the theatre industry 1730–1830 • Playbills • Essays from leading scholars, • Prologues providing context for the • Scrapbooks primary source material. • Songs • Illustrations • Portraits • Posters

Images: Bottom left – Louisa Cranstoun Nisbett, Bottom right – Mr W West, Top left – Sarah Siddons, Top right – Collection Highlights “The Adam Matthew Source Archives and Libraries digitisation of the Larpent · plays is an enormous boon for · Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond Explore a wealth of primary sources with this scholars. This digital edition · Victoria and Albert Museum extraordinary collection of material relating to the will enable researchers, no · Garrick Club Library vibrant theatrical world of the eighteenth century: · University of London matter where they are located, • The Larpent Collection digitised in its entirety, · British Library with over 2,500 plays, epilogues, prologues, to gain access to these crucial, addresses and songs submitted for licence sometimes unique, texts.” Editorial Board between 1737 and 1824 Sue Hodson, Curator of Literary Mss, · Roberto Alvarez, Independent Researcher · Ros Ballaster, Mansfield College, Oxford University • Plays rejected by the examiner, or heavily censored Huntington Library · Michael Burden, New College, Oxford University – often in manuscript and unavailable elsewhere · Sue Hodson, Curator of Literary Mss, Huntington Library • Anna Larpent’s diaries, providing unique insight · Robert D. Hume, Pennsylvania State University into theatrical society, the process of censorship · Robert Jones, University of and contemporary theatre criticism · Matthew Kinservik, University of Delaware • Papers and correspondence of well-known theatrical · Elaine McGirr, Royal Holloway, University of London figures such as , Edmund Kean, the · Felicity Nussbaum, UCLA , Sarah Siddons and many more · David O’Shaughnessy, Trinity College, Dublin · David Worrall, Nottingham Trent University • Scenebooks, portraits, illustrations and other visual material.

For further information and a free trial please visit www.amdigital.co.uk /TheAdamMatthewGroup @AdamMatthewGrp

Images: Bottom right – Miss Ballin, Top left – Mr Pack, Top right – Mrs H Johnston The publisher is grateful to all contributing archives and libraries for the reproduction of all images used in this flyer