''The Theatre'' was a magazine published in London between 1877 and 1897. It contained reviews of theatre productions around the world, theatrical news, short stories, verse and biographical sketches of important figures of the time, written by prominent critics, playwrights, managers and actors, and illustrated with

Woodburytype A Woodburytype is both a printing process and the print that it produces. In technical terms, the process is a ''photomechanical'' rather than a ''photographic'' one, because sensitivity to light plays no role in the actual printing. The process ...

photographs. Its longest-serving editor was

Clement Scott Clement William Scott (6 October 1841 – 25 June 1904) was an influential English theatre critic for ''The Daily Telegraph'' and other journals, and a playwright, lyricist, translator and travel writer, in the final decades of the 19th century ...

, the most influential British drama critic of his time, and under his editorship ''The Theatre'' was regarded as the leading British theatre magazine.

History

Early years

According to the ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'' (ODNB), ''The Theatre'' was founded by the actor-manager

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

, initially as a vehicle for his self-promotion.Emeljanow, Victor
"Scott, Clement William (1841–1904), theatre critic"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2021 Its first editor was Frederick William Hawkins, best known for his biography of

Edmund Kean Edmund Kean (4 November 178715 May 1833) was a celebrated British Shakespearean stage actor born in England, who performed, among other places, in London, Belfast, New York, Quebec, and Paris. He was known for his short stature, tumultuo ...

(1869). The first issue came out in January 1877, and from then until August 1878 it was a weekly publication. After that ''The Theatre'' was published monthly. It provided topical articles, reviews of productions around the world, theatrical news, extracts from new novels and plays, and biographical sketches of theatrical celebrities of the time. From August 1878 sketches were illustrated with high quality

photographs. The first in this "Portraits" series was Irving's leading lady,

Ellen Terry Dame Alice Ellen Terry, (27 February 184721 July 1928), was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and tour ...

, and Irving himself was featured in a similar article in the same issue. Among those writing for the magazine during Hawkins's editorship were Irving, W. Davenport Adams,

F. C. Burnand Sir Francis Cowley Burnand (29 November 1836 – 21 April 1917), usually known as F. C. Burnand, was an English comic writer and prolific playwright, best known today as the librettist of Arthur Sullivan's opera ''Cox and Box''. The son of ...

H. J. Byron Henry James Byron (8 January 1835 – 11 April 1884) was a prolific English dramatist, as well as an editor, journalist, director, theatre manager, novelist and actor. After an abortive start at a medical career, Byron struggled as a provincial ...

W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most f ...

George Grossmith George Grossmith (9 December 1847 – 1 March 1912) was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades. As a writer and composer, he created 18 comic operas, nearly 100 musical ...

John Hollingshead John Hollingshead (9 September 1827 – 9 October 1904) was an English theatrical impresario, journalist and writer during the latter half of the 19th century. After a journalism career, Hollingshead managed the Alhambra Theatre and was later th ...

and

Tom Taylor Tom Taylor (19 October 1817 – 12 July 1880) was an English dramatist, critic, biographer, public servant, and editor of ''Punch'' magazine. Taylor had a brief academic career, holding the professorship of English literature and language a ...

Clement Scott, editor 1880 to 1889

In 1879 Irving sold ''The Theatre'' to the drama critic

for £1,000, and from January 1880 to the end of 1889 Scott edited the magazine. He was widely seen as the most influential theatre critic of his time, and ''The Theatre'' enjoyed what one historian has called "dominating prestige and influence". In the words of the ODNB, Scott used his editorship "to consolidate his own position as London's principal leader of dramatic taste and opinion". Scott did not shy away from controversy, and in ''The Theatre'' he frequently provoked arguments, even feuds, with other writers. He also often published opinions disagreeing with his own. Despite its prestige ''The Theatre'' was not a highly profitable publication, and went through several financial crises under Scott and his successors before its closure at the end of 1897. Under Scott the coverage of London theatre was expanded. Each issue would carry eight to ten reviews of new productions; West End premieres were reviewed in a section called "Our Play-Box". "Our Omnibus Box" contained a miscellany and editorial comment. Musical matters, including operas, concerts and publications, were covered in "Our Musical-Box", seen in some but not all issues. Contributors to ''The Theatre'' under Scott's editorship included Irving, Gilbert,

William Archer William or Bill Archer may refer to: * William Archer (British politician) (1677–1739), British politician * William S. Archer (1789–1855), U.S. Senator and Representative from Virginia * William Beatty Archer (1793–1870), Illinois politician ...

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequel ...

J. T. Grein Jacob Thomas "Jack" Grein (generally referred to as J. T. Grein; 11 October 1862 – 22 June 1935) was a British impresario and drama critic of Dutch origin who helped establish the modern theatre in London.Wearing, J. P"Grein, Jacob Thomas (1862 ...

, Gilbert à Beckett,

Arthur Wing Pinero Sir Arthur Wing Pinero (24 May 185523 November 1934) was an English playwright and, early in his career, actor. Pinero was drawn to the theatre from an early age, and became a professional actor at the age of 19. He gained experience as a supp ...

George R. Sims George Robert Sims (2 September 1847 – 4 September 1922) was an English journalist, poet, dramatist, novelist and ''bon vivant''. Sims began writing lively humour and satiric pieces for ''Fun'' magazine and ''The Referee'', but he was soon co ...

and

Herbert Beerbohm Tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree (17 December 1852 – 2 July 1917) was an English actor and theatre manager. Tree began performing in the 1870s. By 1887, he was managing the Haymarket Theatre in the West End, winning praise for adventurous progra ...

; those contributing to the music section included William Beatty-Kingston and

Herman Klein Herman Klein (born Hermann Klein; 23 July 1856 – 10 March 1934) was an English music critic, author and teacher of singing. Klein's famous brothers included Charles and Manuel Klein. His second wife was the writer Kathleen Clarice Louise Co ...

. In addition to the reviews, articles ranged over diverse theatrical topics, from "The Immorality of French Comedy", to "The Old Globe Theatre", the reminiscences of E. A. Sothern, "French Translations of ''Hamlet''", and W. S. Gilbert's autobiography.

1889 to 1897

Scott left in 1889, and for the remaining eight years of its existence ''The Theatre'' continued under

Bernard Capes Bernard Edward Joseph Capes (30 August 1854 – 2 November 1918) was an English author. Biography Capes was born in London, one of eleven children: his elder sister, Harriet Capes, was a noted translator and author of more than a dozen childre ...

, Charles Eglington and Addison Bright. Under their editorships the content of the magazine remained broadly as it had been under Scott, with a few minor innovations, although Scott's combative style was abandoned. The title of "Our Play-Box" was changed to "Plays of the Month", and "Our Omnlbus-Box" became "Notes of the Month". From May 1893 the magazine carried a series of interviews with leading theatre personalities at home, which were the forerunners of many such interviews in 20th-century periodicals. Contributors in the post-Scott era included Scott himself, Davenport Adams, Hollingshead, Beatty-Kingston, Joseph Bennett,

William Henry Hudson William Henry Hudson (4 August 1841 – 18 August 1922) – known in Argentina as Guillermo Enrique Hudson – was an Anglo-Argentine author, naturalist and ornithologist. Life Hudson was the son of Daniel Hudson and his wife Catherine (), U ...

Jerome K. Jerome Jerome Klapka Jerome (2 May 1859 – 14 June 1927) was an English writer and humourist, best known for the comic travelogue ''Three Men in a Boat'' (1889). Other works include the essay collections '' Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow'' (1886) an ...

and

William Poel William Poel (1852-1934) was an English actor, theatrical manager and dramatist best known for his presentations of Shakespeare. Life and career A son of William Pole, he grew up among Pre-raphaelite painters and reportedly sat for William Holm ...

. The final issue was published in December 1897.Wong, p. 44

References and sources

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Theatre (magazine), The Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 1877 Magazines disestablished in 1897 Theatre in the United Kingdom Theatre magazines Magazines published in London