Poster advertising J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan

Poster advertising J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan
Duke of York's Theatre, London
28 December, 1904
Charles Buchel (artist)
Colour lithograph
Museum no. S.258-1998
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

This poster for the original production of Peter Pan in 1904 was designed by Charles Buchel, an artist who loved the theatre and who claimed that he 'probably had as sitters, more actors and actresses than any other living artist'. Buchel provided artwork for most of the leading actor-managers of the day, and painted theatrical scenes and portraits for illustrated magazines. He was most closely associated, however, with the actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree who owned His Majesty's Theatre. Over a period of 16 years he commissioned Buchel to provide illustrations for his posters and brochures, oil paintings - several of himself in roles, and designs for decorating his apartment at the theatre. This image shows Peter flying Wendy away to NeverLand, the lighted windows of the houses below a memory of the home she has left and the sea beyond a reference to the island life to come.

Theatre poster for Macbeth

Theatre poster for William Shakespeare's Macbeth
His Majesty's Theatre, London
1911
Illustration by Edmund Dulac (1882-1953
Colour lithograph
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

This poster for Macbeth at His Majesty’s Theatre, 1911, was by the French illustrator, artist and designer Edmund Dulac, who was more famous for his fairy tale illustration. Unlike the simple, flat poster style popular in the 1890s, this poster is more three dimensional, like a book illustration. Nevertheless it is still effective and mysterious, using subdued colouring and an unusual viewpoint to draw in the onlooker. Macbeth stands in side view, his cloak billowing in the wind, but our attention is drawn to faces of the witches illuminated by the smoke of their cauldron. The hands of the witch in the foreground and the gaze of Macbeth lead to the billowing white smoke which is the focal point of the poster, contrasting with the surrounding sombre blues and blacks. Herbert Beerbohm Tree, the manager of His Majesty’s Theatre, who commissioned this poster, wanted the best possible publicity for his productions and regularly also commissioned Charles Buchel for his posters and publicity.

Poster for the opera Patience

Poster for the opera 'Patience' for The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
Princess Theatre, London
About 1919
Designed by Henry Matthew Brock (1875-1960)
Colour lithograph
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The D'Oyly Carte Company produced eye-catching posters because the entrepreneur Richard D'Oyly Carte knew the value of good publicity. After his death in 1901, his son Rupert took over the management of the company and continued the tradition. This poster for the Gilbert and Sullivan opera Patience was produced during Rupert D'Oyly Carte's management. Because the company toured extensively it was printed without any theatre name so it could be used in any town with the name of the local theatre overposted. This poster was designed by the illustrator H.M. Brock, much of whose considerable work was for children's fiction. He also provided illustrations for D'Oyly Carte's theatre programmes. In this poster he concentrates on an image of the sham aesthete Reginald Bunthorne gazing at a lily, in turn being adored by two maidens of his love-sick retinue, one of whom is dressed in a sunflower-print dress. The lily and the sunflower were two flowers much admired by the aesthetic movement.

Poster for Bertram Mills' Circus

Poster for Bertram Mills' Circus
Olympia, London
1928
Printed by W. E. Berry of Bradford
Mass produced colour lithographic print
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

This poster was made for the Bertram Mills’ Circus at Olympia in 1928. It was designed by Leon Crossley, who designed Mills’ circus publicity from 1924 for over 40 years. Crossley worked from sketches made during rehearsals and his images gave a realistic picture of the acts the audiences saw in the ring. There were usually at least two posters for each Olympia season - one advertising the opening dates, another issued toward the end of the run reminding people that there were only a few performances left. Mills' Circus also issued posters for its tours after it began tenting in 1930. The printers W.E. Berry, who produced most of Bertram Mills’ publicity, have been producing circus posters since 1923 and are still considered the foremost printers of circus posters in the UK.

Poster for the revue 'Eightpence a Mile'

<p> Poster for the revue &#39;Eightpence a Mile&#39;, designed by G.K. Benda, Alhambra Theatre, London, 1913</p>

Poster for the revue 'Eightpence a Mile'
Alhambra Theatre, London
1913
Designed by G.K. Benda
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

This poster by G.K. Benda advertises Eightpence a Mile, a revue which opened at London's Alhambra Theatre in May 1913. The poster illustrates the ballet The Flowers of Allah which was one of the items in the revue. Unlike many modern posters which may only have photographs of the stars of the production, the image of this poster faithfully reproduced the scenery by Ronsin and one of the costumes by the imaginative French costume designer Paul Poiret. In keeping with the oriental theme, Benda used curved letter forms for his graphics, on everything but the title '8d a Mile'. The lines are clear and simple, with flat areas of colour contrasting with the more decorative footlight flowers and leaves of the tree. The poster was printed by David Allen & Sons, one of the most prolific printers of posters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.