Yale Center for British Art

Title:

The maid and the magpie : a drama in three acts : written expressly for, and adapted only to Webb's characters and scenes in the same.

Published / Created:

London : Printed and published by W. Webb, [approximately 1861]

Physical Description:

18 pages, [1] leaf of plates ; 15 cm

Holdings:

Rare Books and Manuscripts
Toy Theater Webb Maid and the magpie
Yale Center for British Art, Gift of Hans P. Kraus

Copyright Status:

Classification:

Three-Dimensional Artifacts

Notes:

Juvenile drama emerged in England soon after 1800, forming itself from the adult drama of the time. The plays were adapted from their original stage version into a miniature toy version with actors, costumes and scenery intended for a juvenile audience. Characters and scenes were intended to be cut out and dramatized.

The Maid and the Magpie was first performed at Covent Garden in 1815. See: Speaight.

Date of publication from Speaight.

Speaight, G. History of the English toy theatre, pages 193, 209

BAC: British Art Center copy is complete. All pieces are uncolored. The characters have been cut out from the original sheets.

Subject Terms:

Ballads, English -- Juvenile drama. | Children's plays, English.

Form/Genre:

Plays. | Toy theaters. | Lithographs -- [approximately 1861]

Contributors:

Webb, W. G. (William George), 1821–1890, publisher. | Adaptation of (work): Pocock I. (Isaac), 1782–1835. Maid and the magpie.