Unusual Artifacts: A Silk Theatre Program, 1900

Silk Program from the London Hippodrome, 1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Silk programs were often printed for special events such as coronations, command performances and opening nights of important shows. Here, we see a program on cream silk in navy-blue typography, edged with a cream silk fringe. It was created for the opening of the London Hippodrome in 1900 as evidenced by the title, “London Hippodrome” in navy-blue, followed lower down with “Grand Opening Night.”



It goes on to list a program of the acts for that night. This list of acts includes a wide range of circus and variety performances, cementing the Hippodrome's program for many years to come. Performances at the Hippodrome often included large scale aquatic acts in a 100,000 gallon water tank used in performances such as the Amphibious Burletta, Giddy Ostend who, in this program, is given the most prominent billing.

The Hippodrome around 1900.