Victorian London - Entertainment and Recreation - Theatre - Theatres and Venues

Victorian London - Entertainment and Recreation - Theatre - Theatres and Venues - Folly Theatre

Folly Theatre, King William-street, Strand.—A little bandbox of a place, very prettily fitted up, and with a decided specialty for burlesque and opera bouffe. NEAREST Railway Station, Charing-cross (Dist. and S.E.); Omnibus Routes, Strand and St. Martin’s-lane.

Charles Dickens (Jr.), Dickens's Dictionary of London, 1879

REGULATIONS:

Punctuality at Rehearsal.
Rehearsal Calls and Notices to be placed in the Hall Lobby.
Ten Minutes Grace allowed after Call at First Rehearsal.
Each person should be at the Theatre every night sufficiently long before the commencement of the Performance to allow ample time for Dressing.
Each Member of the Company under-studying a part to be in the Theatre at Seven o'clock each evening.
No one to stand in the Prompt Place.
No one to stand at the Wings during the Performance.
The Business as arranged at the last Rehearsal to be strictly adhered to.
All Parts are to be returned within one week after the production of the Piece.
Smoking is absolutely prohibited in every part of the Building.
Members of the Company never to be in the Box Office.
The Address of every Member of the Company is to be entered in the Address-Book at the Stage Door.
No Member of the Company to sit in front of the House during Rehearsal.
Any applications for Free Admissions to be made to the Manager.
The Theatre Time is the Stage Clock.
No one to perform elsewhere, except by special permission.
No Stranger to be admitted behind the Scenes under any circumstances, or to be in any of the Dressing Rooms without permission.
All complaints to be made to Mr. Ceorge Loveday.
Mr. Toole will be glad to hear any suggestions with regard to the comfort of the Members of his Company.
There are no Fines of any kind, as Mr. Toole trusts to the esprit de corps of the Folly Company to carry out his wishes.

rules posted on stage door by Mr. Toole in 1882

EDITOR'S NOTES:

Opened as the Lowther Rooms in 1840, used for lectures &c. Then as the Woodin's Polygraphic Hall in 1855. Converted into a theatre, opening as Royal Charing Cross Theatre in 1869 then Charing Cross Theatre in 1872. Advertised as Theatre Royal, Charing Cross, in 1874-5, then, after some rebuilding, opened as the Folly Theatre in 1876. Further rebuilding and opened as Toole's Theatre in 1882, and closed in 1895.. [see Lost Theatres of London by Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson for more information]