First appearance here of the celebrated African Roscius, the actor of colour ... on Tuesday, January 10, 1832 ... will perform Shakespeare’s tragedy of Othello.

First appearance here of the celebrated African Roscius, the actor of colour ... on Tuesday, January 10, 1832 ... will perform Shakespeare’s tragedy of Othello.

Bath : John and James Keene, printers, Bath journal office, Kingsmead Street, [1832].

1 sheet ([1] p.) ; 252 x 183 mm

This is a PRELIMINARY RECORD. It may contain incorrect information. Please email catalog@folger.edu for assistance.

Great Britain -- England -- Bath, -- publication place.

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From dealer's description: "[ALDRIDGE (Ira)]. Theatre-Royal, Bath. Singular Novelty! First Appearance here of the Celebrated African Roscius, the Actor of Colour...on Tuesday, January 10, 1832...will perform Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Othello. Handbill, printed on the recto only (252 x 183m). Some very minor browning in a couple of places and slightly crinkled but otherwise a very fine copy. Bath: John and James Keene, [1832]. [...] In this playbill Aldridge (“the African Roscius”) is advertised as playing the role of Othello on January 10th 1832 at the Theatre Royal in Bath as well as the roles of Mungo in Bickerstaffe’s and Dibdin’s The Padlock. A note at the foot of the sheet states that Aldridge will also perform as Gambia in Charles Morton’s place The Slave later that week. The part of Mungo had historically been taken by a white man playing in blackface but Aldridge changed the character when he took on the role and made it a more serious and challenging role. Similarly Morton’s play is set in Surinam during the slave revolt and has a strong abolitionist message as Aldridge’s character battles against vicious and duplicitous plantation owners to defend his fellow slave Zelinda and her love, the virtuous Englishman, Captain Clifton. This performance in Bath was prompted by the recommendation of the famous British Shakespeare actor, Edmund Kean. Kean had seen Aldridge perform in Dublin and wrote to the manager of the Bath Theatre only seven days before this performance to recommend Aldridge: "Dear Bellamy - I beg to introduce to your notice Mr. Aldridge, the African Roscius, whose performances I have witnesses with great pleasure. He possesses wondrous versatility, and I am sure, under your judicious generalship, will prove a card in Bath...." (letter dated January 3rd 1832 from Dublin; quoted in Bernth Lindfors, Ira Aldridge (2007) p.19)."

Ordered from Maggs Bros, D9833, 2025-07-10, email quote.

Purchase made possible by The Charles W. Engelhard Acquisitions Fund.

273201