Shelley Theatre

The Shelley Theatre was built in Tite Street, Chelsea, close to Percy Florence Shelley's London home. Tenders for the building of the Shelley Theatre were issued in 1879 and the theatre began to be constructed in that year.

After charitable performances in 1882, a newspaper reported that 'Sir Percy Florence Shelley has received notice of an information laid against him for allowing a performance in his theatre for which money was, in the words of the Act, "directly or indirectly taken." So there will be an end of all charity performances at private houses for the future'.

Performances

The Shelley Theatre was not used regularly for performances. We know of several events that took place there, as outlined below.

1882, March 28-30 (29 is a matinee): Charles Reade and Tom Taylor's Two Loves and a Life is performed. The cast is made up Edward C. Gibson, J. Palgrave Simpson, E. S. E. Hartopp, Percy Florence Shelley, E. R. Hughes, Thorner, J. Mac D. Joy, Boydell Gibson, A. F. Hughes, Rennell Rodd, Evans Hardtop, G. Reed, Fullerton, Captain Wingfield, Topham Evans, Miss Amy Martin and Miss Gibson. The scenery on the occasion is produced by C. Brew (x1), Sir Percy Florence Shelley (x3), and J. Harker (x3), as well as a scene by Shelley and Harker together. Horace Wigan is the stage manager.

1882, June 2 and 3: These events were 'under the direction of Lady Monckton and Sir Charles Young'. We are told in the newspapers that 'the company was for the most part one of amateurs' - some of whom retained their pseudonyms, such as 'Mr F. Doe'. They performed C. M. Rae's comedietta First in the Field followed by The Countess, an adaptation of Bélôt's La Vengeance d'un Mari by Lady Monckton. The cast of the latter included Lady Monckton herself alongside Sir Charles Young, as well as C. P. Colnaghi, Charles Fulton, G. Canninge, F. Doe, Mr Taylor, Madame de Sarria, Miss Fannie Stannard, Mr W. L. Hallward and Miss Bessie Stannard. The furniture for the occasion was supplied by Maple & Co. and the assistant stage manager is advertised as Mr. E. B. Norman. A note at the bottom of the programme explains that 'the profits will be applied to a Fund which I being raised for purchasing an Annuity for a Crippled Widow'. The music on the occasion was performed by Mr. Norfolk Megan's Amateur Orchestra.

1882, Saturday 13, 15 and 16 December: Amateur theatricals were hosted at the Shelley Theatre in aid of the funds of the School for Dramatic Art, with tickets being one guinea each. The reverse of the programme for the events explains how the School of Dramatic Art opened in October 1882 and was 'founded to enable those persons wishing to adopt the Stage as a profession to obtain a complete Dramatic Training in all its branches at a moderate cost'. It lists a substantial number of committee members and lady committee members, which includes many well known elite amateurs and members of the profession, such as Henry Irving and Fanny Kemble. A separate list of members of the profession supporting the endeavour appears. Finally, there is a list of the professorate which includes Hermann Vezin.

The performances began at 8pm on Wednesday and Saturday and 2.30pm on Friday. Hamilton Aïdé wrote a short comedy called Cousins for the occasion and this was accompanied by a one-act French piece, Après le Bal. Performers included Mr A. Bastard, Mrs Montague Thorold, Mr Chisenhale Marsh, Mr Heremon Fitzpatrick, Mr Augustus Spalding, Mr Claude Ponsonby, Mr Ogilvie Haig, Miss M Williams, Miss Wilson, Miss Mary Boyle and Mrs Cecil Clay.

The whole of the scenery for the occasion was painted by Sir Percy Florence Shelley, with Mr Horace Wigan as Stage Manager and Mr Clifford Harrison as Prompter. The orchestra was by members of the Battersea Branch of the People's Entertainment Society's Orchestral Union and was conducted by W. H. Leslie.

Professionals were in the audience including Mrs Keeley, Mrs John Wood, Mrs Arthur Stirling and Miss Genevieve Ward. The programme for the event dedicates a page to the list of distinguished patronage given to the event and ultimately the fund and cause - the list being headed by the Prince and Princess of Wales.