Oliver Twist, adapted from Charles Dickens's novel by J. Comyns Carr, was first staged by Herbert Beerbohm Tree at His Majesty's Theatre, London, on 4 September 1905. It briefly transferred to the Waldorf Theatre (now the Novello Theatre) at the end of September when the discovery of a crack above the proscenium arch caused the temporary closure of His Majesty's but returned there in October. Tree played Fagin.
Artist Charles A Buchel (1872-1950) had a 16 year working association with Tree. He painted portraits of Tree in character, designed posters and provided illustrations for the souvenir booklets which accompanied many of Tree's productions.
