Drawing

Pen and ink drawing of the actor/manager Sir Henry Irving (1838-1905) and the theatre manager Sir Augustus Harris (1852-1986), by George Hutchinson, undated.

The drawing, which was probably made for one of the illustrated periodicals, is commenting on productions by the two major London theatre managements of the late 19th century. Irving is dressed in the robes he wore for the role of Cardinal Wolsey in his 1892 production of Henry VIII whilst Harris is wearing formal evening dress. Both have sandwich boards over their chests. Irving's reads: 'The Fall of Wolsey or Henry Irving, the great pantomime at the Lyceum'. Harris's reads: 'The fall of Humpty Dumpty, Great Tragedy at Drury Lane'.