BOX 3 - PROGRAMMES AND REVIEWS
Ref No.	Category	Title	Description
F03/01	Programme		Very early programme, ink on card, by hand. Possibly 1890s. Includes Comic song/Our Local Penny Reading/The Amateur Drama/Why I didn't become an actor...WPFrench; Sketch "Snooping" or "A brush with the natives".  "In this sketch Mr French will paint a water colour sketch in 5 minutes."  Concert Pt 1, 11, & 111.
F03/02	Programme	A Simple Sweep	Comic Operetta by F Broughton & J Bownes, performed in Cavan, 9th March 1887. Illustrated with sketches by French, eg French as chimney sweep, coat of arms made out of sweep's brushes, motto 'I Follow Suit'. Includes the cast of A Simple Sweep, and Who's Who? An insert page for another day gives cast of A Simple Sweep plus Naval Engagements. Both programmes include Topical Duet, Messrs French & Radcliffe.  For photos of cast see F01/11, F01/12, and F01/13.
x03/03	Review	Cavan Weekly News	Photocopy, Friday Mar 11th, 1887, presented by Pat Nally, giving review of A Simple Sweep. "When the production of an operetta was talked about, we shook our heads…Miss Kennedy as Fair Rosamond, and Mr French as The Sweep….rapturously encored…"
F03/04	Programme	The Knight of the Road,  (later, The Irish Girl)	Programme, Monday April 27th, 1891, Queen's Royal Theatre, Dublin. Cast list includes Jack Freeny, a highwayman. Synopsis on back page. For photos see F01/17, F01/18, F01/19. For review and sketches see Lady's Pictorial items in F21/04 and F21/05, stored in Box 25.
F03/04A	Review	The Knight of the Road	Newspaper Reviews, donated by Michael St.G.Irwin (Gt.Nephew of French)
F03/05	Interview article	Evening Telegraph	An "Up to Date" interview with French by the Evening Telegraph, including a sketch of French, and on reverse under City & Suburban, a note about the large audiences for Strongbow, 1892.
F03/05A	Interview article	Evening Telegraph	Ditto, another copy
F03/06	Programme/Reviews	Triple Bill	All from Alice Linde's scrapbook: Programme for Triple Bill, at Leinster Hall, October 1892, review from Lady's Pictorial, November 1892, "The sketch, Snooping, is one of the best things Mr French has yet done.....This work(operetta Midsummer Madness) is, I think, quite the best, although perhaps the least high-flown effort of the co-workers. The plot is not original, but the situations, dialogue and witticisms decidedly are." Also, review from The Echo, 2nd December 1892, of Rathmines School Concert, with list of those present.
F03/07	Playbill	Triple Bill	Torn pages from a published book (The Irish Book Lover) of playbills, with playbill of Triple Bill. See F03/06. 1892, incorrectly attributed to 1904.
F03/08	Review	Triple Bill	Review from Dublin Independent, 1st November 1892. "The prompter had more to do than perhaps ought to have fallen to his share, and even at times his unconspicuous office was kindly undertaken for him by the players themselves, who in this regard showed a praiseworthy reciprocity... It must be recorded that Mr French's sketch is full of clever things, one of the best being the song Mat Hannigan's Aunt, which the author renders in fetching fashion, accompanying himself the while on the banjo."
F03/09	Reviews	Triple Bill	Four reviews, all from Alice Linde's scrapbook: Review from The Herald, 1892. Includes the words of Kodak Song. Review from The Freeman's Journal, November 8th 1892, "A novelty on the occasion was Mr Percy French's sketch entitled Our Local Penny Readings...". Review from Daily Independent as in F03/08 above. Review from The Lady, November 1892, "The ease and self-confidence with which Dr WH Collisson donned the velvet tunic and lace of Little Lord Faultyboy proves that the 'popular concert' organizer has developed a new talent, and his acting throughout was uncommonly good and at times most entertaining."
F03/10	Reviews	Dublin up to Date	Review of performance at the Molesworth Hall, Dublin, 1894. "Mr French's vocal contributions included Mulligan's Masquerade, The Young Couple on the stairs, and a Serenade arranged for a Baritone and a Bull Dog...Mr Percy French…showed us ourselves as others see us with the aid of his facile pencil and the oxy-hydrogen light".  Envelope included, "circa 1894".
F03/11	Advertising Card	French and Orpen At Home	Card advertising Messrs French and Orpen At Home, March lst and 4th, 1893. Includes Orpen's sketch of them both.  Part I - Mr French at Home (more or less); Pt II - Mr Orpen Abroad (sketching under difficulties); Pt III - Amateur Theatricals - Their Cause and Cure.
F03/12	Reviews, etc	Benefit Concerts (Linde/Collisson)	All from Alice Linde's scrapbook, four reviews, one advertisement, one letterhead, and one envelope. Irish Society Review, 17th March 1894, on Dr Collisson's Benefit Concert, "Mr W Percy French was at his best ….the popular song Daisy Bell, the translation of the song into various European tongues was greeted with shrieks of delight". Review from Irish Times, August 14th, 1894, re concert at Grand Hotel, Malahide (Linde). Social Review account of Linde Benefit Concert, and weekly Irish Times Review of same. Advertisement for the concert, letter heading of Grand Hotel, Malahide, an envelope addressed to Alex Linde Esq., Bank of Ireland, Dublin.
F03/13	Review	French and Orpen At Home	Tyrone Constitution review of performance at Grand Jury Rooms, Omagh, 6th April 1894, "Powerful oxyhydrogen lantern, manipulated by Mr RC Orpen in a very creditable manner…The Night that Miss Cooney Eloped was sung in excellent style as the various characters represented appeared in rapid succession on the screen".
F03/14	Reviews	French and Orpen At Home	Five reviews from Birr, Roscrea, Clonmel, Carrick, Athlone, Kilkenny. " …in undertaking the present tour, Mr W Percy French has very stiff uphill work before he can prevail on provincial residents to 'come in their thousands'."
F03/15	Reviews		C.1895, seven papers review performance at Antient Concert Rooms. "He has just returned from a successful visit to England…" "Of Mr French's new songs there are three which ought to 'stay', for the sake of both words and airs - Drumcollagher, Mulligan's Masquerade, and the Killyran Wrackers." "One of the best items ...Rev P Binks's account of his visit to the Children's Christmas Party."
F03/16	Programme	Dunlavin Concert	Concert at Dunlavin, Saturday 23rd February 1895, a variety concert including French in Our Local Penny Readings, and A Brush with the Natives.  On reverse, sketches of various noses by French, "nosical".
F03/17	Reviews	Hohezeit/Linde Benefit	All from Alice Linde's scrapbook, 1895, reviews and notices. Social Review on Hohezeit at the Antient Concert Rooms, "Our 'most practial joker' (As Mr Edwin Hamilton dubbed Mr French some time ago) appeared in several new and original sketches." Review of Alice Linde Benefit Concert at the Rotunda, reproduction of photo of 'Miss Alyce Lynde' [sic], and seven other notices and programmes of hers.
F03/18	Review	Mr Franklin's Concert	From Alice Linde's scrapbook, 1896. The Ballina Herald, November 12th, review of Mr Franklin's Concert. "Mr Percy French…a universal favourite, as he deserves to be."  Also, seven items re. Linde.
F03/19	Programme	Odd Corners	Programme for performance on Wednesday 30th November 1898, Whitworth Hall, Drogheda. Complete programme details including "Mr French's latest success, a Quick-Change sketch, a la Biondi" , see F01/28-33.  The back page lists published songs, and written on reverse "PL Cooney, 10 Laurence Street, Drogheda (with compliments)".
F03/20	Programme	Palace Theatre of Varieties	Programme from 20th January,1900, richly coloured outside.  Inside at Item No. 5, "Percy French. The Irish Entertainer."
F03/21	Press Cutting	Reynold's Weekly Newspaper	Cutting 24th April 1900 looking forward to a matinee musicale, at Criterion Grand Hall on May 10th. "Among the other artists…Percy French."
F03/22	Leaflet	Through Erin's Isle	Advertising Through Erin's Isle, c.1901 "As given at Steinway Hall, and before HRH the Prince of Wales'" with biographical particulars on reverse.
F03/23	Leaflet	1902 Show	Advertising items from the 1902 show with press notices on the reverse.
F03/24	Leaflet	1902 Recital (17th Jan)	Advertising the show of 17th January 1902, with The Next Landing of the French!/Oh! The French is on the Say, etc.
F03/25	Leaflet	1902 Recital (17th Jan)	Advertising leaflet, with photo, for the Recital, Antient Concert Rooms, Dublin. "As given before His Majesty the King, and TRH the Prince and Princess of Wales". On reverse, French's declaration to his audience. "My views of Ireland and its inhabitants are most convincing….I am opposed to Compulsory Education, as I believe several people know more than I do as it is."
F03/26	Review	Sunday Times	Review of matinee at Queen's Gate Hall, June 1902. "Mr Percy French amused everybody with his story of The Lion Who Wouldn't Eat Parsley."
F03/27	Programme page	Solo Recital	A page torn from programme, French solo recital. "Illustrated throughout with Rapid Sketches in Charcoal and Coloured Chalk." Includes A New School of Art - showing how Illustrators can supply the Editors' outrageous demands for Summer landscapes in Winter, and Spring effects in Autumn. [See Arthur Killingley's description on p76 of "A Picture of Percy French".] On reverse, a photograph of a smoke picture of King's Road, Chelsea.
F03/28	Leaflet	Artistic Recitals	Advertising show at The Mall House, Youghal, 25th August 1902, with photo. Biographical details on reverse.
F03/29	Page 402	Mainly About People magazine	Edition week ending 18th October 1902. Article on French "…artist, journalist, raconteur, writer of numberless songs and droll stories…."
F03/29A	Review	Mainly About People magazine	Review, donated by Michael St.G.Irwin, (Gt.Nephew of French).
F03/30	Programme	Steinway Hall show	Programme, with photos, of Percy French and Harrison Hill, for show at Steinway Hall, Saturdays 6th and 13th December 1902. Includes A Kerry Court-house, presumably referring to the West Clare Railway case of 1897.
F03/31	Leaflet	Mr Percy French's Entertainments	Advertising Mr Percy French's Entertainments, c.1903, with quotes from letters from satisfied headmasters from the public schools. "...irresistibly funny..remarkable for its originality...refinement..the boys applauded to the echo…a real find".
F03/32	Programme	Freemantle Hall show	Freemantle Hall, Bexley, 26th June 1903. "Mr Percy French will again appear (provided the members of the audience have not massacred him after his first 'turn') and will narrate his Experiences at a Children's Party..After restoratives have been applied Mr Percy French will again insult the intelligence of the audience with 'The Art of the Small Boy'."
F03/33	Programme	Mr Percy French's Recitals	Programme with photos, of performance at Antient Concert Rooms, 22nd and 23rd November 1904. "Assisted by the well-known London Entertainer Mr Ernest Denny."  Includes bogus comments from world figures, and press reviews on reverse.
F03/34	Programme	Mr Percy French's Recitals	Ditto, another copy.
F03/35	Programme	Mr Percy French's Recitals	Ditto, another copy.
F03/36	Photocopy page	Irish Society and Social Review	A photocopied page, 3rd December 1904, with review of the recital at Antient Concert Rooms, November 1904, see F03/33. Good description of upside-down drawings.  "...a scene representing an American forest with a rosy sunset…he..turned it deftly on its side, when immediately the line of fir trees assumed the appearance of Venetian buildings...."
F03/36A	Photocopy page	Irish Society and Social Review	Another photocopied page from same. Good account of French's improvement in performance and the benefits arising from his move to London.  "The banjo is more skilfully manipulated..songs are more varied and wittier..the voice..is better produced…If Mr French had never gone to London he had never learned a tithe of what he now knows."
F03/37	Programme	Prince's Theatre	Programme of an un-named musical comedy at Prince's Theatre, Manchester, 1905. Music by JA Robertson, book by Frank Barrett, lyrics by French.
F03/38	Telegraph message	French to Family	Post Office Telegraph message from Manchester, 15th June 1905, to 48 Springfield Road. "Great success Jack Moll Dick fine Barrett absent so posed as author back about six."
F03/39	Review	Manchester Courier	Review of show at Prince's Theatre, Manchester, 1905, F03/37 above.
F03/40	Programme	Mr Percy French's Recitals	Programme for show at Antient Concert Rooms, 9th and 10th November 1905.  Includes French's own written Press Notices.  "Mr French begs to announce the commencement of a Series of Farewell Recitals, which he hopes will continue till the end of the Century".  Press quotes on reverse.
F03/41	Article	Evening News	Article on the writing of Noah's Ark. Includes long quote from French, "After seeing The Tempest or Beauty and the Barge or some such play the thought occurred to me how much better the nautical drama might be written if entrusted to really capable hands...some well-known mariner, whose name is a household word, as celebrated in the nursery as on the high seas..the telephone has played a conspicuous part in the genesis of Noah's Ark, and many a time hae I been summoned to the instrument and listened while Dr Collisson buzzed or whistled some inspiration for song or duet in my ear..Excuse me - the telephone - Hello! Who's that? - Oh, they want to alter your moonlight serenade into a duet for two Hedgehogs.  All right.  I'll post it to-night!"
F03/42	Article	Daily Chronicle	Article on French, 20th December 1905.
F03/43	Press Cutting	Black and White	Cutting, 16th December 1905, with photo of Collison.
F03/44	Programme	Noah's Ark	Programme for performance at Waldorf Theatre.
F03/45	Page	Black and White	Page from Black and White, 6th January 1906, with drawing of Arrival of the Christmas Fairies, Noah's Ark.
F03/46	Page	Noah's Ark	Page from magazine, with drawing by W Russell Flint, of scene from Noah's Ark.  "This year marks an extraordinary development in the refinement of the pantomimes, which are approximating more and more to the fairy play."
F03/47	Page	Noah's Ark	Page from a magazine, photo of Noah's Ark rehearsals, fairies in mufti.
F03/48	Photograph	Noah's Ark	Photo from magazine of fairies in Noah's Ark.
F03/49	Card	Noah's Ark	Advert for Noah's Ark.  On reverse, in French's hand "I am getting 1700 circulars delivered by hand in envelopes for nothing.  The addressing & envelopes will cost £1.10. But that is cheaper by a long way than postage…"
F03/50	Review	The Times	Noah's Ark.
F03/51	Review	The Standard	Noah's Ark, "It is good enough, in fact, to be a great deal better than it at present is."
F03/52	Review	The Illustrated London News	Noah's Ark.
F03/53	Review	The Tatler	Noah's Ark, "Some wag has suggested that nothing came out of the ark except the jokes."
F03/54	Review	The Sketch	Noah's Ark, "The music has been recommended for the fact that one of the composers, Mr Houston Collisson, is a clergyman."
F03/55	Leaflet	French & Collisson Recital	Advertising leaflet for French & Collisson recital in Chelsea, 15th February 1906.
F03/56	Programme	French & Collisson Recital	Programme including Aut Chelsea Aut Nullus, Henry VIII, his method of house hunting, Whistler, his method of painting a nocturne in gold and silver, The Song of the LCC King. On reverse, in French's hand 'Chelsea, Feb 15, '06.'
F03/57	Programme	Humour and Art	At Steinway Hall, 2nd May 1906.  Includes The Brief Career of the Beauty of Ballyporeen.
F03/58	Leaflet	French & Collisson Recital	Press opinions of Recital.
F03/59	Programme	The Rival Magicians	Performance 19th April 1907. Privately printed programme for this children's show, written for Ettie, Mollie and their friends. "Mr Percy French's wardrobe by the Jumble Sale Dress Exchange."
F03/60	Preview	The Scotsman	Preview of the lecture season, including "Why don't we all draw?"
F03/61	Page	The North London Illustrated	Photo of French and account of his life, edition 6th February 1908. One sentence altered in ink to read "As early as 1883 he was exhibiting water colours in the Dublin Academy."
F03/62	Programme	Mr Percy French At Home	Steinway Hall, 7th May 1908. "New Costume, New Chalk, New Paper."  Includes "...a few early entertainers of the House of French." (Salome French, Columbus French, Guy Fawkes French, etc.)
F03/63	Programme	Mr Percy French At Home	Ditto, another copy.
x03/64	Photocopy	North Down Spectator	Article from Bangor press of an account of a concert at Dufferin Hall, August 1908.
F03/65	Advert	Humour and Art	Advert for the show, 1909.  Includes press quotes, six specimen programmes, etc.
F03/66	Programme	Humours of Art and Music	Steinway Hall, December 1909. Includes The Painter and the Pianist printed complete.  Includes Percy French, an appreciation, "He dresses quietly, with, however, a marked predilection for cheques."  This leaflet is as much advert as programme.
F03/66A	Programme	Humours of Art and Music	Ditto, a copy.
F03/67	Programme	French & Collisson	Steinway Hall, 1910, includes A Grand Historical Pageant.  On reverse, "Roley Poley pudding and pie - how the above would be re-written by R-dy-d K-pl-ng."
F03/68	Programme page	French & Collisson	Front page of programme, Steinway Hall, April 1910.
F03/69	Programme pages	French & Collisson	Inside pages of above. Includes The Hoodoo.
F03/70	Article	Irish Society and Social Review	Page with photo and account of French, in Dublin at Abbey Theatre, 2nd April 1910. "…his latest success, The Cross Roads at Kilkeel, he draws in time to music!…"
F03/71	Review	The Daily Telegraph	Review of French & Collisson, 15th April 1910.
F03/72	Review	The Globe	Review of French & Collisson, 23rd April 1910.
F03/73	Programme	Globe Theatre	Mr Percy French, the Art Humourist, preceeded the play The Parasites, at the Globe Theatre in 1910.
F03/74	Programme page	Solo Recital	Page showing photo of smoke picture, Connemara 1909.
F03/75	Programme	French & Collisson	Matinees in Steinway Hall, May 1911. Includes In the Tropics, Flanagan's Flying Machine, etc. "All Dr Collisson's share in the profits of these Recitals is given to charity, and he will not appear in public after this year."
F03/76	Review	The Times	Review of French & Collisson matinees, 16th May 1911.  "…draws five pictures, one on top of the other…Quebec, the Statue of Liberty..Falls of Niagara."
F03/77	Review	The Daily Telegraph	Review of French & Collisson matinees, 16th May 1911. "…the new game of Double Squiggles."
F03/78	Review	The Morning Post	Review of French & Collisson matinees, 16th May 1911.  "…Mr French transforms a chalk drawing of an Irish sunrise into a full-length portrait of a girl."
F03/79	Leaflet	Solo Recital	Advertises Recital at Kingstown, 8th August 1911. Includes press notices from America and Canada.
F03/80	Review	The Irish Independent	Review of two new French songs, Mick's Hotel, and The Emigrant's Letter.
x03/81	Press Cutting	Solo Recital	Photocopy from a Bangor newspaper re. recital in Dufferin Hall, August 1912.
F03/82	Preview	A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go	Evening Standard and St James's Gazette, 9th August 1912.
F03/83	Playbill	A Frog He Would	Miniature playbill advertising A Frog He Would, 12th August 1912.
F03/84	Programme	A Frog He Would	Chelsea Palace. A Frog He Would, item 12 on variety programme of 14th August 1912.  Three copies.
F03/85	Programme	New Irish Recital	Abbey Theatre, Dublin, April 1913.
F03/85A	Programme	New Irish Recital	Photocopy of programme above show, donated by Michael St.G.Irwin (Gt.Nephew of French).
F03/86	Programme	Percy French & Sterndale Bennet Matinees	At Steinway Hall, April/May 1913. Programme with photos.  Two copies.
F03/87	Programme	Humour and Art	Specimen programme, c.1914.  Includes How to become a popular vocalist (with Songs to the Guitar), How to write a Musical Comedy, An Illustrated Song, Alice where art thou, showing where she is!  On reverse, smoke picture and press notices.
F03/88	Programme	In Dublin and Out of it	The Rotunda, February 1915. Mr Percy French and Miss Florence Marks.  Includes In Dublin, and Irish Lights and Shadows.
F03/89	Review	Evening Telegraph	Review of French and Marks at Gresham Hotel, charity concert.
F03/90	Ticket	An Entertainment by Mr Percy French	A show in aid of Funds for Cavan Regiment of UVF, at Bailieborough, 2nd June 1914.
F03/91	Programme page	Song and Art Recital	Photocopy of front page, Cork 5th October 1914.
F03/91A	Programme page	Song and Art Recital	Photocopy page, includes "Introducing my latest song, Luke the Looney."
F03/92	Press Cutting	The Down Recorder	Cutting 22nd May 1915, review of French at Downpatrick. "…Michael O'Ryan…Carmody's mare…All by the Baltic Sea...synopsis of the Great War.  This song is published by Messrs Pigott, of Dublin, but purchasers are warned that Mr French adds verses almost every day."
F03/93	Leaflet	How Dublin Does It	Advertising How Dublin Does It, 21st February 1916, Kingstown. "Written by Percy French, and pushed over the footlights by Miss Sheila O'Sullivan, Mr Brendan Stewert, Miss Ettie French and Miss Betty Duncan." A list of songs published by Pigott includes Mulcahy's Coat of Arms.
F03/93A	Leaflet	How Dublin Does It	Similar to F03/93, but performance at Blackrock, 23rd February 1916.
F03/94	Review	Irish Times	How Dublin Does It, 24th January 1916.
F03/95	Programme	How Dublin Does It	Performance at Oakland, 10th February 1916. Includes scene from How Dublin Does It, Russian Dance (Betty Duncan and Etty French [sic]), and A Pantomime Burlesque (Miss Marjorie Elvery, Miss Haggie Campbell, Miss Betty Duncan, Mr Charles Atkinson).  See F02/42-46.
F03/96	Programme	What Next!	A revue for Three Ladies and Two Disqualified Gentlemen. 1916. Includes synopsis.  Three copies.
F03/97	Leaflet	Song and Art Recital	Advertising recital, c.1916. Part of an Irish Tour.  Includes "Interval, during which the Performer will be sentenced to Five Minutes hard labour."
F03/98	Press Cutting	The Daily Mirror	12th July 1916, with photo of French. "Mr Percy French…his first appearance on the variety stage this week…at the Putney Hippodrome."
F03/99	Press Cutting	Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News	Cutting with photo, scene from The Kerry Coortin', at the Kingsway Theatre. Includes Stanley Holloway and Patricia Burke. Autumn 1916 or 1917.
F03/100	Programme	Percy French & Dr Collisson	Show in aid of the special war fund of the Royal Surgical Aid Society, c.1918. Includes silhouettes. "A short interval during which Percy French will paint a smoke picture."
F03/101	Review	The Daily Telegraph	Review of Humours of Art and Music at Steinway Hall, 9th January 1919.
F03/102	Programme proof	Final Entertainment	Proof copy of programme, Palette Club, Glasgow. The items chosen for what turned out to be French's final entertainment were: In the Tropics, A Chalk Chuckle, A Lapse into Literature, The Hoodoo, illustrated, In Quest of the Quiet (duet), That Children's Party, The Letter from the Front. Plus a coloured upside-down drawing.  On the proof are instructions to French from the promoter.
x03/103	Poster	New Recital	A publicity poster of French and Miss May Laffan, their New Recital, Great Northern Tea Room, Bundoran, 13th and 14th August, 1916? Donated by Miss Molly Greeves.
F03/103A	Programme	New Recital	Photocopy of programme for New Recital featuring French and Miss May Laffan at the Lyric Hall, Dublin on 17th, 18th and 19th April 1917.  Donated by Michael St.G.Irwin (Gt.Nephew of French).
F03/103B	Programme	New Recital	Photocopy of programme for New Recital featuring French and Miss May Laffan at the Molesworth Hall Dublin, 3rd, 4th and 5th April 1918.  Donated by Michael St.G.Irwin (Gt.Nephew of French).
F03/104	Poster	How Dublin Does It	A publicity poster for the Town Hall, Blackrock, 23rd February 1916.
F03/105	Programme	Humours of Art and Music	Photocopy of programme, "A Few Selections from…"
F03/106	Programme	Solo Recital	Sheet of six specimen programmes for Percy French Entertainment
x03/107	Programme	Electro-Harmonic Society	Season 1909 - 1910, at The Holborn Restaurant, 7th January 1910, Art Humourist: Mr Percy French, amongst other artistes. Donated by Mr Peter McGoldrick.
F03/108	Review	Irish Times	Photocopy review of recital at Antient Concert Rooms, Feb.1903, donated by Michael St.G.Irwin (Gt.Nephew of French).
F03/109	Programme	Irish Lights and Shadows	Photocopy programme for Irish Lights and Shadows show in aid of the British Red Cross Society at St Matthew's Parochial Hall, Irishtown Road, Dublin, featuring French and Miss Betty Duncan. Date changed from Friday 10th December 1915 to 6th March 1916. Donated by Michael St.G.Irwin (Gt.Nephew of French).