victorian theatre

Tess & I made a Victorian cardboard theatre today. We bought the kit when we went to the Weald & Downland museum a few weeks ago, and it is similar to sets that were very popular 150 years ago. Initially the kits were made as replicas of real shows and sold from the theatre where the show was on, but later on, they tended to use more classic stories and were popular as a general toy. The pieces are die cut into large sheets of card, and simply push out and are folded and interlinked to create quite a sophisticated and impressive mini theatre. Our set is for the story of Cinderella, and Tess, Brodie & I had lots of fun putting on shows all afternoon (though as I was the only one who could read the script, my voice is a little hoarse from putting on so many different voices!!)

Tess pushing out the pieces ....

All ready to assemble ......

Tess really enjoyed all the folding and slotting to put it together ....

... though we did have to keep stopping to play peek-a-boo at every stage .....

The finished theatre ......

The actors take to the stage .....

.... with help from the stage hands .......