Eighteenth Century Drama

Eighteenth Century Drama is primarily a collection of digitized play manuscripts; it includes nearly every play submitted for license in the United Kingdom from 1737-1824. The original play manuscripts are in the Larpent Collection at the Huntington Library. John Larpent, who was English Inspector of Plays from 1778-1824, preserved the plays that were submitted for license, and they are organized into this collection.

Supplementary materials in this collection include the diaries of his wife, Anna Larpent, in which she recorded her impressions of new plays. The collection also includes some correspondence, portraits, art images of the London stage, and advertisements.

The collection also includes two major reference sources. The London Stage 1660-1800 includes every traceable London performance from 1660-1800. The London Stage may be searched as a database or read in its original book form. A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800 provides biographical information about all London performers and stage personnel from 1660-1800.