[MASKELYNE] Script for Maskelyne & Cooke’s Will, the Witch and the Watchman. Circa 1900. A 32-page typed manuscript for the long-running magical play that was arguably the most popular production at both the Egyptian Hall and later at St. George’s Hall, England’s “homes of mystery” operated by the Maskelyne family. Being the part for the central character, Miles Mooney, complete with stage directions, songs, lines of dialogue, and all other pertinent details.
Plain paper wraps (chipped and worn) bound in later cloth with gilt-lettered spine, the script typed in three colors on 4to pages, rectos only. With “C Kennard / Garrick Club / London” inked on the upper right corner of the upper wrapper, with the name “Miles” below it in red script at the center. Many penciled corrections and annotations appear in the script in an unknown hand, including a substantial manuscript addition of one lengthy song sung by Miles. An important document relating to the magic play central to the success of Maskelyne and his dynasty of magic that spanned half a century in the English speaking world.
Maskelyne’s magic play debuted in 1871, and was performed at both the Egyptian Hall and St. George’s Hall for some over 11,000 times in a span of some 44 years. This script was later owned by the longtime president of The Magic Circle, Francis White.