Theatre Collection

The Theatre collection of some 4000 books and journals was bequeathed to the Library in 1976 by Miss Angel Symon, and has been enhanced with selective later additions. It relates principally to British and European theatre of the late 19th to mid-20th century with significant collections of play-texts, theatre programmes and illustrative material.

The small but delightful dance component of the Theatre Collection has a focus on the Ballet Russes and includes some outstanding illustrated and limited editions, early treatises on dance, works of ballet critics and historians, souvenir programmes and a number of items on costume history and design.

For a fuller description of the collection, see The Allan Wilkie-Frediswyde Hunter-Watt Theatre Collection (reproduced with permission from Bibliofile, August 2003).

Theatre collection items are listed in the online Library catalogue, identified by the location 'Special collections theatre'.

The Theatre Collection is complimented by a number of manuscript collections related to theatre and dance.