Benson Company Collection

Description

Actor Frank Benson (1858-1939), founded the Benson Company in 1883 and directed almost all the Stratford Festival seasons at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre between 1886 and 1919. Benson's Company played at the Stratford Festivals every year from 1886 to 1894, 1896 to 1913, Summer 1914, Spring and Summer 1915, Spring 1916 and Spring 1919. There were no Festivals in 1917 or 1918. When not performing in Stratford-upon-Avon the Company toured the British provinces, with occasional overseas tours. The Collection consists of a diverse collection of material. The records are divided into four parts: /1 Administrative and financial records of the Benson Company and the two companies with which they were involved, F R Benson Co Ltd, set up in February 1910, registered 1 February 1911, and Stratford-upon-Avon Players, incorporated 19 December 1912 /2 Prompt books /3 Music /4 Miscellaneous material Records specifically relating to the Bensons' work at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon are catalogued as part of the RSC Archive.