Characters and Scenes, from Jack and the Giant Killer, Plate 1 for a Toy Theater 1870 - 1890

Curator: Here we have "Characters and Scenes, from Jack and the Giant Killer, Plate 1 for a Toy Theater," a lithograph and drawing printed sometime between 1870 and 1890 by Benjamin Pollock. Editor: It’s… charmingly bonkers. Utterly delightful! A whole world crammed onto a single sheet, like a pocket-sized playhouse exploded. All these ridiculously overdressed characters staring out at you. Curator: These sheets were meant for toy theaters, miniature stages that allowed people to recreate popular plays at home. Pollock was a major figure in that world, known for these detailed and colorful designs. Think of it as accessible theater, a form of home entertainment democratized by print. Editor: It's amazing, a theatre reduced to the size of a board game! I love how each character has a completely different energy. Look at Harlequin – pure manic energy! And that giant lying down there… is he about to take a nap? The narrative is completely chaotic! Curator: Indeed. The various characters – Jack, the Giant, Harlequin, Edelartha, Berthold – are all key players in the tale. Notice also the miniature depiction of a stage set up as if to act as directions or recommendations of stage and characters arrangement. The conventions of ukiyo-e are subtly present here, especially the concept of presenting the narrative by assembling various players as if floating over the blank page. Editor: And it’s so intensely British! The melodrama! The pantomime baked right in! Curator: Absolutely. The 'Jack and the Giant Killer' story had been a staple of British folklore and theatre, it represents a triumph over adversity, themes of bravery, and even national identity, played out in miniature in countless homes. These theaters brought that narrative and set of moral imperatives into domestic life. Editor: Looking at it now I see an early version of cosplay; bringing to life fantasy narratives inside your own home. The colors themselves feel significant. Is that a connection? I find the brightness reassuring, in a sense, given the subject involves vanquishing horrible ogres and tyrants. Curator: It's an enduring visual artefact representing accessible art and engagement. In some sense, you may be right that what we see here is early engagement that has paved the way for our current entertainment consumption patterns! Editor: True. Makes me want to dust off my old theatre kit. I think it’s an image ripe with optimism, like a promise of adventure.