toy theatres

Toys consisting of two-dimensional representations of characters from popular plays and, variously, scenery, props, stage, and proscenium, printed on sheets of paper, designed to be cut out, mounted on stiff backing such as cardboard or wood, and used for performances in a miniature theater. Appearing in the early 19th century in London, they were produced primarily in England and Germany throughout the 19th and into the 20th century, and are still produced today in small numbers. For portable performing arts structures designed for the presentation of puppet shows, see "puppet theaters." For three-dimensional representations of theater buildings or of theater spaces such as stage and proscenium, whther used in performances or simply as models, see "miniature theaters."