Theatre program sizes

Yes! If only all programmes were A5 size it would be so much easier.
I always buy a programme so I'm stuck between either carrying an necessarily big/empty handbag around or carrying the programme around which isn't always ideal.
As for storing them  I've given up keeping them in chronological order like I'd prefer as it just looks so messy. I've now put them in size order instead which makes finding them a much more difficult task.
Yes there's much more important things to worry about but that doesn't mean this doesn't bug me as well as you by the sounds of it

He's not still touting for work, is he? He's been dead 97 years. 

Used to buy them for everything but not anymore. Only a couple of programmes last year for Angels in America and Hamilton’s I think.

I like the size of the ATG and Nimax ones. Less keen on the shape of the current Delfont Macintosh ones.

I like a standard format too. Much easier to store.

Going off on a Tonyloco tandem...my programme collection started seriously in London in March 1960 and also included some Australian programmes from 1947 onwards that I collected myself and some earlier ones given to me by a friend of my parents. Some years ago on a visit to Sydney I went to the Opera House where at that time there was a general theatrical archive being started and asked whether I might leave my collection to them on my death. A rather prissy young man looked disdainfully at me and said: 'Oh well, if you must! But we have loads of stuff like that and we really don't want any more.' I heard later that the archive had been closed down!

I then heard from an Australian friend that the Adelaide University's Barr Smith Library had an extensive collection of British theatre programme which ended at 1960. I contacted the library and they said they would be thrilled to get my collection when I died but as they were already filling my house, I arranged to ship the bulk of the collection to Adelaide there and then, keeping back just a few special early Australian ones. A few years later I shipped off a second load, by which time programmes were generally getting bigger and bulkier. Anyway, I know that the library is slowly digitising my collection, but this is a slow and labour-intensive process and, to be honest, some of the results online are disappointing, such as with opera programmes the person inputting just lists singers' names without specifying the voice type or the role being sung, which is useless.

I am talking about this because it raises the subject of whether collections of theatre programmes from recent times are of any archival value or should they just be dumped. From the era I am talking about (the 1950s in Sydney and the 1960s in London) there was not a lot of archiving going on apart from a few specialised organisations like the Theatre Museum (now part of the V&A) and the Royal Opera House. But I suspect that the programmes people like us have collected over the past couple of decades are already safely archived in various places, including digitally, and there will be no real loss to posterity if they are eventually scrapped, unless our families and descendants are interested enough to want to take and keep them for future reference.

Does anybody have any thoughts on this?

Nothing worse than a bookshelf full of books the same size! Same applies to programmes for me - really don't mind varying sizes. I don't buy many, but keep the ones I do. I like it when somethings a little different - like when an album came out in a digipack instead of a silly plastic cd case!

Tonyloco, I gave quite a few away to someone who was also a collector. I kept the autographed ones and the old ones from the RSC and a few sentimentally significant ones. I offered them to a couple of archives but then in the end they were taken to the local charity shop. I mentioned on here but the only people wanting progs at that time were wanting specific ones.

I get what you mean. I suppose I just like having a collection of the same thing from each show I’ve seen. If they weren’t free it would be a rip off as much of the content is the exact same in every Playbill.

Perhaps it would be nice if all West End programmes were published by the same company? Is there a business idea there?

Interesting that you have brought up this subject tonyloco as I am presently trying to find a home or homes for the bulk of a theatre collection (posters, programmes, flyers, from plays, musical theatre, variety, pantomime, circus) which I inherited from my late brother. The collection is mainly 1960s to 2002, I saved everything (despite family members wanting to throw out these thousands of lovely items) but (for several reasons) I have only recently got round to sorting through it all . I have been warned against donating to certain national collections , which have a lot of this kind of thing which never sees the light of day again , until the items are eventually auctioned off.
The Australian guy’s attitude is appalling , but this seems to be the attitude of a few archives. I’m struggling to find any interest .
Any help with where I can donate items from the collection will be gratefully accepted. I have successfully ebayed duplicates and taken holidays with the proceeds. My brother would have liked that . Maybe I’ve answered my own question .

I'm a huge programme fiend (I get one from every show I go to). My favourites are the A5 booklets, complete with a full cast and creative team, a little theatre and show history and a few glossy production photos. Shouldn't be more than £5 either.

Wicked programmes really annoy me. They're A4, £8 And crammed full of production photos. While I love the show and the photos are lovely to look at storing them is a mess.

I don't mind the Delfont Mackintosh Programmes really. I just wish they weren't so thick with advertisements.

I don't know why, I just can't stand the square Mackintosh ones. I buy a programme everytime out of habit, but I j7st don't like the look of the square ones. A5 is ideal for a standard programme, however I love the Dominion programmes. Even though they are £8 they are always beautiful inside.

They've been different sizes for a long time, as I discovered when I tried to organise my 30 year collection over Christmas!