Ruth Herbert in 'Friends or Foes'

A carte-de-visite portrait of the actor and Pre-Raphaelite muse Ruth Herbert (1831-1921).

The actress-manager is seen here as she appeared in Friends or Foes. Written by Horace Wigan and first staged at the St James's Theatre in 1862, this was a version of Victorien Sardou's Nos intimes.

'The new Extravaganza which is in preparation here [at the St James's Theatre] has been deterred to the period when the International Exhibition will give additional stimulus to managerial enterprise. The Comedy of Friends or Foes? which has well merited the popularity it has acquired was therefore preserved as the leading feature in the bill, whilst the interest in its representation was renewed by the reappearance of Miss Herbert, who had been for the last three weeks prevented by indisposition from continuing her impressive assumption of the character of Mrs Union. Her reception was very cordial, and her acting was sufficiently vigorous to show that her health has been at least restored to allow the resumption of her Professional duties' (The Era, 27 April 1862).

Photographed by Adolphe Beau of London.