Worlds Theatre Postcards

Here is a real photographic postcard of the National Theatre of Finland. The card was produced in Stockholm, Sweden. It was mailed to Buffalo, NY, USA from Helsinki on May 7, 1916.

The card is franked with two, 2 kopeck definitive stamps of Russia. Finland was part of the Russian Empire until its independence in 1917. Russian franking in Finland was allowed after 1891 and is not uncommon from 1910-18.

From Wikipedia, "The theatre did not acquire a permanent home until 1902, when a purpose-built structure was erected in the heart of Helsinki, adjacent to the city's main railway station...The birth of the Finnish National Theatre was closely linked to the nation's political and cultural history during the nineteenth century. Finland was a part of the Russian Empire, and its intellectual elite was Swedish speaking. Finnish language and art, including theatre, became the cornerstone of a cultural movement which began in the 1860's, gradually developing political ambitions by the turn of the century and eventually leading to political independence in 1917."

Here is an old french postcard of the Theatre of comedy, that seems to have been re sent and re franked in 1980.

Here is a nice french colonial era postcard of Alger theatre.

Here's an attractive Greek theatre ... that happens to be in California. (Univ. Calif. Berkeley)