 In the spring of 1855, at St. Martin's Hall, German Reed and his wife presented the first performance of "Miss P. Horton's Illustrative Gatherings," musical theatre.These performances usually consisted of one or two brief comic operas designed for a minimal number of characters and performed with either the piano and harmonium or a small ensemble of musicians.They eventually became "Mr. and Mrs. German Reed's Entertainments", presented at the Royal Gallery of Illustration in Regent Street, beginning in 1856, and later at St. George's Hall.