Ellen Terry helped Violet Vanbrugh land her first professional acting role in an 1886 burlesque, by F.C. Burnand, "Faust and Loose", at Toole's Theatre. The same year, she made her West End theatre debut as Ellen in "The Little Pilgrims". She then toured and also returned to Toole's, playing several roles until 1887 including Lady Anne in "The Butler". Returning to Margate later that year, she appeared in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" as Ophelia, in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as Helena, in "As You Like It" as Rosalind and in "The Merchant of Venice" as Portia.