APRIL 30th, 1903.theatre royal drury lane limitedManaging DirectorARTHUR COLLINS.Business ManagerSIDNEY SMITH.HENRY IRVING’S SEASON.Every Evening, at 8.15.Matinée Every Saturday, at 2.30.danteBYMM. SARDOU & MOREAU.Rendered into English by LAURENCE IRVING.Persons in the Play:DanteHenry IrvingCardinal Colonna{Papal Legate, Resident}Mr.William Mollisonat Avignon.Nello della Pietra(Husband to Pia)Mr.Norman McKinnelBernardino{Brother to Francesca da Rimini,}Mr.Gerald Lawrencebetrothed to GemmaGiottoFriends to DanteMr.H. B. StanfordCasellaMr.James HearnForeseMr.Vincent SternroydBellacquaMr.G. EnglethorpeMalatesta(Husband to Francesca)Mr.Jerold RobertshawCorso(Nephew to Cardinal Colonna)Mr.Charles DodsworthOstasio(A Familiar of the Inquisition)Mr.Frank TyarsRuggieri(Archbishop of Pisa)Mr.William LuggThe Grand InquisitorMr.William Farren, Junr.Paolo(Brother to Malatesta)Mr.L. Race DunrobinUgolinoMr.Mark PatonLippo}Swashbucklers{Mr.John ArcherConradMr.W. L. AblettEnzio(Brother to Helen of Swabia)Mr.F. D. DavissFadricoMr.H. PorterMerchantMr.R. P. TabbMerchantMr.H. GastonTownsmanMr.T. ReynoldTownsmanMr.A. FisherA ServantM.J. IrelandPia dei Tolomei(Wife to Nello della Pietra)}MissLena AshwellGemma(Her Daughter)The Abbess of the Convent of Saint ClaireMissWallisFrancesca da RiminiMissLilian EldéeHelen of Swabia{Daughter-in-law}MissLaura Burtto UgolinoSandra(Servant to Pia)MissAda MellonPicardaMissE. BurnandTessaMissHilda AustinMaroziaFlorentineMissMab PaulCiliaLadiesMissAda PotterLucreziaMissE. LockettJuliaMissMary FosterFideliaMissDorothy RoweMariaMissMay HollandNunMissEmmeline CarderNunMissE. F. DavisCustodian of the Convent of Saint ClaireMissGrace HamptonA TownswomanMissMabel ReesNobles, Guests of the Legate, Pages, Jesters, Nuns, Townsfolk, Artisans,Street Urchins, Catalans, Barbantines, Servants, etc.Spirits:The Spirit of BeatriceMissNora LancasterVirgilMr.Walter ReynoldsCainMr.F. MurrayCharonMr.Leslie PalmerCardinal BoccasiniMr.F. FaydeneCardinal OrsiniMr.W. J. YeldhamJacques Molay(Commander of the Templars)Mr.J. MiddletonSpirits in the Inferno.
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dante
Sir Henry Irving certainly has great magnetic gifts which attract and compel the sympathy of his audience. He always looks picturesque, he avoids stage conventionalities, and acts his part according to hisown scholarly instincts. Passion with him is subservient to intellect.
One American critic in summing him up said:
“I do not consider Irving a great actor; but he is the greatest dramatic artist I ever saw.”
The version ofFaustby the late W. G. Wills which modern playgoers know so well was one of the most elaborate and successful productions of the Lyceum days, and amongst the beautiful scenic effects some exquisite visions which appeared in the Prologue at the summons of Mephistopheles will always be remembered. On the first night of the production I am told—for I don’t remember the occasion myself—owing to a temporary break down in the lime-lights, these visions declined to put in an appearance at the bidding of the Fiend. The great actor waved his arm and stamped his foot with no result. Again and again he tried to rouse them from their lethargy, but all to no avail. The visions came not. As soon as the curtain fell Irving strode angrily to the wing, even his stride foreboded ill to all concerned, and the officials trembled at the outburst of righteous wrath which they expected would break forth. The first exclamations of the irate manager had hardly left his lips before they were interrupted by a diminutive “call boy,” who rushed forward with uplifted hand, and exclaimed in a high treble key to the great actor-manager fresh from his newest triumph:
“Bear it, bear it bravely!Iwill explain all to-morrow!”
The situation was so ridiculous that there was a generalpeal of laughter, in which Irving was irresistibly compelled to join.
The last part played at the Lyceum by the veteran actor Tom Mead was that of the old witch who vainly strove to gain the summit of the Brocken, and was always pushed downwards when just reaching the goal. In despair the wretched hag exclaims, “I’ve been a toiler for ten thousand years, but never, never reached the top.” On the first night ofFaust, the worthy old man was chaffed unmercifully at supper by some of his histrionic friends who insisted that the words he used were, “I’ve beenan actorfor ten thousand years, but never, never reached the top.”
Those who saw the wonderful production ofThe Corsican Brothersat the Lyceum will remember the exciting duel in the snow by moonlight, between Irving and Terriss. At the last dress rehearsal, which at the Lyceum was almost as important a function as a first night, Terriss noticed that as the combatants moved hither and thither during the fight he seemed to be usually in shadow, while the face of the great actor-manager was brilliantly illuminated. Looking up into the flies, he thus addressed the lime-light man:
“On me also shine forth, thou beauteous moon—there should be no partiality in thy glorious beams.”
A friend relates another curious little incident which occurred during the run ofRavenswoodat the Lyceum. In the last act there was another duel between William Terriss and Henry Irving. For the play Terriss wore a heavy moustache which was cleverly contrived in twopieces. Somehow, in the midst of the scuffle, one side of the moustache got caught and came off. This was an awkward predicament at a tragic moment, but Terriss had the presence of mind to swerve round before the audience had time to realise the absurdity, and finished the scene with his hair-covered lips on show. When they arrived in the wings Irving was greatly perturbed.
“What on earth do you mean spoiling the act by jumping round like that?” he demanded. “You put me out horribly: it altered the whole scene.”
Terriss was convulsed with laughter and could hardly answer; and it was only when Irving had spent his indignation that he discovered his friend was minus half his moustache. This shows how intensely interested actors become in their parts, when one can go through a long scene and never notice his colleague had lost so important an adjunct.
Sir Charles Wyndham is one of the most popular actor-managers upon the stage. He is a flourishing evergreen. Though born in 1841 he never seems to grow any older, and is just as full of dry humour, just as able to deliver a dramatic sermon, just as quick and smart as ever he was.
He began at the very beginning, did Sir Charles, and he is ending at the very end. Though originally intended for the medical profession, he commenced his career as a stock actor in a provincial company, is now a knight, and manager and promoter of several theatres. What more could theatrical heart desire? And he has the distinction of having acted in Berlin in the German tongue.
Wyndham gives an amusing description, it is said, of one of his first appearances on the American stage, when he had determined to transfer his affections from Galen to Thespis. He was naturally extremely nervous, and on his first entrance should have exclaimed:
“I am drunk with ecstasy and success.”
With emphasis he said the first three words of the sentence, and then, owing to uncontrollable stage fright, his memory forsook him. After a painful pause he again exclaimed:
“I am drunk.” Even then, however, he could not recall the context. He looked hurriedly around, panic seemed to overpower him as he once more repeated:
“I am drunk—”; and, amid a burst of merriment from the audience, he rushed from the stage.