thought which he had brought to bear upon its study. Some of the English critics rank his Shylock among the very finest of his many fine achievements. The Portia of Miss Ellen Terry might be held to want rather more weight, in the Trial scene, but as a whole completely enchanted her public. Among the other conspicuous performers were Barnes, as Bassanio; Beaumont, as the Duke of Venice; Tyers, the Prince of Morocco; and Johnson, as Launcelot Gobbo; but, indeed, the entire cast called for nearly everything to praise and scarcely anything to condemn. In May, 1880, Iolanthe, a new version, by Mr. W. G. Wills, of King René's Daughter, was brought out. This graceful little idyl afforded a fresh field for the talents of Miss Terry, Mead, and Irving, and also of Mr. Hawes Craven, who provided a wondrously luxuriant garden scene for its illustration. To allow, however, of Iolanthe being given as an afterpiece to The Merchant of Venice, the latter was now played in four acts, by the simple expedient of omitting the fifth altogether. The taste of such an arrangement, in a theater of such real and well-substantiated claims to supremacy in everything relating to Art, was certainly questionable; and it was paying, moreover, but a poor compliment to Shakspeare. Owing to the long-continued attraction of The Merchant of Venice, the reproduction, long expected, of that best of all modern supernatural dramas, The Corsican Brothers, was postponed till the opening of the winter season on Saturday, the 18th of September. Mr. Irving retained Boucicault's version, so long and so justly popular at the old Princess's, in place of the one already given, some years previously, by Fechter, at the Lyceum. BOOTH AND IRVING. The return of Ellen Terry, at the beginning of 1881, brought with it a new tragedy in two acts, The Cup. This was a dramatized form, by Tennyson, of a story from Plutarch, which had been already rendered illustrious by the genius of Ristori, in Montanelli's Italian version, Camma. Beyond the extremely picturesque acting of Miss Terry, Irving, and Terriss, The Cup revealed new scenic glories in a Galatian landscape, seen under the various aspects of day and night, and a massively built up Temple of Artemis. On Easter Eve, The Belle's Stratagem was given for the first time under the present management, with Irving, in his happiest vein, as Doricourt; and Miss Ellen Terry, a most charming Letitia Hardy. Mrs. Cowley's comedy served also to introduce that old and experienced actor, Mr. Howe, to the Lyceum boards as Hardy. In May the famous American tragedian, Edwin Booth, was engaged to alternate with Irving the parts of Iago and the Moor, in Shakspeare's Othello. Matured by years of study, the Othello of Irving showed a very great advance upon his earlier attempts in that part, but it was in the far more difficult and subtle character of Iago that he was seen to the greatest advantage. The triumph of the English actor, no less than that of his trans atlantic brother-artist, was here universally admitted. In other respects Booth had the advantage of much better professional support than had been the case in his previous appearances* elsewhere. The Cassio of Terriss, the Brabantio of Mead, and the Duke of Beaumont, were all impersonations far above the average. Needless to add that Miss Terry was Desdemona. In the autumn the house was sublet to an Italian Opera company, under the musical guidance of Signor Li Calsi. The only singers of any eminence were Marimon, Rose Hersée, the bar * At the new Princess's Theater, during the winter months of 1880-83. Pauncefort was "our Mrs. Jen kins," and the Misses Helen Mat thews and Wini fred Emery made two very pleasing representatives of the heroines. Two Roses pleased greatly, but was withdrawn to make way on ize an almost impossible ideal, there was, nevertheless, much-frequently very much-both to praise and to admire, throughout his entire assumption, and more particularly in the latter portions of it, whilst certain mannerisms of style-shortcomings shared in common with every other great actor-for which he had been often previously censured, were only conspicuous by their all but total absence now. With the remembrance, still fresh, of the lamented MRS. STIRLING AS THE NURSE IN ROMEO AND JULIET." Wednesday, the 8th of March, 1882, for a revival, on a very grand scale, of Shakspeare's Romeo and Juliet. The Romeo was in one sense, perhaps, a disappointment to those who went to the theater with the conviction that Irving could not do otherwise than fail in a part so completely out of his ordinary line. The result, however, went to prove that if no new triumph had been absolutely gained, there was, on the other hand, no such word as failure to record. If the popular tragedian, like every one of his most gifted predecessors, could scarcely be said to have altogether succeeded in his gallant endeavor to real Miss Neilson, a spirit of hypercriticism, and even of detraction, might doubtless be apparent in many who followed the progress of the new Juliet. Yet when the curtain fell upon the last act, it was agreed, without one dissentient voice, that although some scenes might very possibly have been less happily treated than others, the same ineffable gift of charm, so preeminently distinguishing everything which Miss Ellen Terry has ever touched, had once more been most abundantly manifested, from first to last, by that truly fascinating actress, here. At so recent a date it appears unnecessary to dwell upon the individual merits of the remainder of the cast, since this was exhaustively done at the time by every leading journal of the day. It will be sufficient to say that all did their best with the work, great or small, assigned to them, and that the word "best" should be understood to imply that the highest available standard of excellence had been secured for the rendering of every character. The primary idea, moreover, seemed to be the avoidance of anything which might cause any one part to stand out with undue prominence at the expense of the others, and on the contrary, to secure, as far as possible, the perfect blending of the company in one harmonious whole. We cannot, however, refrain from devoting a few words of special notice to the one who at present may very properly be regarded as the Mother of the Stage-we allude to Mrs. Stirling. No such embodiment of the Nurse of Juliet has, in truth, been witnessed for many years past in London, nor could it, we imagine, have well been surpassed by any actress at any period in the history of the English Drama. It was, indeed, such a Nurse as Mrs. Marston, Mrs. Glover-nay even Mrs. Davenport herself-would have loved to look upon. It afforded to younger playgoers the opportunity of witnessing a very just specimen of the old, as distinguished from the new, school of acting. And it added one more, and that a distinctly marked source of attraction, to the many which served to make up the well-deserved triumph of a truly unique production. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Romeo and Juliet ran, without intermission, to the close of the season, at the end of July, 1882. It was reproduced when the house reopened for the winter, on Saturday, the 2d of September, and was ultimately withdrawn, to make room for another of Shakspeare's plays, the comedy of Much Ado About Nothing, on Wednesday, the 11th of October, in the same year. In this revival, Irving as Benedick, and Miss Ellen Terry as Beatrice, were at once admitted to be altogether at their best, winning unstinted approval at the hands of the critics, and almost measureless applause from a most enthusiastic and densely crowded house. With the omission of Mrs. Stirling, for whom indeed there was no part, and the addition of Mr. Forbes Robertson, engaged for Claudio, the other performers in Much Ado About Nothing were nearly identical with those already seen in Romeo and Juliet, and played with the same care and finish as before. In all that regarded the accessories of the stage, the same lavish outlay might be discerned, tempered by the same judgment, and the same faultless taste. Nor was there any difference perceptible in the pictorial effects, save that the sunny landscapes and sapphire seas of the Sicilian coast naturally authorized a greater warmth of color than would have been appropriate in the more somber surroundings of cypress-clad Verona. The one revival, in short, impressed the audience equally with the other than which no higher praise could possibly be accorded. Within a few weeks from the withdrawal of Much Ado About Nothing, the present intellectual direction of the Lyceum fell, for a time, into abeyance. Mr. Irving went with Miss Terry, and his company, to the United States, in the autumn, on a starring tour of some duration, leaving his theater, meanwhile, in the hands of the American manager, Mr. Abbey. OTHER LONDON THEATERS. THE ST. JAMES'S THEATER was built by, and opened under the management of, Braham, in 1835. In 1840 German operas were introduced by Mr. Bunn, and in 1844 Mr. Mitchell, the popular librarian of Bond street, became lessee. Under his management French plays were represented with the greatest success. Mrs. Seymour, F. Chatterton, and Alfred Wigan at different periods became managers, and at the present time Mr. and Mrs. Kendal are reaping the benefit of well-earned fame as managers and actors. THE PRINCESS's THEATER, formerly a bazaar, was opened in 1840. During Charles Kean's management many of Shakspeare's plays were acted in a manner alike creditable to the lessee and the artists. This theater has recently been rebuilt. THE STRAND THEATER was opened in 1831 by Mr. Rayner and Mrs. Waylett, who were succeeded by W. Farren (Allcroft lessee, manager Mr. T. Payne), Miss Swanborough, and is at present under the management of Mrs. Swanborough. In addition to many deeply interesting pieces, burlesques of the highest order have been here produced with the most brilliant success. ASTLEY'S AMPHITHEATER, opened by Philip Astley in 1773, was destroyed by fire in 1794; rebuilt in 1795, burnt again in 1803. In 1841 it was again destroyed by fire; rebuilt and opened by Mr. Batty in 1843, since which it has had many managers, Sanger being the present lessee. THE COBURG, now VICTORIA, THEATER, was erected and commenced under the patronage of the late Princess Charlotte and the Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg in 1816, and was opened in 1818. For a length of time Glossop was manager; it was he who introduced a novelty in the shape of a glass curtain. This had the effect of reflecting the entire audience, much to the delight of the occupiers of the galleries, who saw themselves, probably for the first time, as large as life, reflected by this splendid mirror. In 1833 Messrs. Egerton and Abbott embarked in the management, and were succeeded, in 1840, by Osbaldiston. The "Vic," as it is called by the patrons of it, has since been converted into a Temperance Music Hall. SADLER'S WELLS was for many years the resort of the fashionable world, famed for its nautical dramas and the talents of the inimitable Joe Grimaldi, Under the management of Mrs. Warner and Mr. Phelps from 1844 to 1859, plays of Shakspeare were brought out in a manner that reflected greatly on the taste and liberality of the management. The late lessee, Mrs. S. F. Bateman, followed in the same track, and the new Sadler's Wells now ranks as high as any other London theater. In 1807 a sad accident occurred, when eighteen persons were trampled to death on a false alarm of fire. In its palmy days of real water and pantomime, it had a peculiar specialty, namely, that the title of the performance about to be represented was let down and displayed in bright letters on the proscenium under the royal arms. THE QUEEN'S THEATER (as it was originally called) in Tottenham Court Road opened in 1828, and often changed its management. It never, however, became fashionable until Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft undertook the management of it. Under their able direction the Prince of Wales's Theater attained the greatest celebrity, and that celebrity was recently kept up by the exquisite performance of Miss Genevieve Ward in Forget-me-not. Miss Kelley's theater in Dean street, Soho, now known as THE ROYALTY, was opened in 1840; it has also had many managers, and many of the most popular pieces of the day have been produced here, notably those of Black-Eyed Susan and Little Don Juan. THE MARYLEBONE THEATER was opened in 1842, and has had its successes and reverses. The National Standard, the New Grecian, and Britannia Theaters still retain their well-earned popularity. Among the more modern theaters may be mentioned THE COURT, THE OPERA COMIQUE, THE CRITERION, THE GAIETY, VAUDEVILLE, GLOBE, ROYAL CONNAUGHT, ALHAMBRA, ROYAL PARK, and, last not least, THE FOLLY, all of which, through able management, have attracted, and are attracting, large and appreciative audiences. LIVING ACTORS AND ACTRESSES. Among actors and actresses of the modern English stage the names of MR. and MRS. BANCROFT should not be omitted. They won considerable reputation at the Prince of Wales's Theater in producing the plays of T. W. Robertson, in which they represented the principal characters. Mrs. Bancroft is seen to the best advantage in such parts as Polly Eccles in Caste, Lady Franklin in Money, and Countess Zicka in the English version of Sardou's Dora. Mr. Bancroft is at his best in delineating the well-dressed, drawling, empty-headed but presumably soft-hearted heavy dragoon, or man about town, which are favorite types in Robertson's comedies. He was also much admired as Count Orloff in Diplomacy. In 1880 Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft became lessees of the Haymarket Theater, where in 1881 a revival of Masks and Faces ran for one hundred and eight nights. Mr. Bancroft gave a very effective rendering of the character of Triplet, and Mrs. Bancroft repeated her pathetic and touching impersonation of Peg Woffington. (See page 126.) MR. and MRS. KENDAL, who opened the Court Theater, are well known on the London stage. Their repertory includes Lady Flora, A Nine Days' Wonder, Broken Hearts, A Scrap of Paper, Uncle's Will, etc. The most noteworthy success of Mrs. Kendal was in the part of Dora in Sardou's play of that name, while the rendering of the critical scene of the play by Messrs. Kendal, Clayton, and Bancroft created great enthusiasm. (See page 125.) CHARLES WYNDHAM first appeared on the stage, in New York, at Mrs. John Wood's Olympic Theater, in 1861, as "walking gentleman." Afterward he did duty in the Southern States as a surgeon during the civil war. On May 21, 1866, he made his début on the London stage at the Royalty Theater as Sir Arthur Lascelles in All That Glitters is Not Gold. Subsequently (April, 1867) he appeared at the St. James Theater during Miss Herbert's management as Hugh Stoneleigh in a play entitled Idalia. Returning to New York in 1869, on September 15th of that year he made his début at Wallack's Theater as Charles Surface in The School for Scandal. Mr. Wyndham has appeared at various theaters in London since that date in pieces which have attained more or less success. During his management of the Criterion Theater he produced, on Saturday, March 31, 1877, The Pink Dominos (adapted by J. Albery from Les Dominos Roses of MM. Hennequin and Delacour), in which he played the part of Charles Greythorne. The English version attained much popularity. In January, 1879, at the same theater, Mr. Wyndham produced Truth (Bronson Howard), in which he played the leading rôle, and on August 9, Betsy, a comedy adapted from the French by F. C. Burnand, He is seen to the best adavantge as Bob Sackett in Frank Marshall's somewhat altered version of Bronson Howard's American comedy of Saratoga, re-named Brighton for the English stage. He has been starring with his company in the United States during the last two years, awaiting the completion of his new theater in London. (See page 114.) Miss Ada Cavendish, the well-known English actress, has at various times undertaken for brief periods in London the lesseeship of the Olympic, St. James's, and other theaters. She has performed with much success in the provinces, and in August, 1878, went to the United States. She made her début at the Broadway Theater, New York, in the following month in the character of Mercy Merrick (The New Magdalen), and was received with much favor. Afterward she made a "starring" tour through the country, visiting, among other cities, San Francisco, Chicago, and St. Louis, appearing as Rosalind, Juliet, Lady Teazle, Miss Gwilt, etc. (See page 122.) MISS MARIE LITTON is an accomplished actress, who, in the autumn of 1878 undertook the management of the theater attached to the Aquarium, Westminster, and appeared during the season in a series of performances of old comedy. This theater was subsequently (1879), under the same management, opened under the designation of the Imperial Theater, with an effective company of comedians. Among the revivals of old comedies by Miss Litton in 1878-9, The Liar and She Stoops to Conquer claim notice. Her acting of the part of Miss Hardcastle in the first named play was especially successful. MR. JOHN LAWRENCE TOOLE has had a very successful career, first appearing on the stage in 1854. In 1875 Mr. Toole went to the United States, and represented his best known impersonations in the principal American cities. His latest, and perhaps one of his most complete successes for some years past, has been in the part of Chawles, in Mr. Byron's comic drama A Fool and His Money. It was in this character that Mr. Toole reappeared before a London audience on November 17, 1879, on the opening of the Folly Theater under his management, which is now known as Toole's Theater. (See page 120.) CHARLES F. COGHLAN is a leading actor of considerable merit. From 1876 to 1879 he acted in the United States with unusual success, and is to act there again during the season of 1883-84. (See page 112.) Miss Graham (see page 112) and Miss Measor (see page 117) are both clever actresses of the modern English stage. Madame Modjeska, whose portrait is given on page 130, is a foreign actress of unusual ability, who has frequently appeared before large audiences both in England and the United States. Messrs. Herman Vezin, Henry Neville, ForbesRobertson, John Hare, Arthur Cecil, H. B. Conway, John Clayton, Thomas Thorne, G. W. Anson, Charles Warner, Edward Terry, Mrs. Alfred Mellon, Mrs. John Wood, Mrs. Sterling, Miss Lydia Foote, and Miss Nelly Farren are well-known members of the London stage and artists who are worthy of a more extended notice. We also regret that our limited space will only permit us to mention the names of the following English actors and actresses: Messrs. Lionel Brough, Augustus Harris, Charles Harcourt, William Terriss, Frederick Leslie, David James, George Alexander, Harry Paulton, George Grossmith, Henry Walsham, J. G. Grahame, Alfred Bishop, Wilson Barrett, Beerbohm-Tree, Edward C. Righton, W. Mackintosh, T. E. Wenman, E. S. Willard, Walter Speakman, Mrs. German Reed, Amy Roselle, Ada Swanborough, Marion Terry, Mrs. Leigh Murray, Myra Holme, Helen Barry, Mrs. Bernard-Breere, Violet Cameron Alma Murray, Kate Vaughan, Lottie Venne, Fannie Brough, Fannie Leslie, Florence St. John, Rosa Leo, Kate Rorke, Alice Burnett, and many other names that do not occur to us. We may state, however, for those who are interested in the theatrical career of living actors and actresses of the British stage, that full biographical sketches will be The Dramatic List" edited by Charles found in |