HOW IRVING TRAVELS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 23, 27 January 1900, Page 5 (Supplement)

HOW IRVING TRAVELS.

Royalty in Europe never travelled with more remarkable surroundings of luxury and comfort than is marking Sir Henry Irving's almost regal progress . among American cities, says the "New York World."

The morning after the great actor's engagement ended at the Knickerbocker Theatre a special Pullman train, a veritable rolling palace was ready to take him and Miss Terry and the 70 members of the London Lyceum Company on their four months' tour, which, when Providence, R. 1., is reached on March 15th, will have included every great city of the United Stales and Canada lying between the Mississippi River and the Atlantic seaboard. Most men and women would consider such a journey a magnificent holiday, Every whim and caprice of the actor will bo carefully regarded. While traveDing from the city at the rate of a mile a minute he will live as in a palace. His valet will be present to perform every service. His books and papers will be at his elbow. The telegraph will be constantly within his reach. He will have every luxury and eo-ivon'tnce that even his own beauiiful home In London could afford. Miss Terry's drawing-room will be a lady's cozy boudoir, equipped and made dainty with everything that her fancy can suggest. She can read her favourite books, write or give instructions to her dressmaker—do anything in fact that she pleases. This il* part of th ero.\:u*>.l wh'ch success brings to the people of the stage of to-day. Once upon a time it was different. Three hundred years ago, when' William Shakspeie was writing the masterpieces which are now Sir Henry and Miss Terry's stock in trade, the actors were having a far different time of it. Despised and poverty-stricken and avoided by the rich, they wandered from place to place carrying the scant paraphernalia of the profession on their backs. Their stages were of a few rough planks set upon sawhorses in the courtyards of the village inns.

Their scenery existed only in the imagination of their spectators. The villagers, crowded in the courtyards, were what are now the people who sit in comfortable orchestra chairs. Courtiers, lounging in the inn balconies.correspo'ided to the poesent occupants of the boxes. Criticism came in the form of hisses from the crowd, and it was often accompanied by vegetables of venerable age.

Then there were no Terrys or Bernhardts or Returns. Women were scorned by the mummers. The Portias and Rosalias and Violas were played by beardless boys with high-pitched voices.-

Since Shakspere's day the actor's profession has certainly kept pace with advancing ideas.

The first "jump" made by Sir Henry's company was to Boston,a distance of only 213 miles, and yet it was accomplished at a cost of more than $1000. Seven specially built cars are used to transport the baggage. Scenery not in immediate use is sent ahead and it requires the greater part of an entire train to transport It.

It is not surprising that Sir Henry's managers take such jealous care of his health a.nd comfort.

In three weeks New York paid ?SO,OOO to see hnii act. During the next four 'months he will command an income almost as

great.