THE LATE MR LAURENCE IRVING.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14982, 1 June 1914, Page 8

THE LATE MR LAURENCE IRVING.

LOSS OF A FINE ACTOR.

The death of Mr Laurence Irving is a severe loss to the English" stage, for in the last couple of years he had advanced to the front rank of the profession. Ho was the second sou of air

Honry Irving, and brother of Mr H. B. Irving. Mr Laureuce Irving was educated at Marlborough College, and in Paris, after which he spent three years iv Russia studying for the diplomatic profession. The call of the stage, how-

over, was too strong, and in 18-3 he joined Mr F. R. Benson's company, that nursery of so many line players. Ho was With the Late Mr J. L. Toole for two years, and then played Sir Horbert Tree's parts in "A Bunch of Violets" and "Trilby," in tho provinces. In 1900 he joined his father's company playing with him for four years. In 1910 he started .n Lon- •' don managemeni with "The L'nwritten Law." Two years later ho played lago to Sir Herbert Tree's "Othello," and while _L_ conception of tbo part, which was modelled on . that of his father, provoked criticism, critics agroed that his malignity and intellectual power were very impressive. In the short run of Ibsen's great historical drama, "The Pretender-/' Mr Irving's acting as Skul© greatly pleased the

critics. - After this (in 1913) he produced that remarkable FrancoJapanese play,. "Typhoon," in which he played the Japanese Takeramo with masterly power and astonishing fidelity to type. The public at first gave only moderate support to the venture, but one or two papers drew special attention to the worth of the play and the acting, and tho piece had a run' of 204 nights, -ura Irving (Miss Mabel Hackney) played the French girl with wnom Takeramo is in love. "Typhoon" was doubtless Mr Irving's ' _tar" piece on the Canadian tour from which he was returning.

Mr Irving was an original playwright and a translator of plays. He wrote "Peter the Great," and translated Sardou's "Robespierre" and "Dante." for his father. He also translated Maxim Gorky's "Lower Depths." In an interview the otner day in Sydney Miss Ellen Terry spoke warmly of his ability. "Ho has genius," she said, "and I hope you will see him out here."

Tt is-probable that Mr Irving's company for tho Canadian tour was the same as that which played 'Typhoon" in London. If so. it included Mr Arthur Whitby, who was here with Mr H. B. Irving, and played Polonius in "Hamlet."