HOW IRVING TRAVELS

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 23

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 Yor>: W orld. The morning after the great actor’s engagement ended at the Knickerbocker i neat re a special Pullman train," a veritable rolling palace was ready to take him and Miss .tc-rry and the VO members of tne London Lyceum Company on their four months’ tour, which, when Providence ILL, is reached on Mar.cn 15th, will have included every great city of the United states and Canada lying between the .Mississippi River and the Atlantic seaboard. Alost men and women would consider such a journey a magnificent holidav. Every whim and caprice of the actor will oa ci.rofully regarded. While travelling 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. Kis books and papers will be at his elbow. The telegraph will be constantly within his reach. He will have every luxury and convenience that even his own beautiful home in London could afford. Miss Terry's drawing-room will be a lady’s cozy- boudior, 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 is part of the reward which success brings to the people of the stage of to-day.

Onc-e upon a time it was different. Three hundred years ago, when William Shakespere was writing the masterpieces which, are now Sir Henry Irving’s and Miss Terry’s stock in trade, the actors were having a far different time of it. Despised and poverty - stricken and avoided Uy the rich, they wandered from place to place carrying the scant paraphernalia of the profession on their, backs. Tlieir 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 tlieir spectators. The villagers, crowded in the courtyards, were what are. now the people who git in comfortxtl* orchestra chairs. Courtiers, inungirg in. the inn balconies, corresponded to the present occupants, 'ot the boxes. «'riTioWn came in the form ox hisses from the crowd and it. was alien accompanied by vegetables of venerable age. The there were no Terrys or Bernhardts, or Lo liens. 'Women were scorned by the mummers. The Portias and Rosalias and. Violas were played by beardless boys with, high-pitched voices. Since Shakespeare’s day the actor's profession hus certainly, kept pace with advancing idea 5. The .-first “jump” made by .fir Ke.ttr.v's company w as ro Boston, a distance of vr.iy 210 miles, and yet it was accomplished af -a cost of more than 1000 dollars. Se,*:n specially built cars are used to trims port the baggage. Scenery not in umned'iat l 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 cure of bis health and comfort. In three weeks New York, paid 89,0 DD dollars to see him act. During the next four months lie will command an inctome almost a-s great.