WILSON BARRETT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6064, 30 December 1897, Page 3

WILSON BARRETT.

' [Correspondent " Canterbury Times."" [ LONDON, Oct. 29. " I On Friday evening of last week I founc i myself in the .vestibule of the Lyrit _ Theatre to fulfil an appointment with Mi Wilson Barrett. When the stream waiting on the box office had somewhat abated, 1 "■ accosted the smartly-dressed gentleman ir charge, Mr Field, the business manager and in the interval between his sending ofi a boy to find Mr Barrett's secretary, and ' that person in the form of Mr Lethbridge ! appearing, I looked at the photos ' in the brilliantly - lighted entrance. . The most interesting item in the vestibule collection was, I found, a framed letter from the Eight Hon W. E. Gladstone, in which the G.O.M. wrote that, although owing to failing sight and hearing, be had ' not of late years attended the theatres ; much, he had been induced to witness the Sign of the Cross, and could not let the occasion pass without some slight recognition to the author of a play that had eiven him great pleasure. While I was ruminating on the many sidedness of the character of England's greatest Liberal, Mr Lethbridge appeared on the scene, and we agreed that as I wanted to see Mr Barrett for as long as possible my best opportunity would be between the second and third acts. So I took a seat in the stalls and watched with as much interest as on the first occasion when I saw the piece the unfolding of the Sign of the Ci-oss. Despite the fact that the run has been unprecedented for a play of its character, the house was a brilliant one, and the acting just as fresh as when the season was in its infancy. Miss Maud Jeffries, who takes the part of the heroine, Mercia, was replaced by Miss Lilian M'Carthy, formerly the Berenis who loves yet ruins Marcus Superbus (Mr Wilson Barrett). Miss M'Carthy will, however, resume the rule of Berenis for the colonial production. The reason of her assumption of the part of Mercia for the closing performances of the London season is simply that Miss Jeffries has gone home to America, and after picking up her mother, who is practically an invalid, in Tennessee, she will -jonrnev across to San Francisco and sail by the Alameda, which is clue in Sydney on Dec. 7. I was rather interested in Miss M'Carthy's performance, for although she hardly has the presence of Miss Jeffries 1 thought that she couveyed to the audience with considerable subtlety that she did admire Marcus Superbus, whereas Miss Jeffries' declaration of her love at the end comes almost as a surprise to one uninitiated in the ins and outs of the plot. This criticism is perhaps somewhat outside the scope of an interview, and I had, perhaps, better come to the point without further delay if I am to avoid criticism myself. At 9.20 the curtain was rung down on Act 11., and I was transported from the glamours before the footlights to the reality found behind the scenes. There was no confusion, hardly even what we call bustle, but every man was doing his allotted task in preparing the stage for Act 111. Once the door of Mr Wilson Barrett's dressing-room, however, opened and closed behind me again, I was removed from the cold reality of the uncompromis : ing appearance presented by a back view of scenery to the fairyland or the stage. The room, though necessarily small, was in every other way practically perfect. It was brilliantly lighted, although the source of the illumination was not revealed. The arrangement of everything was good andthe knick-knacks that adorned the walls revealed an artistic hand. I wondered afterwards that it did not strike me when Mr Wilson Barrett stepped forward to shake hands that in bis Eoman costume he was out of place in the setting of an up-to-date dressing-room. But I suppose that it was because Wilson Barrett carries off so well the Roman dress ; in fact, he is one of the few London actors who look dignified, not absurd, in tunic and flowing mantle. " To-morrow is the last night of my London season," replied Mr Barrett to my first query, "and by the Orotava next Friday my company leaves for the longtalked of tour of Australia. Of course you want to know the artists who make the tour. They are Messrs Franklyn M'Leay, Carter Edward, Edward Irwin, Ambrose Manning, George Howard, P. Belraore, D. M'Carthy, Horace Hodges, T. Wigney Percy val, Percy Foster and Misses Maud Jeffries, Daisy Belmore, Eose Pendennis, Cecilia Wilnian andLillah M'Carthy. There are also three or four others notinthe cast of the Sign of the Cross. Neither I nor any member of the company have yet played in the colonies. In fact, it was a stipulation of Messrs Williamson aud Musgrove that all the faces should be new to their colonial audiences. In everything Messrs Williamson and Musgrove liave been most liberal in their terms. They take absolutely all the risk and pay tlie company, while I receive a lump sum.'" " I noticed a report circulated, putting at .£IO,OOO youi- engagement for the season of twenty weeks. I suppose that one may take it that there was not so much exaggeration in this as often is the ease." " That is so. It was mainly the generous offer of the enterprising Australian entrepreneurs that induced me to sign the agreement. I have had of late years a strong desire to visit Australasia, however, largely owing to what I have been told by Max O'Eell, who is a great personal friend of mine. His descriptions of the unique beauty and variety of New Zealand scenery have made me hope that that colony will be included in the programme. But as to whether we will visit New Zealand I cannot say, fov it is a matter that entirely rests with Messrs Williamson aud Musgrove, and in fact the only places that I know that we play at for , certain are Sydney and Melbourne." " Where do ycu open and what in ?" "The season commences at Sydney. As i I understand that The Sign of the Cross has • already had the longest run of any serous I drama botli in Sydney and Melbourne, I do not propose to open in it, but in

! Claudian, a fine spectacular play, by th ! author of The Silver King. This will b , | followed by The Manxman, and betweei 8 j that and The Sign of the Cross I think wil '■® j be produced a costume play to vary thi l " j character of the productions, and afford ai l * e j great a contrast as possible. The repertory "? j for the Australian tour comprises Claudian lt , The Manxman, The Ben Machree, The Silvc; c j King, Hamlet, Othello, Virginus, and, oi |f course, The Sign of the Cross. The scenerj £ J for the whole eight productions is ready " | for shipment, and to obviate any chance oi '" ! hitch at the other end, the sets for the firsi ! " j three productions are being taken with th« '" company by the Orotava." i j " What is your favourite part ?" '] " Outside my Shaksperian representa- * I tians I think my favourite is Claudian." * J " There is, I suppose, no chance of your I . extending your colonial tour ?" J' I "I am afraid not. My provincial en- '> gagements at Manchester, Leeds, Glas- *• j gow, and a number of other places have ° : been cancelled from time to time, owing to - 1 j the success of the London season, till they c | are now two years overdue, and when I "' get back in July next I go immediately = into the provinces, and afterwards very 9 probably to the United States." ■" | . "Is there any chance of a new play from ■• your pen being tried during your visit tc ([.Australia?" * I "At present lam engaged on two plays. * and I hope to have them completed by my 9 return ; but I think I may safely say they b will first see the light in England and not * ' down under.' " " And now for some up-to-date facts ol the success of The Sign of the Cross." "My secretary reckoned tbe other day that in all corners of the world The Sign of the Cross had been played no less than an b average of six times each day, excepting . Sundays, since the initial performance, t .This means slightly under 5000 times. ) Personally I have appeared in the part of . Marcus Superbus now just about 500 times, i. and at present there are. seven companies l touring with the play in the United King--1 dom. I should like to express niy gratitude , for the many kindly references to the play . made by the Australian Press. Mr John s Dewhurst, who appeared through Aus- , tralasia in a number of Shaksperian r6tes , some years ago, came up from the provinces last night to bid me good-bye. He spoke in glowing terms of the hospitality he had received, and in fact from all those who have toured in tbe colonies I have heard the same account of kindness shown ** on all hands.*" Then came the call for Mr Barrett, and j hastily bidding me good-bye he was swal- . lowed up in the intricacies of the scenery, J and by the time I had reached my stall he p was in the beginning of one of* the most [ striking scenes of the play — that in the t house of Berenis between Tigellinus, Metullus, Berenis and Daccia. No change was [ ever more complete. The Roman costume [ was the same, but the man inside it had -, changed. In place of the genial actor of j behind the scenes was Marcus Superbus, incisively delivering sarcasms in a voice *. sufficient in itself to make the object of [ the pointed shafts of speech wriggle and squirm. Last Saturday, the closing performance of the long and successful season Avas ; given at the Lyric Theatre before a crowded audience. At the fall of the curtain on the last act the house refused to be satisfiei till Mr Barrett had delivered a speech. He expressed regret at parting from the Old Country and the tried and true friends himself and company had found in it, adding, however, that he looked forward with joy and hope to his coming Australian trip which had been arranged with so much liberality by I Messrs Williamson and Musgrove.