Reminiscences of Faust.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 13, 28 March 1908, Page 13

Reminiscences of Faust.

Ellen Terry, in “M.A.P.,” recalls some of the incidents which were associated with the production of the tragedy of "Faust” by Sir Henry Irving. In many ways .“Faust’ (the great actress writes) was our heaviest production. About 400 ropes were used, each rope with a name. The list of properties and instructions to the carpenters became a joke among the theatre staff. When Henry first took "Faust” intothe provinces the head carpenter at Liverpool, Meyers, being something of a humourist, copied out the list on a long thin sheet of paper, which rolled up like a royal proclamation. Instead of “God Save the Queen,” he wrote at the foot, with many “God help Bill Myers!” £ made valiant efforts (proceeds Ellen Terry) to learn to spin before I played Margaret. My instructor was Albert Fleming, who, at the suggestion of Ruskin, had revived hand-spinning and handweaving in the north of England. I had always hated that obviously “property” spinning-wheel in the opera, and Margaret’s unmarketable thread. My thread always broke, and at last I bad to "fake” my spinning to a certain extent, but at last I worked my wheel right, and gave an impression that I eould spin my pound of thread . a day with the best. Two operatic stars did me the honour to copy my Margaret dress-—Madame Albani and Madame Melba. It was rather odd, by the way, that many mothers who took their daughters to see the opera of “Faust” would not bring them to see the Lyceum play. One of these •mothers was Princess Mary of Teck. a constant patron of most of our plays.