DION BOUCICAULT ON IRISH CHARACTERACTING.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 21, 18 September 1885, Page 11

DION BOUCICAULT ON IRISH CHARACTERACTING.

-4On the occasion of his opening performance at Sydney, Mr. Dion Boncicault made the following speech :— " Ladies and Gentlemen,—I do Dot mistake the nature and character of the magnificent reception you have given lo us this evening. I know what it means perfectly well. At least I feel so, and find that you have come with your hearts in both your hands to offer it to one who has served the English public for many years, and one who has contributed to yonr enjoyment for a long while. I know that I have been fortunate enough to be a popular author before you for many years past, and that very popularity now handicaps me aa an actor, and 1 am obliged to race against myself. I hope you will understand my position when I say that I am here to a certain extent as the creator of that new form of Irish character which I have introduced to the world. Some 25 years ago I wrote the ' Colleen Bawn.' I found at that time what* was called the stage Irishman in possession of the stage. lam an Irishman, I was born and bred there. Therefore I write of what I know, and speak of what I am sure, when I say that the ' stage Irishman ' does not exist in Ireland at all. He may have existed there at one time, but I doubt it very much. If ever he did exist — that drunken fool, that witless object, at whose blunders you were called to laugh — I must say I have never seen the object in Ireland, and if he ever did exist, then I say the species is extinct. It is certainly not among those registered by Darwin. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I will ask you to observe that I introduced into the Irish character, as represented in my plays, one grand and simple element which never before existed in the stage picture of Irish life, but which baa always been associated with the national sentiment — namely, the element of pathos, and with it delicacy and goodness of heart |; for, with all their mistakes and blunders, I have always found the lowest Irishman to be a gentleman, and the lowest Irishwoman to be a lady. They may be rough, ana have a thousand faults, but they have that one great redeeming characteristic. I wish you to observe, and hope that you will kindly do so, that in writing the Irish characters of my plays I have endeavoured to faithfully pourtray these traits of character. So I have endeavoured to teach those around me to act the parts of Irishmen and Irishwomen in a delicate and refined way, without whooping and twirling a stick, and prancing round the stage, as you may have seen the Irishman represented before. I ask yon to judge from that point of view. Perhaps some may be dissatisfied auri rather surprised that our rendition of Irish character is in the highest form of delicacy, and different from others which }oumay possibly have seen upon the stage. I did not ask the public of Melbourne to look at the matter as Ido you, from this poiut of view. As long ai I can think, write, and act, I will not write, speak, or do anything which may bring discredit upon the Irish nation and character, to the people of which I am so proud to belong."