The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-16
LAWRENCE BARRETT.
Arriving Home He Relates His Experiences
Abroad What His Future Plans Are.

NEW YORK, July 15.--Mr. Lawrence Barrett
was one of the many passengers by the Servia,
which arrived this morning after a very pleasant
passage of eight days. The difference of time
between this country and England was happily
Illustrated by the reception of dispatch i'm
mediately on his arrival at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel, from the artist Alma Tadema, saying
Welcome home; all here send love to you. !"
The day was spent in receiving host OF frie nds
who called to extend their personal congratula-
tions, and were anxious to hear his own account
of his pleasant trip abroad. In fact he was at
one time compelled to deny himself to general
callers in order to meet brief appointments made
with personal friends Whatever may have
been said of the results of his visit to Lon
don, Mr.. Barrett himself expressed himself as
more than satisfied.
you remember" said he, that the death Of
Prince Leopold occurred on the very last day Of
Miss Andersons engagement, and there was
quite little talk about Mr.. Gum s action in OBJ
jecting to the closing of the theater on that ac-
count That proved a death blow to the London
theatrical season for the rest of the summer.
Sarah Bernhardt opened to less than f40 ster
ling, in Fedora, at the Gaiety, the most sue
cessful and prosperous theater IN London, one
which has remained open for fifteen years. Sal
VIM played the worst engagement that he had
reception at the Lyceum Theater, even with my
good friend Irvings prophecy, more than sur
passed any that could have expected. When
arrived at the theater / found a host of dis
patches, wishing me all manner of good luck,
from personal friends in America and one
from Barnay, in Vienna. I never was more
nervous in my life than when | came
upon the stage. | had heard so much of the au
dience at the Lyceum, and you know that the
pit there is very largely filed with students.
They were packed close in that night, and in
position so uncomfortable that Iltemper and
dissatisfaction would have been perfectly excus-
able, aud yet they gave me such a round Of APP
plause, and kept on with one after another until
hardly knew how 10 stop it. They recalled me
twice after the first act, four times after the
next and then was compelled to come before
the curtain at the end of the play and speak.
never had in any night as many recalls in
America, and felt it compliment to my coun-
try quite much to myself. Mr. irving
opena1 at the Lyceum the night after closed,
and was kind enough to reserve a box for myself
and family. As / leaned out to look at the
audience before the curtain rose was sur
prised to be greeted with most hearty round
of applause, and a prompt recognition Of nay
presence
What are your plans for the present, Mr..
BarrettW
well, am going to spend week with some
friends in the country and try and recover from
the dissipation of one or two breakfasts, two or
three lunches, and three or four dinners every
day. A week ago on Friday night there was a
party Of a lot of good fellows at my house. IT.
wing Toole and my warm friends E. A. Abbey
ard Frank Millet, the artists, came round after
the performance and stayed until in the morn
ing. l left at c. and started by the steamer at z
After a few days rest shall leave direct for
Denver where l open the season, stopping pos
sibly for day or two in Chicago Mr.. Robert
Browning the poet, whose hospitality and kind
ness shall never forget, gave me, his play of
Stafford. and he has altered for me the Blot
on the Escutcheon, which shall act some day.
hope to produce in San Francisco, where l
shall go from Denver, play entitled Thomas a
Beckett written by Charles Osborne / shall
return East early in the year In the fall am
going to London again, and shall present Fran
cesca de Rimini, only placed on the stage as Mr.
Irving puts on all of his plays. Then shall play
with Mr.. Irving in . revival of Shakspearen
dramas