New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-06
4 TALK WITH JOHN GILBERT
ur WILL NOT RETIRE FROM THE STAGE


HE WILL NOT RETIRE FROM THE STAGE
In his performance Of Sir Peter Teazie at "aiacTs
last night the veteran actor John Gilbert MADE his last
appearanee in city member OF the company win
which he has been Identified for twenty-six years AZ
anv time in the hstcIy OF theatre sueh peroo Oh
serxce With one organization would have been remarK
BILE bu. in the changing conditions o. tho last three
deoadss this record has been uneqralcd IN Ne"'iorA'
though Il has had parallels in Boston, IN tne ca'e'
Of Mrs. Vincent and MI warren Du,ihs -, u N n'.
Mp Gilbert has been the foremost OLD mah upon oui
staoe and were he It no adequate successor
could DO found Fortunately there Is no desire on hi'
mart IN relre while retains HIS present health 'gor
and command of all HIS faculties Thore nav DEC" %,
late many reports floating around about MS plan. lor
NV. season and IL was with view OF learning il any
posiiye arrangement had been made tnae iopor,'i
called on Mr. Gilbert in his pleasant quarters ~ w
Winchester Here he is surrounded py n".' ,
and valuable rnemenoes Of living and deceased inepcl'
~ ho nrofession Pictures OF the most eminent ao'or'
ard actresses sdorn the walls among 'heih ue"s ~,
remarkably finely painted head OF Shakespeare 81
bert,s own strong and rugged features are ..p 80,
IN many forms and diverse characters ana MS o
=, dramatic literature is extensive, and as may
EASILY be imagined, wei selected. 1881,
- hoye almost entirely recovered from tho attack
which nrevented my playing two nights las, "eeA' ~
~, Gilbert but 1 still feel little weak. Ihey nave
"a. -. ,ov elght times a week for tho last fortnight
"a hat ts too much Fortunately the changes In 'ne
hill this week made IL nghtef 10, mo -.
~ had had play Sir felef a. ~ 80
o. h.,a one moro week In Brooklyn ana tneh' "'er
tho wallaek benefit shall get away as qulcAS % P
s,h,s % my summer home Manchester'Dy'the-oea
haven't made any arrangements for next sesSoi Wv =
I am well shall DO ready TO act ana shai % "oi "
call ~ any manager who wants me. RETAIN III. SpN
nents here and this viii be ny homo ono 'niHs - W.,
,in am not going 10 retire from the saR' s1'n'Se"
I have heard lnsuy reports TO that enee~ II hAu
ed IN had every inducement held out 70 ne tns sea
son When the series OF reviyals was deterniheo on
ma and suggested i
than, NV farewell appearances. He popose1 70 make Io
last night grand OCCASION sell seats Dy ao0sol'
that kind Of thing. 1t was intimated tha' my
would net me about $4,000. Mr. Abbey was eA'remey
surprised and even somewhat annoyed when reiuSeu "
consider the proposition 1t Is true have been sAV
wears upon the stage don't think yet lag super
nuous' perhaps have pretty fair assurance % ea
public doesn't think 50 either When ieei O--''
for further work shall not need hint 70 8e1 ou''
ct am glad" continued Mr. Gilbert, thnt we close
with the School for Scandal 1t is the play with Whien
this theatre opened and It was also 'he piece IN
which I FIRST appeared with the Walaek company In
1862 That was the second season OF the theatre ~
and Lester wallacks father was the man
sger. / opened Sir Peter, Lester was Sh.reS
Fisher the Joseph, Mrs. Iloey Lady IeaAe ssnpy
Morant Mrs. Candour, Madeline Henr'ques MsriA'
Marx Smith Sir oliver, and George uolland HOSES
A few years later Miss Henriques became the Lazy
Teaze and very good one she was These recent re-
yivais been extremely interesting 10 me- anu "o
were fortunate In having Mr.. Walack to direct them
They would scarcely have been possible without him.
and though suffering good deal from his sim leg
he went the work with all his energy ana Spifi'
The public seemed 70 care least for Town ana Country
but that think q considerable extent the fauis
OF some of the players the great actors used to be
fond Of Reuben Glenroy Booth Macready and Hamblln
ell played it, and tho lines didn't sound mawkish or
strained when they delivered Modern actors seem
to ofrad Of the speeches played in the piece with
some OF the greatest Of the old tagedans'"
You are to play Polonius in the Walack benens
performance OF Hamlet" observed the reporter.
Yes; and L am delighted to be able to play for my
old friend and manager played Polonius once Two
or three years ago Tcarle played Hamlet Tor
Elton's benefit was not however, at all well that
day, and consequently. all my endeavors were to get
through Except for that one performance IL Is great
many years since have played the part"
There" said Mr. Gilbert pointing to an engraving on
tho wall Is the portrait OF the greatest actors that
ever lived George Frederick Cook. is 1t not beautiful
face strong yet tender elder Kean acknowledged a
founded his style very largely upon that oil CooA'
Did you Keanr
AT saw him but he did not act though went 70 see
him DO So 1t Boston at the time OF his second
VISIT the audience determined that he should not
act lie had offended them his previous Tisi1r ana
knowing the feeling OF the audience he had not attempted
TO dress lie came before the cuftoin and tried to still
the noise lie made gestures and appeared TO be speak
Ing but not a word could be heard lie had great
many friends the house. possibly the audience was
about equally divided but it Is much easier 10 make noise
than 10 put down makers remember his dress
with gold tssses and very tight trousers His coat was
buttoned to the throat ana above It were several folds OF
white neckcoth His face was almost as white, but hs
nose was very The eyes, however were remarkably
fine. After making several attempts TO be heard, he
finally retired believe the cause Of the feeling against
him was that previous visit he had refused TO play
one night when think the house was as good as
IL ought 10 have been.
Mr. Iryings recent performance OF The Merchant OF
Venice before the cadets at West Point reminds me Of
one Of the interesting representations ever saw
IL Wa, In London 1S47 the Hsymarket Theatre then
under the management Of that sterling actor. benjamin
Webster that Tanning OF the ShIew was presented
in as near approach possible to the Shakespearean
WAY The stage hung with tapestries only, and
pacars were put telling what the scene was
supposed TO be- Before the play scene the Lord and
Christopher Sly and their attendants took their seats
on either side Of stage and then curtains at the back
were drawn apart and the Katherine and Petrueho
norton was given. The great Mrs. Nesbtt was tho
katherine and her equal / never saw. Webster was
Petruchio and Kecley, Grundo. Additional Interest
was given to the play by the mskups Of the actors who
were engaged to appear in the comedy They came on
reSemhances 10 the or
Shakespoare Ben Jonson and Tsrleon, and the three
Keeey fhe absence OF scenery was never missed
Wbee you can great acting don't care much about
paint and carpenters Work
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