The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-02
ro,,or - ma 1'hackeray called IT,,

| while not exactly n haunt OF acVoiS' n.o s
been n sort OF actorland for more imam @'o
vears IL il now as Of old a region OF NE
| old inns. coffee houses. theaters, ciuos,
printers and publishers, booksellers anu
| costumers. In these precincts, between
| Covent Garden and the Strand, that great
est roaring tide Of humanity IN an 'no
world. and upon the Strand itseh' niolo
actors will be seen coming, gong OF ioI'ei
ing than in any other district Of the grea'
city ,..,
After HIS profession and hts Jolly little
| home the strongest attachmeht u VIC
| London actor is given to bis club. Every
one is a member Of from one 20 half a dozen
clubs. and these actors, as n CLASS hlOie
than all others Of the liberal professions
and arts. have inspired, developed and sus-
tanned that spirit Of genial association OF
men OF talent which has given London us
vast numbers Of most splendid clubs,
around which cluster the mat precious OF
historic and literary associations. IL may
be truly said that, from Shakespeare 70
Dickens. not only the greatest actors who
eyer lived. but most Of the greatest writers
have been spurred and prompted into the
effort and activities which gave themselves
fame and the world its cleanest drama and
grandest literature from this source ana
ont Of this fruitful and fecund association.
Since wills" Buttons" Toms" ana
other famous coffee houses and clubs OF the
Queen Anne period, q history Of the changes
and habitues Of famous London CLUBS, 70
which actors have given the chief support,
,vouh almost be history Of English men
Ifo
haunts OF today chiefly comprise the Tar
rick, Green Room, Savage, Arundel, Lyric
and Beefsteak clubs.
The latter unique little club, which has
its home over Toole's theater, sprang out
Of the Honorable Society Of Beefsteaks, IN
the old Beefsteak room Of the Lyceum
tbeater. which still exists and is used Toy
Irving for his exquisite private dinner par
ties. The Beefsteak over Toole's Is dis
tinctive in being zone room" club, and
admitting no guests whatever
The Arundel has $50 10 400 members. 1t
was once exclusively literary and artistic.
Ambitious solicitors and amateurs OF all
sorts are now admitted, and its percentage
of legitimate actors is growing smaller.
The Lyric has a magnificent clubhouse
~
neuts. including large theater and con
cert hall, is among the finest buildings Tor
this purpose In the world. 1t also has an
annex called The Lyric club at Barnes-on-
Thames. from which boat racing and other
river fctes can be witnessed. The Lyric Is
a dramatic and musical club with nearly
1000 members. Perhaps 10 per cent Of
these are actors Lord LOndesbOrOugh
Fred Cowen and Sir Arthur Sullivan are
members.
The we'll known Savage club, literary
and artistic, which interchanges privileges
with the Lotus club, Of New York, has
about zoo members. IL had its origin TWEEN
ty-four years ago in public house near
Drury Lane theater. Since then it has
wandered TO Haxels hotel, thence TO the
Savoy and finally to the Adelphi terrace,
overlooking the Thames. About eighty of
its members, who are also members Of the
Green Room club, are actors.
The Garrick, in Garrick street, Covent
Garden, venerable, rich, stately, mellow
and grand, has no membership limitation
as 10 profession. While perhaps no more
than twenty-five actors are at present
among its members, although all London
managers of any prominence are upon its
rolls, it undoubtedly possesses the most
valuable collection Of souvenirs and paint
ings relating TO the stage and its most IA
nous representatives. Of any association
or institution in the world
But the Green Room club in Bedford
street, which had its origin about fourteen
Years ago from disagreements IN the Junior
Garrick and the Arundel clubs, is by all
odds the real actors club Of London. II IS
already one OF the wealthiest OF its small
clubs and owes its great success to the adj
ministration Of its honorary secretary,
George Denacher, a gentleman Of ample
means, genuine art lover with boundless
sympathies for actors and their profession.
Persons il all the liberal arts are admitted
10 membership, but no active manager can
become member unless he was formerly
an actor Of good standing. Plnero and
Lord Carton, dramatists; Farjeon, the au-
thor and Charles Dickens, editor and au
thor and son Of the great novelist, are
among its members.
Saturday Nights" and Saturday House
Dinners" the latter splendidly served at
but three shillings and siXpence, are the
kindliest, brightest mellowest and most
genial occasions Of our time among men Of
heart and brains. Gathered here will be
found such men as Pinero, SAINT Mat
thews, Irving, John Hare, Royce Garlic
ton. Kendall, Paul Merritt, Wyndham,
Charles Hartbury, Bancroft, Fernandez,
2eerbohm Tree, Ted Gardiner and Henry
Howe, the oldest actor on the English
stare.
Ia thousands of books are preserved the
true or apochryphal sayings Of Garrick,
Sheridan Hood, Thack cray, Dickens and
men of their kidney, who gave the wine Of
life 50 literary London in the past be
lieve that within this very Green Room
actors haunt OF the London of today wit
and repartee as spontaneous, unctiOus and
true find as constant expression. Out OF
countless instances that could be cited,
here are two examples:
Charles Wyudham, whom every Ameri-
can theater goer pleasantly remembers,
called at the Green Room, and on entering
sank languidly into its famous Garnck
chair Desiring TO be genial Secretary
LeClerQ blandly remarked:
"Ah, Mr. Wyndham, you are growing
more and more ike Mr. Garrick every day
Of your life"
YES" instantly rctorted a fellow actor
standing near "and less and less like him
every nightV
A certain Gwyln Grove. musical com
poser and conductor at the Covent Garden
theater is a terrible atheist and never loses
opportunity 70 vent his spleen against sa-
cred things and beliefs Not long ago at a