Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-06-02

III oiu itcistcuk fDOIn OF tne l1yfeum
Theatre, which still exists, and Is used by
Irving for his exquisite private dinner
parties. The Beeisteak over Tooes is dis
tinctive in being ''one-room" club, and
admitting no guests whatever.
The Arundel has $3.50 to 400 members. II
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 magnificent clubhouse
IN Picadilly, and With its entire appoint
ments, including large theatre and con-
cert hall, is among the finest buildings for
this purpose in the world. II also has an
annex called the Lyric Club at Barnes-on-
Thames, from which boat racing and
other river fetes can be Witnessed The
Lyric is damatic and musical club with
nearly 5000 members. Perhaps 10 per
cent of these are actors. Lord Londes-
borough, Sir Morell Mackenzie, Fred
Cowen and Sir Arthur Sullivan are mem
bers.
The well-known Savage Club, literary
and artistic, which interchanges privileges
with the Lotus Club Of New York, has
about 700 members II had its origin "a
years ago in public house near Drury
Lane Theatre. Since then II has wandered
to Haxers Hotel, thence to the Savoy, and
finally to the Adelphi Terrace, overlooking
the Thames. About 80 of its members,
who are also members Of the Green Room
club, are actors.
The Garrick, in Garrick street, coyent
Garden venerable, rich, stately mellow
and grand, has no membership Limitation
as 10 profession. While perhaps no moro
than 20 actors are at present among its
members, although all London managers
of any prominence are upon its rolls it
undoubtedly posse .,,s the most valuable
collection of souvenirs and paintings relat-
ing to the stage and its most famous repre-
sentatives 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
HarriclI 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 ad-
ministration of its honorary secretary
George Denacher, a gentleman of ample
means, genuine art lover with boundless
sympathies for actors and their profession
Persons in all the liberal arts are admitted
to membership; but no active manager
can become member unless he was
formerly an actor of good standing.
Pinero and Lord Carton, dramatists. Far
ieon, the author, and Charles Dickens,
editor and author and son of the great
novelist are among its members.
Dinners" the latter splendidly served at
but three shillings and six pence, 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 Matthews,
Irving John Hare, Royce Carleton. Ken
dali, Paul Merritt. Wyndham; Charles
bohn Tree, Ted Gardiner and Henry
Howe, the oldest actor on the English
stage.
In thousands of books are preserved the
| true or apochryphal sayings of Garrick,
Sheridan, Hood, Thackeray, Dickens and
men of their kidney, who gave the wine
| of life to literary London in the past.
believe that within this very Green Room
actors haunt of the London of to-day wit
and repartee as spontaneous, unctious and
true lind as constant expression. out of
| countless instances that could be cited
| here are Two examples
Charles Wyndhani, whom every Ameri-
can thcatre-goer pleasantly remembers,
called at the Green Room, and OH entering
sank languidly into its famous Garricll
| chair Desiring to be genial, Secretary
LeClerq blandly remarked:
"Ah, Mr.. Wyndham, you are growing
more and more like Mr.. Garrick every day
Of your life"
YES" instantly retorted fellow actor
standing near, "and less and less like him
every night p
| A certain Gwylln Grove, musical COM
| poser, and conductor at the Covent Garden
theatre, is a terrible atheist, and never
loses opportunity to vent his spleen against
sacred things and beliefs. Not long ago AT
q Green Room Saturday afternoon dinner
he had no more than finished particu.
larly vehement diatribe against the gem
uineness of Christ, when Henry S. Leigh
u brilliant London hack, after moments
scribbling sent to the table chairman and
had read the following quatrain
We hear in LANGUAGE highly spiced.
| That Grove does not approve OF Christ;
The thing we now desire TO know
ls-whether Christ approves OF crowe 4,
| EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN,