The Irish standard., 1896-09-26
SKETCH OF AN ACTOR
Lawrence Barrett as a Dramatic
Student and a Finished
Actor.
He Labored Incessantly for the
Attainment of the High
est Ideals.
Comparisons Made Between Him
and Booth and r1c-
CulIougt.


| CulIough.
In an interesting article in the Septem-
ber issue of Donahoe's Magazine, the we'll
known actor, Thomas E. Shea, who Is
himself an Irish American, warmly eulo-
gizes the great Irish American tragedian
OF other days, Lawrence Barrett. In his
| Introductory sentences he shows his ad-
mirat;on of Barrett, saying:
although more than five years have
elapsed since Lawrence Barrett passed
Iaway, this stretch of time is not too long
to be traversed by an apprec.ative glance
at the artistic temple he reared; a temple
which, though incomplete, stands out
beautiful and conspicuous, shining me-
mortal. easily discernable through the
haze of distance.
During his career of thirty e.ght years
he had labored urceusing.y in the vine
yard of the drama. With him it was
genuine labor, for he had brought to his
art none of the accessories that have con-
tributed to the success of other actors
His ability did not come to him by inner
itance. Wealth did not smooth the road
for his preliminary efforts. He was with
! cut education. All he was, all he became,
all he. acquired, whether in art, literature
or general education, were the results OF
persistent and never-tirsng endeavor.'
How Barrett acquired the habit OF study
is thus described by Mr.. Shea:
| "Barrett's first active acquain tance
| with the theater was in the lowly posi-
ton OF cal boy in a play house which one
biographer credits to Pittsburg, another
to Detroit In this humble capacity. the
| seeds of his ambition were soWn. While
going from dressiug-room door to door
giving the actors their calls. he was pos
sessed with a longing Ito go on To fur
| sher his object be began to devote all his
| leisure moments to hard study. Entire
nights were spent in poring over books
and plays, the midnight. oil being in his
case the gift Of kindly property man IN
lthe shape of ends of candles, which Bar,
rett stuck on nails in the floor Of the
d.ngy garnet where he lodged. Student
| habits were thus early formed, and he
never ceased the task of enrichng his
mind throughout his notable career.
| Mr. Shea draws q less from Barrett's S
| life for the actor of today as follows:
"The actor of today can learn much by
calmly rejecting ON the methods pursued
| by Barrett in securing permanent foot
| hold on the American stage. Success
was not easily accomplished. Each step
coward the end required fighting inch by
inch. For years the laurel was far OF,
and the goddess of fortune seemed to
mock him as she held the wreath in her
hand and beckoned him onward. Even
! when he had reached the goal and the
prize was within his grasp his exertiols
| did not cease, neither did his ambition
|lose particle of it's old-time ferv0r. The
u.ace he had won for himself in the front
ran!. of the worlds exponents of the dra-
ma, ne was compelled to labor constantly
| to maintain. From first to last he was a
| worker; worker with a conscience; a
worker with never tagging ambition; a
| worker whom actors of today may we'll
emulate.
ssHis work was of an inspiring charac-
| ter. Though lacking perhaps in the mag
netisem and power of enchantment which
characterized Edwin Booth, Barrett's art
never failed to impress itself indelibly on
his auditors"
In connection with Barrett's imperson
alton of Richalieu, Mr.. Shea relates the
following story that has never before
been given to the public:
'sIn the early SOS Barrett played Rich
elieu in Worcester, having as portion OF
his audience a delegation of students
from Holy Cross College. The young
men were kindly received by the actor
behind the scenes after the play, and
when they finally retired to their dolml-
tory in the top story Of the college, they
went to sleep only to dream OF the great
cardinal and his impersonator. One
of their number was SO wrought. up by
- T. ftcay a nf 70
night; while his fellow-students were
slumbering peacefully IN their cots anout
him. his imagination, released by sleep
from his control, overpowered him.
Jumping from his bed, with his arms
raised on high. he delivered at the top
Of his voice those memorable lines COM
mencing: Around her form draw the
awful circle of our holy church, and pro-
ceeded to the end of the curse, while his
companions, rudely awakened, quaked in
terror under the neighboTing sheets.
Comparing Barrett with contemporary
actors Mr.. Shea writes:
".Unlike his two great contempo oraries,
Booth and Mccullough Barrett was not
satisfied with the we'll beaten path over
which SO many Of his distinguished pred
ecessors had trod. He was not satisfied
With oft-repeated impersonati ations OF Ham
let. Richelieu and Cassills, although in
these and other well-known characters
he was seen to excellent advantage. He
strove always for something new. HIS
anb ton was to create. Time worn char
actsrizations were to him simply stepping
stones to original creations. Fortunate
" For himself and for the public he was
abe to crafty this ambition, and his
successes in this line are matters of stage
history. 81 II .
III .ssWhat Irving is to England, Barrett
was to America. The former has the nd
vantage Of a permanent theater in which
to 1naterialize his productions, but the
latter, thfough lacking this important ad y
iunct, succeeded in giving to the stage
several elaborate presentations. possessing
n1ueh4Of the compl leteness and magnif-
cenceS 50 noteworthy in the efforts Of the
greet English tragedian. 81 q
| it was this desire to be to the stage
some thing more than mere player Of
Bar fs that made him the most important
IS saihati tic figure Of his day IN this country q
more itnpo tant even than either Booth
cr Mccullough. for they were con tent
with eminences sin OF rayel ia ,direct
ss