The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-07

Sir Henry Irving at EngIish's.
One of the greatest dramatic events of the
local season will be the appearance at
English's of Sir Henry Irving, the cele-
brated English actor, who will be seen this
evening in the title role or the powerful
historical drama. Louis XI," and to-mor-
row afternoon. at a special matinee, as
Shylock in 1.-The Merchant of Venice -
Both plays will be given here just as they
were presented in London, the supporting
company being made up of some OF the
best players from the English stage. Sir
Henry's impersonation of Louis XI is con-
sidered by many critics to be his master
piece. and to-nights audience will I'M
doubtedly be large AMI representative one.
His production of 1.-THE Merchant OF Ven
ice" is complete in every detail and his
portrayal of the Jewish money lender is a
Characterization that can never be for
gotten.
The career of the great English actor has
been most interesting. 1t was in 1896 that
he made his first appearance on the stage.
lie had previously endeavOred to fit himself
for a business career in the office of an
East Indian merchant. In the Lyceum
Theater at Sunderland he made his debut
and the part allotted him was that of
Orleans in "Richelieu." He had never felt
the want of confidence in reciting before
friends but it was different when he found
cold, critical eyes fixed upon him. Sir
Henry declares that his sef-possessiOn
gave way, but owing to the timidity of the
character of Orleans the effect of the per-
Torrance was not interfered with to any
appreciate extent
In his next. essay he was not so fortu-
nate. The play "a Winters Tale"
and he was cast for Cleomentes. His ner-
vousness was SO intense that he forgot his
most important speech In the first act.
and, speaking in his excitement some words
from another play, Come to the market
place and will tell you further" fed from
the stage. This unlooked-for invitation
naturally caused the direst confusion. The
local critics sharply rebUked the young
actor for his irreverent alteration of the
poets text and probably he would have
been dismissed on the spot if the manager.
in his good humor, had not been willing to
make allowances for his inexperience
Although he had little taste for comedy
Irving, in his early years the stage,
seemed doomed to become known only as a
comedian. In 1870 he had advanced his
reputation a comedian to it's highest
point by his performance of Digby Grant
in THE Two Roses at the Vaudeville
Theater in London. 1t was during the run
of that play that he obtained possession
of THE Bells and only a cursOry glance
through the manuscript was enough to
make him DESTROYS of playing the part of
Matthias. But how could this hope be
realized? The poetic drama was not then
in fashion and no manager, II was to be
feared, would incur the risk of producing
piece OF that class. BY way of testing
the feeling of the public on that point Irv-
ing on the occasion OF a benefit performance
at the Vaudeville, recited The Dream of
Eugene Aram," and the result was to
show that the essay he contemplated might
be made with some probability of success.
The piece was brought out in the autumn
OF 1871 at the then unpopular Lyceum.
Expectation did not run high for it was
not supposed that even so versatile an actor
as Henry Irving could meet the require
ments of the strong last act Those Lon
doners who made it a point to be present
on first nights, but who remained away
on this occasion, were soon angry with
themselves for their want of faith. So
powerful an impersonation had not been
seen on the London stage since the DAYS of
Macready and Charles Kean. And that was
the beginning of Irving's career as a truly
great actor.