The Washington times., 1905-04-24
TEFFERSON,S OWN STORY
OF TRIP VAN vrfNKLEn

Joseph Jefferson's own story or the
first production of rip Van Wrinkle IN
its present form, as arranged by Dion
Boucicault. is told fully in his Auto
biography" The production was made
September 5. 1866, at the Adelphi Thea
ter. London, and the play ran for 10
nights. In it's original shape before
BoucicauIt put the proper touches to 1t.
rip Van Wrinkle" with Mr.. JEFFERSON
in the title role had failed at Washing
ton, D. c., In 1860. Here is lne come
dian s story Of the London production:
"On my arrival in London / met Dion
Boucicault. He asked me II / intended
to act / told him that l certainly did
if saw an opening Offering a. fair
chance of success.
What material have you got?' asked
II replied that 1 had great part in
an indifferent play, Rip Van Wrinkle.
"Boucicault dii not seem to fancy the
selection, thinking the subject stale, Dut
we talked the matter over and soon
came to terms. He undertook to Sewrite
the drama for consideration agreed
upon between us. he never seemed =; in 80
play: but l did. and do still. with good
reason.
Sent for Assistants.
While the work was in progress l
made an engagement with Benjamin
webster to act the part at his theater.
tbs Adelphi. 1 sent to America for my
three other children to join me in Lon
den. and took up my abode at Ham
over street. Hanover square. 1t was
generally supposed that four years Of
success in Australia had enabled me 70
return horne a millionaire. Quite
mistake, l assure you. Not poor, GER
tainly. but not rich
.@rhe play was finished IN due time.
and a day set for reading 1T TO the
company. The time arrived and l has
tened to the theater with some Anxiety,
for l am always attacked With nerV-
GUS fit when / am to meet new as
| semblage CT actors and actresses. j
| cannot get over the feeling, and TO this
day ii is the same. l, OF course, mad
expected both Boucicault, the author.
| and Webster, the manager, to meet
| end assist at the reading. but when / got
| TO the theater / found letters from both
| saying that they could not attend Tnefe
seems to have been an old feud between
Webster and Bpucicauit, and l presume
| they did not desire TO meet, SO l read
i the play.
Seemed Well Pleased.
with my portion of the work he
seemed well pleased, but during the set
| ting Of the scenery something went
wrong: nothing Of very great import
ance, I fancy, or I think I should re-
member the details OF it. 1t was, how
ever, enough to start him OF, and in g
rage he roundly abused the theater and
| its manager As I before mentioned. he
! and Mr. Webster had been at yariancs
| for some months. The latter gentleman
was hot-tempered and highly sensitive.
! Previous to my arrival in London hs
| and the author had been quarreling AND
! wrangling over their respective rights
i and wrongs. Mr.. Boucicault, now tina
an opportunity offered of speaking his
| mind before Mr.. WebSterS company
| launched forth against the manager
| the theater and It's nisrule with greal
! energy He denounced the whole estab-
/ lishment. spoke of his own experience
on that stage, and Hkened the present
/ TO the former imbecility of management
/ to which he had been subjected, and 81
revenged himself on the absent manage
| by holding him up to scorn before the
| actors.
After rehearsal was over, and tn,
| enraged author had departed, found
| that the company was very indignan
at Boucicault's abuse CT their absent
chief Mr.. Phillips, the stage manager
| took me aside and told me that n.
/ feared much trouble would arise from
the scene that had just taken place