New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-01

Sycophailt- He read these characters
amazingly well 1 have never known any
actor to act them as well as Murray read
them-that is to say, get from the lines
alone, apart from the action, so much effect
Well he tried the stage. On May 8, 1873,
at the old Olympic Theatre, he played
Falstaf in the first part of king Henry
"" The venture was entirely his OWL
J. H. Barnes played Henry, Prince of
Wales. and Horace Wigan. a clever vet
eran who had been well known in London
for more than a quarter OF century, vas
the stage manager.
Once, at the Adelphi. on February 9. 1881.
Murray produced 1.-The Merry Wives OF
Windsor" He was the FalstaR, Hermann
Vein the Mr.. Ford, Horace Wigan the DR..
Caius and Mrs. Arthur Stirling the Mrs.
Ford. Another venture was a performance
at the old Theatre Royal, Richmond,
house which will always be thought Of In
association with Edmund Kean- But do
no remember whether 1.-The Merchant Of
Venice or The Man Of the World was
the piece Of that evening
Horace wfgan was MuTTays stage man
ager on all occasions. He was one Of the
best trained and most skilful Of the oldtirne
players. He had served ten years in the
provinces before he obtained London en-
gagement- During his apprenticeship he
played eighteen parts a week and sang
comic songs between the acts. He was the
original Hawkshaw the Detective in ''The
Ticket Of Leave Man. He had been very
successful as a comedian and as a man
ager, was q man OF perception and good
taste, an accomplished Latinist, educated
In France, where at the Comedie FRANCHISE,
~ 80 - 4re4
views Of fine acting. EYE godsr' he used
to say TO me, what days those wereI"
He returned home TO England, with his
brother Alfred, fixed with the idea that
the stage life was the only one worth liv-
ing. Alfred was the more fortunate OF the
brothers, serving his apprenticeship in
London, establishing himself there as a
comedian Of the first rank. and marrying
a charming and accomplished woman who
was q relative Of the WaIlacks, and was
herself an actress Of real ability.
No man in the London of IS7s-'7s knew
more about acting, the drama and the his
tory Of the English stage than Horace
wigan. But he did not easily impart his
knowledge TO others. He was a singularly
silent, unapproachable man at the time I
knew him; some persons called him
with him very well, and was. indeed, one
OF the few persons who in those days
seemed welcome at his house and free to
start his steam Of "reminiscences and to
range among his books and old prints.
which were nightly interesting trophies
OF a long and busy theatrical career. WI
ean seldom acted in those days, but when !
he did I would go through his parts with |
him He sometimes produced plays for |
others I had the good fortune to watch 1
him IN that work And with either Wigan |
or Murray, and sometimes with both. /
went often TO the theatres. and they used \
to sit up TIL all hours at Murrays cham |
bers, IN Bloomsbury, talking OF plays and /
players, while I listened to some sdvan-
tage On such a night we saw Sothern Ilay /
Lord Dundreary for the last time in Lon /
don II was On April Il, 1873. and # was (
practically the end OF the old regime at /
the old HayTnarket Theatre. for although |
one or two other plays were produced l
there before the autumn they were failures. /
Happily. two stopgaps were provided in the |
shape OF The Rivals" with John S. Clarke |
as Bob Acres, and 1.-The Reir-at-Law," in |
which. Of course, Clarke played another OF |
his favorite parts, DR.. Pangloss, On the |
same night with 1.-THE Heir-at-Law'' / saw
Clarke as MAJOR Wellington dc Boots IN /
"a Widow Hunt" Thus we had Clarke IN |
eight acts IN q single evening. But the |
evening was his last IN London. the last |
Of his management OF the Haymarket. the |
asst Of the old regime at that famous
house. the last of its famous pit. And I
was the last spectator TO leave the pit that
hight. The sentiment OF the occasion
seemed TO Justify a little lingering. That
vas Saturday night, September 30. 1879
I'm aware that sundry esteemed books of
-eference give another date TUESDAY,
Iune % and another programme C'Brag,"
,y w C. Wills) as the time and piece of
he Haymarket's last night But I re-
member It all clearly enough, and before
ne as I write is the programme of the oc-
asion with the date.
The Haynarket then passed into the pos
ession of the Bancrofts, who rebuilt II
excepting its familiar por1coed front walp.
.bolished the pit, abandoned the Prince OF
Valese and On January 81. 1880 opened the
lew house with revival Of Lord Lyt- |
on's Money Eorbes-Rooertson played
ord CSlossnore. had first seen him Z
ear before With ths Ezncrottx. playing
eesesnt Jeres 81 their revival cf Ours