New-York tribune., 1910-04-26
THE DRAMA
RobertSon'S caste" Is Revived
at the Empire Theatre.

Robertson's delightful old comedy Caste"
was revived last night al the Empire The
atre by Mr. Charles Frohman. with Mr..
Gfaham Browne as sam Cerridge. G. p.
huntley as Eccles. Miss Marie Tempest
as Polly. Miss Elsie Ferguson as Esther,
Ar. Edwin Arden as the Hon. George
DAUoy, Julian Royce as Captain Haw-
tree and Miss Maud Milton the Mar
Quise de St Maur Seldom. II ever. has
such an excellent company been assembled
Tor the representation OF this delightful
comedy Of the cos
Perhaps there were old plavgoers in the
audience who remembered the first presen-
tation Of Caste at the Prince Of Wales
Theatre. London. on April 6. 1866. when
George Honey was Eccles. John Hare sam
Gerridge. Fred Younee George. Sidney
Bancroft Hawtree Miss Sophia Larkin the
Marquise. Marie Wilton Polly and Lydia
Foote Esther. Some there were. certainly.
who recalled W. ]. Florence's introduction
OF the play at the Broadway Theatre on
August 5. 1867, and what a time there was
In the courts over this presentation Lester
Wallack. who had secured the American
rights from Robertson tried his best to Sc
cure an injunction TO restrain Mr.. Florence
and his company from producing the play.
that he had attended the Prince Of Wales
Theatre in London and there acquired by
memory a knowledge Of the play. which he
afterward transferred to paper" He made
no claim whatever 10 having purchased
right TO the comedy. but modestly stated
his belief that a foreign author had no
privileges under the American copyright
law. This view Of the matter was sus-
tained by Judge Barnard. who refused to
grant the injunction. So Mr.. Florence pre-
sented the play and IL was a notable sue
cess The cast was as follows: Hon.
George d'Alroy. Mr.. Florence; Captain
hawtree, owen Marlowe; Eccles. ". Dav-
idge; Sam Gerrdge. Z. Lamb: Marquise
De ST. Maur Mrs. C. II. Gilbert: Polly
Eccles. Mrs. w. ]. Florence: Esther Ec-
cles. Mrs. s F. Chanfrau.
A brilliant gathering OF society and
literary folk was present. and the criticism
of both the play and the players was most
favorable. Mr.. and Mrs. Florence were
cordially received, but Mrs. Chanfrau espe-
cially endeared herself as Esther. caste"
ran until August 81, when the theatre
closed for the season.
When Lester Wallack presented the play
on May 5. 1859. the newness Of it had worn
Of. but he gave an effective representation.
GllS NdSA was d AOlloNSs NTtOl 80 "a ADe .
Charles Fisher; Sam Gerridge. A. w. Young;
Hawtree. Owen Marlowe: the Marquise.
Emily Mestayer; Eccles, J. II. Stoddart;
Esther Rose Eytinge; Polly. Effie Germon-
on this occasion The Tribune's critic said
that Marlowes Hawtree was the most
symmetrical and the most complete of the
seven performances, while Young as Sam
Gerridge was next in critical regard" The
play lasted at wanack's for one month.
On November 15. 1863. Mrs. Frank Chan
frau made her first appearance at the
Fifth Avenue Theatre as Esther Eccles.
Associated with her in the cast were Fanny
Davenport, as Polly; w. Dsvidge, as
Eccles; James Lewis, Gerridge; Mrs. @. II.
Gilbert. the Marquise; George Clarke,
George. and ]. H. Polk. Hawtree. on Oc-
tober u, 1870. Charles Hale made his bow
at wallack's in the part of Sam Gerridge.
At the Union Square Theatre on June 1S,
1874, Jennie Lee was given a benefit per
formaace Of Caste" in which J. II. Stod-
dart was the Eccles and Edward Lamb
was Sam Gerridge. On November s 1875,
George Honey made HIS first appearance
in New York when he played Eccles in
Caste which he created IN the first per-
torrnance az the Prince of Wales Theatre,
in London. r. NJ. Holland gave an excel
lent impersonation of Eccles at that time.
AT the Bijou Theatre on April IL, 1883, the
II. NJ. Pitts company presented Caste.
with this assignment OF parts: