Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

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round sentences and to place sound before sense
is always avoided. 21
Frederick Wedmore, in his autobiography Memories (1912),
describes Irving's acting as Digby Grant in Albery's ->.;o
Roses:
Anxious that nobody ohould fail to be the witness
of his gratitude, he mounts a kitchen or cottage
chair, in nervous . fitotion, and -dth one most
artful and revealing stumble. His feelings are too
much for him. It w.?s the cleverest imaginable little
bit of jT-pnre painting - a thing anroTiri; te to
comedy alone.
(p. 176)
• cdtiore compares Irving'c method with that of ; -ounet-3ully:
Irving's v.'ao ,n art of endlessly considered detail.
Touch upon touch built up his impressiveness. The
right relation of rll these ingenious, v/ell-im gined
details - the welding them in this wise into a
nhole that had unity - gave hi.,,: his breadth; but it
was a breadth got very differently from the doyen
of the Francais... with his : rt of large neglect of
detail - his art of concentration on crer-.t fiocture,
great voice, great ;jion.
(pp. 177-8)
There v;ore two basic interpretations, from which critics could
choose: cither Irving's -nhysical peculiarities were a substitute
for genuine presence and technique, or they were part
of en elaborate strategy. To the detractors he v/as uncontrolled,
and "picturesque" only after the manner of the octopus in
jri^'iaton Aquarium, whilst to the otfriiraro he was a abater of
control, and his detc.il - whether they judged it "Pre-Raphaelite"
or "Gothic" or ciraoly pert of the natural i en associated
with .•',-enro - was \°.intcrly.
•hen Irving bocano rsmi g-r of the Lyceum 'i'hon.tre, in the
1878-9 sescon, the -ociili::rities of hie per onp.l technique
v;ere to be seen in the context of an r.rtiLtic v.liclc, over
which uo exercised control. Ilics no,; ler.clin/:; I'-.r'y, Ellen Torry,
wac noted for a precision and minuteness of fic-tr.il inil.- r
to his O:.:L. In 1075 ocL/aoro -r::i.od her perfor-;rp.co as Peg
woffington (In A/iai ks and Paces.) in ^2-dS£lLlii» T[i " cloccri-.tion
of the actress resembles his rcniniscenoa of Irvin; :
Her attitude a becouo r.iore r.nd more what
they al .ays inclined to fee - otucies for