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

152
approval of literote and intel i, out playgoers and critics,
without alienating those of more conservative tr.stee. The most
important of these plays was The Silver King> whose success
has been discussed in Part One, Charter Three (pp.6l-3)» a^
which was revived, vithout serious loss of credit, in 1888
(at the Globe) and 1889 (at the Princess's). By the end of
the i ecade Barrett had produced works of a similar ; .-ppeal, if
not I'll of equal success, by o number of writ ere with some
literary standing or pretension. These plays included Chatterton
by Herman and Henry Arthur Jones (22 Mry 1884), 'ooo':i-n
Blind by Jones, and the same author's The Lord Harry (18
Au-ust 1885 and 22 February 1886). Barrett collaborated v/ith
Hall Caine to produce The Ben-my-Chree (17 May 1888) and The
Good Old Times (12 February 1889). Sidney Grundy's Clito (a
"Tragedy", 1 May 1886) and Palgrave Simpson's The Golden Ladder
(22 December 188?) were produced, and Jills *c Claud ion (in
collaboration with Henry Herman, 6 i-cconbcr 1883) hud considerable
success. Barrett ceased to be the loose© of the Princess's
for two seasons in the middle of the decade (lf'86/7 and 1GG7/ -
he returned in May 1888), but he associated tlio theatre's
name ,1th exciting and literate drama, .lion he undertook
Hamlet he v;as already"fortified by n course of superior melodrama"
(The Times, 17 October 1884), and The Daily Mews
cl: inecl that
The recent performanc s of Mr wilson Barrett in
Romantic drama have finally -ol-^cec 1 him in tho
estimation of playgoers in the foroinoct ronk of
living actors.
(17 October 1804)
He was in a position to challenge Irving on his own ground.
Unfortunately Barrett 's iinnounceraent of the rjlay had not
met v:ith univorcal approval. The ^ra, a professional paper,
warned -liic in February th t he should steer cle ^r of Shakespeare,
and ;:;uc.' .'isted tliat "strong emotional frama is demanded
nt the Princecs'G, and nothing else ever prospered there to
any extent" (2 February, 1884). Another th atrical prpor,
Tho aitr'ncte, began itc review of the firrt ni.^it ominously,
with remarl:a about "v- ulti:ir cr.bition":
lcin- for ourscl-'-cs, -,.e Imvo no {rcat hones of
the venture, for, ir. f.ic firot il,?ce, the Princess's