Social Victorians/1893-02-18 Garrick Opening Night

Opening Night at the Garrick Theatre

Logistics

• 1893 February 18, Saturday night
• Return of the Bancrofts

Who Was Present

1. Albert Edward, Prince of Wales
2. Prince George of Wales, Duke of York
3. the Duke and Duchess of Fife
4. the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn
5. Lord and Lady Coleridge
6. Lord Randolph Churchill
7. Mr. Asquith
8. Lord Rowton
9. Lord Ashbourne
10. Sir Charles and Lady Russell
11. Sir Francis and Lady Jeune
12. the Marquis and Marchioness of Granby
13. the Earl and Countess of Romney
14. Lord Carrington
15. Lord Onslow
16. Lady Westbury
17. Mr. Justice and Lady Barnes
18. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mathews
19. the Greek Chargé d'Affaires
20. Julia Marchioness of Tweeddale
21. Theresa Countess of Shrewsbury
22. the Dowager Lady Westbury
23. Sir Philip Currie
24. Sir Bruce and Lady Seton
25. Lady Lindsay of Balcarres
26. Lady Dorothy and Miss Nevill
27. Sir George Arthur
28. Sir R. Quain
29. Sir Arthur and Lady Blomfield
30. Sir Henry Thompson
31. Sir Spencer Wells
32. Sir F. Leighton
33. Mr. and Mrs. Perugini
34. Mr. Briton Riviere
35. Mr. Luke Fildes
36. Mr. W. H. Broughton
37. Colonel Arthur Collins
38. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lockwood
39. Mr. J. R. Robinson
40. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lewis
41. Mr. and Mrs. Blumenthal
42. the Rev. W. and the Hon. Mrs. Page Roberts
43. Mr. and Mrs. Comyns Carr
44. Mr. Arthur a Beckett
45. Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Burnand
46. and numerous others

Performers and Theatre Personnel

• John Hare
• Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft

Anthology

From the London Daily News

<quote>All the world cannot be at a first night at the theatre, for the obvious reasons to which the chorus to King Henry V. plaintively directs the attention of his audience. All the play-going world, however, may certainly be said to have been represented at the Garrick Theatre on Saturday evening. Even in upper boxes and gallery careful scrutiny would have revealed the faces of well-known first nighters, who, unless driven by the impossible difficulty of procuring numbered places, are not to be seen in those lofty positions. The Prince of Wales was early in his box over the orchestra to the right of the spectator, and with him were the Duke of York and the Duke and Duchess of Fife. In the stalls, or elsewhere, were ....

It was a night of receptions and of speeches, which had not a little to do with the fact that midnight was not far off when the last carriage had rolled away in the rain. After this there was a gathering on the stage by special invitation from Mr. Hare, to welcome in a more direct fashion Mrs. Bancroft and her husband back to the profession which, as they have lately reminded us, it is a mistake to suppose that they ever formally abandoned. As to receptions — as the noisy demonstrations which greet the first entry of popular performers are called — it must be confessed that they were unreasonably prolonged, not to speak of the injury to the illusion when Lady Henry Fairfax and Count Orloff suddenly begin to take bows right and left in acknowledgment of compliments paid, not to those personages, but to the performers who represented them. On Saturday evening nearly everybody had a reception, Mrs. Bancroft, we need hardly say, receiving the most marked of these honours. When the curtain finally fell the entire audience remained for a speech from Mr. Hare, who prefaced a few well-chosen words of acknowledgment by observing that he is not in favour of actors, and especially manager actors, making speeches. But this, he thought, was an exceptional case, and the audience clearly agreed. Then it became Mrs. Banroft's turn to submit to the despotic will of the house. "It is a woman's privilege to have the last word," said this popular lady. "So here I am!" Whereupon she spoke feelingly of old comrades about her, amused her hearers with some merry allusions, and cordially wished all friends "good night."</quote> (1893-02-20TM'sN)

Bibliography

• 1893-02-20TM'sN "The Morning's News." London Daily News 20 February 1893, Monday: 5 [of 8], Col. 4B. http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000051/18930220/026/0005 (accessed December 2014)