Opening Night at the Garrick Theatre

Logistics

1893 February 18, Saturday night
Return of the Bancrofts

Who Was Present

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales
Prince George of Wales, Duke of York
the Duke and Duchess of Fife
the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn
Lord and Lady Coleridge
Lord Randolph Churchill
Mr. Asquith
Lord Rowton
Lord Ashbourne
Sir Charles and Lady Russell
Sir Francis and Lady Jeune
the Marquis and Marchioness of Granby
the Earl and Countess of Romney
Lord Carrington
Lord Onslow
Lady Westbury
Mr. Justice and Lady Barnes
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mathews
the Greek Chargé d'Affaires
Julia Marchioness of Tweeddale
Theresa Countess of Shrewsbury
the Dowager Lady Westbury
Sir Philip Currie
Sir Bruce and Lady Seton
Lady Lindsay of Balcarres
Lady Dorothy and Miss Nevill
Sir George Arthur
Sir R. Quain
Sir Arthur and Lady Blomfield
Sir Henry Thompson
Sir Spencer Wells
Sir F. Leighton
Mr. and Mrs. Perugini
Mr. Briton Riviere
Mr. Luke Fildes
Mr. W. H. Broughton
Colonel Arthur Collins
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lockwood
Mr. J. R. Robinson
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lewis
Mr. and Mrs. Blumenthal
the Rev. W. and the Hon. Mrs. Page Roberts
Mr. and Mrs. Comyns Carr
Mr. Arthur a Beckett
Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Burnand
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)

Questions and Notes

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)