H. B. IRVING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 28, 28 October 1919, Page 3

H. B. IRVING

DEATH OF A FINE ACTOR

HIS PLACE IN THE SUN

(By "Sylvius.")

Local playgoers will read with genuine regret of (lie death in London of Mr. 11. B. Irving, the eldest son of the late Sir Henry Irving, actor laureate of tho English stage. Tho late "H. 8.," as lie war called to identify him from his father, was an actor who, perhaps moro than any other I can recall, had his parentage to thank, particularly in his younger years on the stage, for the jwsition lie held, and retained later by real hard work. By that Ido not mean to infer that the lately deceased actor was not an able actor, but, personally, I do not think he would have been accounted one of tho "great" hadliis name not been Irving. He had something more. Photographs of tho late Sir Henry' Irving as a middle-aged man resembled "H.D." strikingly. Such was the personal resemblance, combined with the talent he possessed as a character actor, that the faithful theatregoing public of London—who are so staunch to their favourites—tos.;ed tho purple robe of tho late Sir Henry Irving to his son, in the fond hope that the younger man would develop the "divine nfflatos" of his revered father. There were those who believed that tho son did so succeed, and quote his Hamlet and Louis XI. in support cf that contention. Few who witnessed "H.H.'s" Hamlet in Wellington in 1912 would be prepared honestly to say that tho performance was one of a consummate artist. It was an interesting and intellectual performance, but it was not ft moving or palpitating performance. Instead of being carried away by tho character one found oneself studying tho man. His was an alert, eager and entirely unconventional Hamlet. He did not care a fig for the conventional point*—and how wo lovo our conventionalities in Shakespeare—and his slurring speech often became Incomprehensible. Ho was at his best in tho play scene, and where the old elocu-tionary-Hamlets made great play, as in tlio soliloquies, "H. 8." gabbled and n.outhed, to mc, as though he was determined to bo .somewhat different, even if it were a pose. Leaving "H. 8." alone as a tragedian I give him a high placo as a strong character actor. His tremulous, sinful, humbugging Louis XI. in Dclavigne's drama was a magnificent bit of mummery and in the dual role of Lesurqucs and Dubois in "The Lyons Mail" hui assumption of tho two widely dissociated characters was fine art. In view of that performance it was not surprising to hear of his success in .Dr. Jekrll and Mr. Hyde (the man-monster role- of fiction). Again as Mathias in "Tho Bells" ho was impressive, but I find, on turning up my notices of the season, lhatr reiciences to the actor's eccentricities of intonation and enunciation still claimed critical attention. From a purely artistic point of view the performances of Irving's company in these parts were not enhanced by tho fact that Mrs. Irving (Miss Dorothea Baird) was the leading lady. _ The late Mr. Irving was born in Loudon in 187(1, and was educated at Marlborough and New College, Oxford. Ho studied for tho law, and was culled to tho Bar in 1891, but never practised, preferring to follow his father's pronation. At 21 he joined Sir John Hares company and played Beaudevero in "School' in 1891. After varying experiences under several managements he joined Bengali's company in 1895, but the next year saw him with George Alexander. In 1902 he was engaged by Charles Frohman, and under his management made his first hit as Cricliton in Barrie's "The Admirablo Cricliton. .towards the end of 1911 he came out to J C Williamson- with a company of his own, and performed the plays mentioned above. He was in Wellington.in February, 1912. The late Laurenco Irving was a brother, and with the Int. tors' death it would seem that the Irving dynasty has come (o an ond. "H.B. married Miss Dorothea Baird in IBM. This lady was the original Trilbv in the dramatisation of Du MnurK-r's novel ot that name. . , ~ The Into Mr. Trving was a studious criminologist. He wrote "The Life of Jnd"e Jeffreys," and "French Criminals of the Nineteenth Century." and was a frequent visitor to tho . Courts when criminal trials were in progress.