THE OLD LYCEUM

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20006, 3 August 1939, Page 16

THE OLD LYCEUM

THE FINAL PERFORMANCE GISBORNE HOST’S PART ill?.. MILLER EXT HR TAINS ‘'HAMLET” TARTY GUESTS A former Gisborne resident, Mr. W. Barrington Miller, played a part in the passing of the old Lyceum rneutre, one of London’s historic buildings, when he acted as host lo a theatre party at the final performance prior to its demolition. The final production in the theatre was “Hamlet,” with John Gielgud and Miss Fay Compton in the leading roles, and among the guests at the party were Mr. and Mrs. J. A. MacLeod, Gisborne, who were visiting London at the time. The old Lyceum is being demolished lo make room for a roundabout traffic system to be installed by the London City Council on the Strand. “When the curtain feil for the last time at the Lyceum, a theatre with ,i grain Iradition passed away,” wrote Mrs Miller to a Gisborne friend. “Rarely has the London stage witnessed a more emotional evening. Crowds were waiting in queues fOr he afternoon and evening performances, and hundreds were turned away. The theatre was packed from fleor to ceiling. It seats 2850, and several hundreds more were standing. “In the boxes and stalls were wellknown theatre folk, including Edith Craig, daughter of Ellen Terry, who graced this stage in most of ihe Irving productions. Best Present-Day “Hamlet.” “The curtain Jell to a burst of applause, and the cheering reached us climax when Jo.in Gielgud and' Miss Compton teak their calls. It was midnight before the last of the patrons had left the theatre, and within 10 minutes 200 workmen had made a start to demolish the building. “It is a shame in all senses of the word that this production of “Hamlet” by John Gielgud could Only be run for four nights and two matinees, for he is the best English Hamlet of his time, and I often wonder if there has ever been better. He has the true artist’s way of constantly bringing to his creation something new. He has with him the best Ophelia I have seen in Fay Compton. She still keeps the almost unbearable pathbs of her mad scenes as fresh as if she had never before played them.” Mr. Miller also wrote of the company’s visit to Denmark for the purpose of playing “Hamlet” at Elsinore in its traditional setting. Great interest was taken, visitors arriving even from Scandinavia. “The chief , feeling over here,” wrote a Danish correspondent the day before the presentation of the play at Elsinore, “is that these visits of. English companies to Denmark are not only helping the Danish people to understand Shakespeare better; they are cementing the friendship between two nations.” The play was presented before a large audience, -which included two Ministers of the Danish Cabinet, and the company was given a most enthusiastic reception.