Mr Irving’s First Success.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 491, 23 July 1890, Page 4

Mr Irving’s First Success.

Bateman did not discover Irving, for Irving discovered himself, says Clement Scott in his New Column of dramatic table talk in the ‘ Whitehall Review.’ The whole Bateman scheme was a failure, and they were at their wit's end what to do, when Irving suggested a play that was in his possession. It proved to bo ‘The Bells,’ translated from the French by a friond of Irving’s, Leopold Lewis, a literary solicitor and 1 free lance,’ who edited a clover piper called the ‘ Mask' 1 with Alfred Thompson. ‘ The Bells ’ was put up as a dernier re-wort. Nobody believed in it but Irving. He understood his strength better than his friends did. I shall never forget the first night, or the impression the acting made on a scanty audience. Even Dutton Cook, who was not given to eulogy, warmed up with enthusiasm. For my own part, I remember, I ‘let myself out,’feeling that what wo had seen was very much out of the common, and must sooner or later strongly impress the public. But I got into a little scrape at first for my enthusiasm. 1 was sent for by my editor, and best friend that man ever had, and asked if it was wise to write in that strain of such a play, and of a comparatively unknown man. Some play-goers were very Conservative in those days. ‘ Who is this Mr Irving,' I was asked, ‘and what has he done? To tell you the truth, I have never heard of him.’ Well, after that night he was heard of pretty often, and has never ceased to be heard of since.