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

From the London Daily News
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." (1893-02-20TM'sN)