| Author: | Wellington, Arthur Richard Wellesley | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | London | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1876, May, 9 | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (7 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He must comment after thanks. Irving's Hamlet is the best he has seen, but he criticises his voice in that when he drops to a whisper he cannot be heard. Mrs Siddons had a distinct whisper. He discusses one speech in detail and also Fechter's stresses in French. Irving divides words. Fechter never forgave Wellington for criticism but he hopes Irving will not be so cruel. All admire Irving. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | |||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/42) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4293 | ||
| Author: | Wheatley, Henry Benjamin | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | 2 Oppidans Road, Primrose Hill, N.W. | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1892, Nov., 21 | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (6 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He saw 'Lear' the previous Friday and must thank Irving for his grand conception. Shakespeare's masterpieces are only fully realised on stage and this is most necessary for 'Lear' which is outside normal human experience. The greater must be the triumph of the artist who realises the character as vividly as Irving. He will cherish the memory. The scenery and effects are charming and the harmony running through the performance is striking. Its achievement must have required labour and insight. He sends two pamphlets on the evolution of the English stage which he hopes may be of interest. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | Wheatley wrote a pamphlet on the contemporary drawing of the Swan Theatre, 1888, which may have been one of his gifts. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/42) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4299 | ||
| Author: | Sutherland, Anne Sutherland-Leveson-Gower | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Stafford House | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | [1875], [March?] Thursday | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (3 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | Hopes Irving will join her and Mrs Greville in her Box at Drury Lane on Monday to see Salvini's morning performance of 'Othello'. It will be a great pleasure to see him again. P.S. She wishes he would go to hear Mr Moody at the Haymarket - she would give him a ticket for any afternoon. She went every day that week. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | '"Dear Mr Irving." Salvini gave the performance (in Italian) at Irving's request so that other actors, etc. could see him act; see L. Irving, p.252. Dwight Lyman Moody with David Sankey held popular evangelical Christian meetings in America and Britain. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/39) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4310 | ||
| Author: | Wills, William Gorman | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Garrick Club | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | [1875?] | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (2 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | His 'Walter Raleigh' plot has been snubbed by Mrs Bateman. It has the power of 'The Iron Mask' with high class human nature - the finest dramatic subject and some day he will write it for Irving. He refers to dear old Charley coming back. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | No play by Wills about Walter Raleigh survives. 'The Iron Mask' may be the 1851 play by Ben Webster. Charley may refer to Charles James Mathews who went to India in 1875. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/1/25) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4332 | ||
| Author: | Wills, William Gorman | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Avenue Studios, 75 Fulham Rd | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | [1880?], [Jan.?] | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (2 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He has now a splendid scenario of 'Rienzi' - a new and original play, historically accurate. When would Irving like to hear it? Friday or Saturday would suit him. He has also written several passages but until the plot is approved cannot go on. He would have finished long before but circumstances made him take ready money jobs in which he had little interest. He has two plays coming on that season - at the Adelphi and the Dukes. (Postscript:) He saw 'The Merchant' from the pit and was delighted. Congratulations. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | Wills' plays: 'Forced from Home' at the Duke's 2/2/80, and 'Ninon' at the Adelphi 7/2/80. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/1/19) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4335 | ||
| Author: | Wills, William Gorman | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Garrick Club | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | [1873], [Sept.?], [30?] | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (2 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He waited for the press verdict before giving his impressions of Irving's performance on Saturday night. He had not seen 'Richelieu' on stage so was without the senseless bigotry of Macreadists. He praises Irving's conception and performance; the big situations were thrilling and it was an artistic success. Vezin was delighted and cordial. He thinks the play will succeed. He wants to read Irving the play and suggests Thursday morning. Send him a line. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | Macready had created the role of Richelieu in Lytton's play. The play Wills wished to read to Irving may have been his 'Mary, Queen of Scots', performed 1874. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/1/13) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4328 | ||
| Author: | Wills, William Gorman | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | 15 Impasse Hélène, Avenue de Clichy, Paris | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | [1880], July, 7 | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (4 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He asks Irving to write about terms. Wills is thinking of living in Paris - it is so cheerful. If any other subject occurs to Irving contact him. Wills is thinking of a Timon of Athens character set in Queen Anne's time. He wishes he could avoid potboilers but he has money problems. In the autumn he has plays at the Haymarket, St James & the Court, also 2 plays in the provinces. Will Irving answer. He used to be a charming correspondent when Wills was working on 'Rienzi' but suddenly dried up! | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | Terms for 'Rienzi'. Stoker's letter of 5th July (Letter 4352) had not yet arrived. Nicoll at this time only records plays 'William and Susan' at the St James Theatre 9/10/1880, and 'Juana' at the Court Theatre 7/5/1881. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/43) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4353 | ||
| Author: | Wills, William Gorman | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | - | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | [1882], [March?] | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (2 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He sends the MS. changed except for placing the Chamber scene in the garden where he feels necessary cuts he details would lose sentiment and humour. To make the scene practicable a flat scene would be needed but Irving knows his resources. If he wishes the change of chamber to garden Wills can do it with a few alterations. The effect in the opera is not good when the jewels are laid in a chair in the garden. He hopes Irving has a pleasant day in Brighton - Wills has just returned from 3 days there. He would welcome another payment as his debts have almost absorbed the last. Can he have a dress circle to see 1st Act of Romeo & Juliet. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | 'Faust' in composition. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/1/25) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4379 | ||
| Author: | Wills, William Gorman | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Ailsa Villa, St Margaret's, Twickenham | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | [1885], [May] | ||
| Document Type: | Letter | ||
| Content Summary: | Impossible to drop round the other night as he had train to catch. He was enchanted with the production of 'Olivia' and Irving as the Vicar. The make-up of Burchall was unsympathetic and the Gypsy's entrance should be more creepy. (Postscript:) He has put Godwin under obligation by writing up Lady Archie (Campbell's) part in Fletcher's play so Wills intends to get Godwin's help in drawings for 'Faust' - Irving is not supposed to know this. Praises Ellen Terry as Olivia. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | Marked: Private. Janey Campbell was involved in amateur dramatic productions. For Godwin's German drawings see also Letters 4374 & 4388. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/1/25) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4387 | ||
| Author: | Wills, William Gorman | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Garrick Club | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | [1885], [June?] | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (3 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | Wills will do his best with the simple natural dialogue Irving suggests. He will omit the wash tub but make it as Irving & Miss Terry wish. He asks Irving not to lose Wills' own dialogue which can be used in some play. He sees in Irving's morning telegram that he wants two students knocked into one. If Irving sends it he will try to be deft, but if there is time it is rather good devil's fun. He may have forgotten to turn it into blank verse, with rhymed bits pasted on. He has just been to see Norman Forbes in 'Gringoire' which pleased him though it has been savaged by Clement Scott, Joseph Knight, etc. They are indignant that a young actor emulates Coquelin. He hopes Forbes is not discouraged as he was joyful at the end with his family. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | On the revision of 'Faust'. Wills' version of 'Gringoire' had a matinee performance on 22nd June 1885. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/43) | ||
| Ref.No: | 4390 | ||