Recollections of a player . fterwardplayed in the last piece, in whom, even onthis our first meeting, I at once felt muchinterest—a deep and lasting interest,which has continued to the present dayand can never be effaced. The first nights performance seemed toplease. The first piece was a comedy,The Irish Heiress. I remember thatafter it Mr. Wallack was called before thecurtain, and he made a speech thankinghis patrons for their kind reception of theold favorites, and incidentally alluding toa gentleman from England who had yetto appear, and who, he hoped, would finda place in their affections
Recollections of a player . fterwardplayed in the last piece, in whom, even onthis our first meeting, I at once felt muchinterest—a deep and lasting interest,which has continued to the present dayand can never be effaced. The first nights performance seemed toplease. The first piece was a comedy,The Irish Heiress. I remember thatafter it Mr. Wallack was called before thecurtain, and he made a speech thankinghis patrons for their kind reception of theold favorites, and incidentally alluding toa gentleman from England who had yetto appear, and who, he hoped, would finda place in their affections. I was sorry hethus drew attention to me, as it interferedwith my efforts. However, I got throughtolerably well. Mr. Felix Vincent, whoplayed the comedy part,—the principalone in the piece,—I thought very clever. As I saw more of the company my eyeswere opened to its strength and individualability. I had been associated, as boy andman, with all the great artists of the oldcountry,—had seen giants individually,—80. John Brougham. RECOLLECTIONS OF A PLAYER but it had never been my good fortune tobehold, in its entirety, such a company asthis, including as it did William RufusBlake, the elder Wallack, John Lester(known later as Lester Wallack), CharlesWalcot, Sr., John Dyott, John Brougham,Laura Keene, Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Stevens,Mrs. Brougham, Humphrey Bland, FelixVincent, and a host of others. Most ofthem had been associated year after year,and knew one anothers style, and theyplayed so well into one anothers handsthat the result was admirable. I do notthink the old comedies were ever betterplayed. I have of late mentioned thename of Blake and the names of otherprominent members of this company, andI find many clever people of to-day whohave never heard of those artists. Arewe so soon forgot when we are gone? In the early fifties John Brougham was,I think, the most popular actor in Amer-ica. Everybody interested in theatricalsknew and liked him. He was the mosthappy exte
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjecttheater, bookyear1902
