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| Ellen Terry (1847-1928) |
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In Press and Literature |
(The Gleaner, Kingston, Jamaica, June 20th, 1906)
ELLEN TERRY'S LAUREL CROWN
How Her Stage Jubilee Was Honoured
LONDON, Tuesday. — The scene in the old Drury Lane Theatre this afternoon is hardly likely to fade from the memory of those who participated in it. It was the celebration of the stage jubilee of England's greatest actress, Miss Ellen Terry.
For once the London County Council's regulations were utterly disregarded. No one is ever allowed to stand in the passages and gangways during a performance. This afternoon these were crowded throughout the whole time of the long five and a half hours of the programme.
It was a merry, nay wildly boisterous, afternoon. Crammed to suffocation as the theatre was, everybody felt hot and looked it, but they were all happy as well. There were no signs of fatigue among the occupants of gallery and amphitheatre, most of whom had sat outside for twelve, twenty and even thirty hours before the doors opened to give them admittance.
Touching though the great tribute was to the popular actress, there was nothing sad about it, for though Miss Ellen Terry has been appearing before the public for more than fifty years she has no intention of saying goodby.
"Not just yet," as she remarked herself when the time came for her to respond to the splendid welcome received from friends, the women, who made at least five-sixths of the audience laughing and waving their handkerchiefs.
The programme was carried through in its entirety, with several additions, the most interesting item being the performance of the first act of "Much Ado About Nothing," in which every member of the Terry family, numbering about twenty, took part, Miss Ellen Terry herself appearing in her old and delightful impersonation of the merry, witty Beatrice.
MISS TERRY'S RECEPTION
Enthusiasm very faintly describes the character of the reception of Miss Ellen Terry at the close of this performance she was literally bombarded with bouquets, one of which came from a box occupied by Lady Tennessee Cook, which was decorated with the American flag.
Here it is interesting to mention that one paper the other morning made the satirical remark that Americans in London had not shown such interest in the jubilee celebration as had been expected of them. This so pained Lady Cook, who, though she has been a resident of England more than twenty years, remains at heart a loyal American, that she at once bought the remaining box for sixty guineas and filled it with her American friends this afternoon.
The great event of the celebration came at the close. The veteran actress Lady Bancroft, one of Miss Ellen Terry's oldest friends, though now retired from the stage for many years, appeared in front of the tableau curtain and paid in a few words a tribute to Miss Terry and the great work she had accomplished on the stage.
Then, after the manner of the fairy queen in a pantomime, she gracefully used her fan as a wand, and the curtain went up, revealing Miss Ellen Terry enthroned under a colossal gold bust of Shakespeare and surrounded by the entire company of distinguished brothers and sisters of her profession.
AN EMOTIONAL SCENE
Miss Ellen Terry, smiling through the tears which streamed from her eyes, and occasionally halting owing to her deep emotion, briefly returned thanks.
One particularly pretty episode occurred when she took by the hand a dark robed woman who stood at her right and, face beaming with pride, said:- "I particularly thank my friend Signora Duce, who has come all the way from Florence merely to honour me."
Then, stooping, Miss Ellen Terry fervently kissed the hand of the Italian actress, which the latter tried to draw away, but the English woman was not to be denied. Then, as she rose, Signora Duse clasped Miss Terry in her arms and warmly kissed her on both cheeks. The audience cheered with delight.
Then came more gifts and flowers in baskets and in bouquets till the front of the stage was covered with them. When the reception was over Mr. Arthur W. Pinero advanced to the footlights and announced that the proceeds of the performance amounted to nearly £6,000. There was more cheering, and then the orchestra struck up: "Auld Lang Syne," in the singing of which the audience joined with enthusiasm.
Down came the curtain, but it had to be raised again and again, how often it would be difficult to say. Such a demonstration of enthusiasm has never been seen in London, with the exception perhaps of the occasion when Miss Ellen Terry's old partner, Sir Henry Irving, made what proved to be his last appearance in London, on the same stage where Miss Terry's jubilee was celebrated to-day.
(Letter from J.M. Barrie - from The Story of My Life, Recollections and Reflections, by Ellen Terry [1908])
Dear Miss Ellen Terry
Reply to a letter sent by Miss Terry to J. M. Barrie, expressing how much she had enjoyed his work "Sentimental Tommy". The reply was written in the character of Tommy himself.
Dear Miss Ellen Terry
I just wonder at you. I noticed that Mr. Barrie the author (so-called) and his masterful wife had a letter they wanted to conceal from me, so I got hold of it, and it turned out to be from you, and not a line to me in it! If you like the book, it is me you like, not him, and it is to me you should send your love, not to him. Corp thinks, however, that you did not like to make the first overtures, and if that is the explanation, I beg herewith to send you my warm love (don't mention this to Elspeth) and to say that I wish you would come and have a game with us in the Den (don't let on to Grizel that I invited you). The first moment I saw you, I said to myself, 'This is the kind I like,' and while the people round about me were only thinking of your acting, I was wondering which would be the best way of making you my willing slave, and I beg to say that I believe I have 'found a way,' for most happily the very ones I want most to lord it over, are the ones who are least able to resist me.
We should have ripping fun. You would be Jean MacGregor, captive in the Queen's Bower, but I would climb up at the peril of my neck to rescue you, and you would faint in my strong arms, and wouldn't Grizel get a turn when she came upon you and me whispering sweet nothings in the Lovers' Walk? I think it advisible to say in writing that I would only mean them as nothings (because Grizel is really my one), but so long as they were sweet, what does that matter (at the time); and besides, you could love me genuinely, and I would carelessly kiss your burning tears away.
Corp is a bit fidgety about it, because he says I have two to love me already, but I feel confident that I can manage more than two.
Trusting to see you at the Cuttle Well on Saturday when the eight o'clock bell is ringing,
I am
Your indulgent Commander,
T. SANDYS.
P.S.--Can you bring some of the Lyceum armor with you, and two hard-boiled eggs?"