Biography Wilson Barrett

1 biography

1.1 1880s
1.2 1890s: sign of cross
1.3 death
1.4 archives

biography
1880s

barrett s production of claudian @ royal lyceum theatre, edinburgh



poster hoodman blind

barrett born farming family in essex. remembered actor of handsome appearance (despite small stature) , powerful voice. made first appearance on stage @ halifax in 1864, , played in provinces alone , wife, caroline heath, in east lynne. married in 1866, having 2 sons, frank , alfred, , 3 daughters, ellen, katherine , dorothea (dollie).

barrett capitalized on success actor start career producer. after managerial experience @ grand theatre leeds , elsewhere, in 1879 took on management of old court theatre, in following year introduced madame helena modjeska london in adaptation of maria stuart (by schiller), productions of adrienne lecouvreur, la dame aux camélias , other plays.

in 1881, wilson barrett took on refurbished princess s theatre, melodramatic productions enjoyed great success (if not quite as before), attendance being highest ever theatre. there barrett presented lights o london, , silver king, regarded successful melodrama of 19th century in england. debuted on 16 november 1882, barrett wilfred denver. played part 3 hundred nights without break, , repeated success in w. g. wills s claudian.

in 1885 , henry arthur jones produced hoodman blind , in 1886 co-operated clement scott in sister mary. in 1886 barrett left princess s theatre, , in same year made visit america, repeated in later years.

in 1884 barrett had appeared in hamlet, promptly return melodrama. not find success in shakespearian role, except in role of mercutio in romeo , juliet.

though barrett had occasional seasons in london acted chiefly in provinces, company being 1 of successful of decade, receiving £2,000 average yearly profit grand theatre leeds. brother , nephew part of company, , grandson join them eventually.

his productions not immune accident. melodrama romany rye scheduled open @ theatre royal, exeter on 5 september 1887. in middle of performance, gas lighting ignited gauze, fire broke out backstage, , curtain collapsed.

according jacob adler, wilson barrett famous actor on london stage of 1880s.

1890s: sign of cross

wilson barrett , maud jeffries: sign of cross (1895)

by 1890s, london stage coming under new influences, , wilson barrett s vogue in melodrama had waned, leaving him in financial difficulties. 1894 toured united states, including american , knickerbocker theatres of broadway.

still there in 1895, barrett found fortune again production become successful, historical tragedy sign of cross—which produced in united states @ grand opera house, st. louis, missouri on 28 march 1895; in united kingdom, @ grand theatre, leeds, on 26 august 1895; in london, @ lyric theatre, london on 4 january 1896; , in australia, @ majesty s theatre, sydney on 8 may 1897—in barrett played marcus superbus, old roman patrician of years of nero, falls in love young woman, mercia (originally played maud jeffries) , converts christianity her, both sacrificing lives in arena lions. plot in ways resembles contemporary novel quo vadis, , may have been unofficial adaptation of it, though barrett never acknowledged this.

the theatre crowded audiences largely composed of people outside ordinary circle of playgoers, shepherded enthusiastic local clergymen. barrett tried repeat success more plays of religious type, though not equal effect, , several of later attempts failures.

at turn of century co-founded company became waddingtons, theatre-focused printing firm.

death

wilson barrett died @ liverpool, on 22 july 1904. largely success of sign of cross, left £57,000, after periods of relative failure, during later years managing old court theatre. grandson, named wilson barrett, became actor director brandon-thomas company before starting own repertory in 1939, wilson barrett company, based in edinburgh s lyceum, glasgow @ alhambra theatre glasgow , time in aberdeen. performed on television, @ edinburgh international festival and, invitation, in south africa.the company retired in 1954.

archives

barrett s descendants placed majority of wilson barrett s papers @ harry ransom center @ university of texas @ austin. on thirty boxes of materials include manuscript works barrett, business , personal correspondence, extensive financial records , legal agreements, photographs, playbills , programs relating barrett’s productions, , barrett , heath family papers. additional wilson barrett materials @ ransom center include letters barrett located in literary manuscript collections of richard le gallienne, john ruskin, william winter, , robert lee wolff. b. j. simmons co. costume design records include company s renderings sign of cross. marked script of barrett sthe manxman can found in playscripts , promptbooks collection.

the british library, folger shakespeare library, , university of leeds special collections library each have substantial number of letters wilson barrett. victoria & albert museum theatre , performance archives holds designs edward william godwin barrett’s productions of juana, claudian, hamlet, junius, , clito. papers of wilson barrett younger (1900-1981), grandson of wilson barrett actor-manager , toured own wilson barrett company, located in scottish theatre archive @ university of glasgow.