Herbert Beerbohm Tree (1853 - 1917) was an English actor-manager. He ran the Haymarket Theatre, and later created His Majesty's Theatre, both in the West End of London. His productions included A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde (1893), Trilby by Paul Potter (1895), and Pygmalion by G.B. Shaw (1914). He played many of the leading roles. Tree directed and starred in the earliest surviving film of an excerpt from a Shakespearean play: King John in 1899. He founded the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1904, and was knighted in 1909.
"the last time Ill ever go there to be squashed like that for any Trilby or her barebum every two minutes tipping me there and looking away" (U18.1042)
The plot of Trilby was of the stuff that Victorian playgoers loved. Trilby O'Ferrall is a beautiful half-Irish girl working in Paris as an artists' model and laundress. A young Englishman, Little Billy, falls in love with her but is forbidden by his mother to marry her. A wicked old mesmerist Svengali has Trilby under his power, and transforms her into a great diva. At last Svengali dies, and Trilby is free from his spell. Billy can ask her again to marry him. It is Christmas time and Trilby is opening her presents. One is a package left for her by a stranger. It contains a portrait of Svengali in all his hideousness. She dies of the shock, in the arms of Little Billy. Fall of curtain to ecstatic applause.
Trilby did not have a bare bum, but she did go barefoot; she also smoked heavily. All London went mad about the play. It became fashionable for ladies to smoke (at home of course). Shops were full of Trilby gifts and trinkets. Toulouse Lautrec named his yacht Trilby. Men wore Trilby hats (Davy Stephens had one). Music hall song writers jumped on the wagon with countless Trilby songs and dance tunes.
The plot of Trilby was of the stuff that Victorian playgoers loved. Trilby O'Ferrall is a beautiful half-Irish girl working in Paris as an artists' model and laundress. A young Englishman, Little Billy, falls in love with her but is forbidden by his mother to marry her. A wicked old mesmerist Svengali has Trilby under his power, and transforms her into a great diva. At last Svengali dies, and Trilby is free from his spell. Billy can ask her again to marry him. It is Christmas time and Trilby is opening her presents. One is a package left for her by a stranger. It contains a portrait of Svengali in all his hideousness. She dies of the shock, in the arms of Little Billy. Fall of curtain to ecstatic applause.
Trilby did not have a bare bum, but she did go barefoot; she also smoked heavily. All London went mad about the play. It became fashionable for ladies to smoke (at home of course). Shops were full of Trilby gifts and trinkets. Toulouse Lautrec named his yacht Trilby. Men wore Trilby hats (Davy Stephens had one). Music hall song writers jumped on the wagon with countless Trilby songs and dance tunes.
"hes a bit daft I think I saw him after trying to get near two stylishdressed ladies" (U18.1044)
"outside Switzers window at the same little game" (U18.1045)
"I recognised him on the moment the face and everything but he didnt remember me" (U18.1045)
Switzer is the store with the black street sign, on the left side of Grafton street, with several stylishdressed ladies at the door
Switzer is the store with the black street sign, on the left side of Grafton street, with several stylishdressed ladies at the door
"yes and she didnt even want me to kiss her at the Broadstone going away well I hope shell get someone to dance attendance on her the way I did when she was down with the mumps and her glands swollen wheres this and wheres that of course she cant feel anything deep yet I never came properly till I was what 22 or so it went into the wrong place always only the usual girls nonsense and giggling that Conny Connolly writing to her in white ink on black paper sealed with sealingwax" (U18.1047)
"though she clapped when the curtain came down because he looked so handsome then we had Martin Harvey for breakfast dinner and supper I thought to myself afterwards it must be real love if a man gives up his life for her that way for nothing I suppose there are a few men like that left its hard to believe in it though unless it really happened to me the majority of them with not a particle of love in their natures to find two people like that nowadays full up of each other that would feel the same way as you do theyre usually a bit foolish in the head his father must have been a bit queer to go and poison himself after her still poor old man I suppose he felt lost shes always making love to my things too the few old rags I have wanting to put her hair up at 15 my powder too only ruin her skin on her she's time enough for that all her life after of course shes restless knowing she's pretty with her lips so red a pity they wont stay that way I was too" (U18.1053)
Martin Harvery, with his wife actress Miss N. de Silva, in 'A Cigarette Maker's Romance.'
Martin Harvery, with his wife actress Miss N. de Silva, in 'A Cigarette Maker's Romance.'
"but theres no use going to the fair with the thing answering me like a fishwoman when I asked to go for a half a stone of potatoes" (U18.1067)
"the day we met Mrs Joe Gallaher at the trottingmatches and she pretended not to see us in her trap with Friery the solicitor we werent grand enough" (U18.1068)
"till I gave her 2 damn fine cracks across the ear for herself take that now for answering me like that and that for your impudence she had me that exasperated of course contradicting I was badtempered too because how was it there was a weed in the tea or I didnt sleep the night before cheese I ate was it and I told her over and over again not to leave knives crossed like that because she has nobody to command her as she said herself well if he doesnt correct her faith I will that was the last time she turned on the teartap I was just like that myself they darent order me about the place" (U18.1070)
"its his fault of course having the two of us slaving here instead of getting in a woman long ago am I ever going to have a proper servant again of course then shed see him coming Id have to let her know or shed revenge it arent they a nuisance" (U18.1078)
"that old Mrs Fleming you have to be walking round after her putting the things into her hands sneezing and farting into the pots well of course shes old she cant help it a good job I found that rotten old smelly dishcloth that got lost behind the dresser I knew there was something and opened the area window to let out the smell bringing in his friends to entertain them like the night he walked home with a dog if you please that might have been mad" (U18.1081)
"especially Simon Dedalus son his father such a criticiser with his glasses up with his tall hat on him at the cricket match" (U18.1088)
"and a great big hole in his sock one thing laughing at the other and his son that got all those prizes for whatever he won them in the intermediate imagine climbing over the railings if anybody saw him that knew us I wonder he didnt tear a big hole in his grand funeral trousers as if the one nature gave wasnt enough for anybody" (U18.1089)
"hawking him down into the dirty old kitchen now is he right in his head I ask pity it wasnt washing day" (U18.1094)
"my old pair of drawers might have been hanging up too on the line on exhibition for all hed ever care with the ironmould mark the stupid old bundle burned on them he might think was something else and she never even rendered down the fat I told her and now shes going such as she was on account of her paralysed husband getting worse theres always something wrong with them disease or they have to go under an operation or if its not that its drink and he beats her Ill have to hunt around again for someone every day I get up theres some new thing on sweet God sweet God well when Im stretched out dead in my grave I suppose Ill have some peace I want to get up a minute if Im let wait O Jesus wait yes that thing has come on me yes now wouldnt that afflict you of course all the poking and rooting and ploughing he had up in me now what am I to do" (U18.1095)