Remembering & celebrating Sir Henry Irving (1838-1905), the greatest actor of his time & the first ever to be knighted. Co-star with Ellen Terry at the Lyceum.
Joined November 2014
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6 Feb 2021
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Happy Birthday to Sir Henry Irving, born John Brodribb OTD 6 Feb 1838
His middle name Henry was added at his christening
His parents lived in a cottage that still stands on Castle St, Keinton Mandeville, Somerset, in 2 rooms: 1 to the left of the front door, the other above
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The Irving Society retweeted
6 Feb 2022
English actor, Sir Henry Irving, was born #OnThisDay in 1838. He wore this theatrical ensemble of a silk doublet and hose, embellished with seed pearls, as Benedick in the 1882 Lyceum production of Much Ado About Nothing alongside Ellen Terry. @V_and_A #actor #theatre #costume
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The Irving Society retweeted
6 Feb 2021
1/7
Happy Birthday to Sir Henry Irving, born John Brodribb OTD 6 Feb 1838
His middle name Henry was added at his christening
His parents lived in a cottage that still stands on Castle St, Keinton Mandeville, Somerset, in 2 rooms: 1 to the left of the front door, the other above
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27 Oct 2021
IRVING UNDEAD - written and performed by @jamescswanton - is up and running at @LndnHorrorFest at @SpaceArtsCentre until 9 Nov
You can see it either live or live streamed until then
Details and booking info are in the tweets below:
21 Oct 2021
One day before IRVING UNDEAD opens at @SpaceArtsCentre for the @LndnHorrorFest. Have you got your tickets? 8.30pm, Friday through Sunday (with an extra 4pm performance thrown in on Sunday). There's also a livestream for those who can't reach London! Details below.
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The Irving Society retweeted
13 Sep 2021
I'm thrilled, delighted and terrified to be reprising Henry Irving in IRVING UNDEAD at @LndnHorrorFest. Four shows at @SpaceArtsCentre - 22nd to 24th October - with the last also being livestreamed. Book now for your audience with the real-life Dracula: space.org.uk/event/irving-un…
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The Irving Society retweeted
19 May 2021
Just 18 yrs later, famous #Bradford #MusicHall star Jack Pleasants (1874-1924) died on stage at the Princes Theatre, Little Horton Lane. Still remembered, his renditions of ‘I’m Shy Mary Ellen, I’m Shy’ & ‘Twenty-One Today’. #NotJust Henry Irving.
14 Oct 2020
A photograph of Bram Stoker (holding an umbrella) leaving the Theatre Royal, Bradford, 14 Oct 1905, the day after Sir Henry Irving's death. He had had to tell the company they had now all lost their jobs.
That evening he accompanied the body to the railway station.
He wrote:
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The Irving Society retweeted
16 May 2021
It's pretty standard now for Richard to play the prison scene in a ragged shirt or gown, but it's not always been the case. The scene for this design isn't identified, but the prison scene would be a reasonable guess. Edwin Austin Abbey for Richard II dir. Henry Irving, 1898.
ALT A costume design, in pencil, pen, and watercolour. On the left is a pencil sketch of a face, with a delicate golden coronet of leaves (coloured in); there is also a pencil sketch of a belt buckles. The main image is a full length design for a man: a floor-length black gown, with a heavy belt pulling it close to the body. The exaggerated hanging sleeves flare out and touch the ground; they're lined with white. The collar is very high and buttoned to the throat; there's a small silver medallion.
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The Irving Society retweeted
23 Apr 2021
In honour of this, and to thank @CostumeUni for inviting me to speak to them about #EllenTerry. Here's a brief thread of a 'great Shakespearean actress' in some great Shakespearean Costumes (images @V_and_A and @SmallhytheNT)
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The Irving Society retweeted
19 Apr 2021
Join us for our next Online Talk 'Sir Henry Irving: why he matters, and why he came to Bournemouth', with Michael Dobson, Director of The Shakespeare Institute @ShakesInstitute
📅 Sunday 9 May, 2pm
💻 Online Talk via Zoom
Find out more & book:
russellcotes.com/event/onlin…
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The Irving Society retweeted
15 Apr 2021
Really enjoyed sharing my on-going investigations into #costumeforperformance with 'London Stage & #c19th World' @NewCollegeOx. My #research relies on the #theatreandperformance #collections @V_and_A. Hence this 🧵asking you to support its survival as a specific department
ALT Nellie Farren in the title role of Little Robin Hood, Gaiety Theatre, 1882 @V_and_A
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The Irving Society retweeted
15 Apr 2021
And of course THE COSTUME COLLECTION which is incredibly diverse and absolutely fascinating. It includes the largest collection of Henry Irving's Costume in Britain - perhaps the world. A highlight is this costume for his performance as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (1882)
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The Irving Society retweeted
30 Mar 2021
Wonderful thread.
30 Mar 2021
Born #OTD 30 March
Scottish artist James Ferrier Pryde (1866–1941)
[thread 1/8]
Edward Gordon Craig called this one of the 3 best paintings of Sir Henry Irving:
Irving as Dubosc in The Lyons Mail
pencil & gouache on paper laid on board, c.1906
npg.org.uk/collections/searc…
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30 Mar 2021
Born #OTD 30 March
Scottish artist James Ferrier Pryde (1866–1941)
[thread 1/8]
Edward Gordon Craig called this one of the 3 best paintings of Sir Henry Irving:
Irving as Dubosc in The Lyons Mail
pencil & gouache on paper laid on board, c.1906
npg.org.uk/collections/searc…
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30 Mar 2021
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Pryde was interested in ‘ordinary’ people and outsiders:
"bus drivers, bowler hats, music halls, the man in the street" & produced a series of 'Celebrated Criminals or Notable Rascals' & a 12 part series 'The Human Comedy'
The Cinder
The Doctor
The Red Ruin
The Blue Ruin
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30 Mar 2021
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To finish, the gothic theatricality of his paintings is explored by Louise Welsh in her article:
'James Pryde: The Edgar Allan Poe Of Painting'
for Scottish Journal @The_Bottle_Imp
thebottleimp.org.uk/2009/11/…
James Pryde,
by Herbert James Gunn
City Art Centre @EdinCulture
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The Irving Society retweeted
26 Mar 2021
My picture,1883 comic #illustration of 'Mr. Henry Irving, with his Hat on, and umbrella, doing the United states of America. Accompanied by some fellow taking notes on this great adventure. A #image featured in @PunchCartoons #London Charivari 85th hardback edition annual
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