Personal reminiscences of Henry Irving

Chapter 126: XXIV VANDENHOFF

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About This Book

A close friend and colleague offers a portrait of a celebrated actor drawn from decades of intimate acquaintance, combining personal anecdotes, stage recollections, and critical reflection. The author traces early memories and theatrical formation, describes management of a major theatre and landmark productions, and examines the subject's approach to Shakespeare, characterization, make-up, and stage effects. Interspersed are behind-the-curtain scenes—rehearsals, collaborations with designers and musicians, touring episodes, and reactions from audiences and critics—and assessments of artistic method, temperament, and relationships with contemporaries. The work balances reminiscence with practical detail to convey both the working life and private qualities of its subject.

XXIV
VANDENHOFF

Old Vandenhoff played his farewell engagement in Edinburgh, at the Queen’s Theatre, in 1858. In The Merchant of Venice, Irving played Bassano to his Shylock; this was on Tuesday, February 16. In Act I, scene 3, where Shylock and Bassano enter, an odd thing occurred. I give it in Irving’s words as he told me of it!

“Vandenhoff began: ‘Three thousand’—there was a sort of odd click of something falling, and the speech dried up. I looked up at him and saw his mouth moving, but there was no sound. At the moment my eye caught the glitter of something golden on the stage. I stooped to pick it up, and as I did so saw that it was a whole set of false teeth. This I handed to Shylock, keeping my body between him and the audience so that no one might see the transaction. He turned away for an instant, putting both hands up to his face. As he turned back to the audience his words came out quite strong and clearly: ‘Three thousand ducats—well!’”