author
Sir Henry Irving
1838–1905
A towering figure of the Victorian stage, he helped turn acting into a respected public profession. Best remembered as the great star-manager of London’s Lyceum Theatre, he was the first actor ever to receive a knighthood.
1 Audiobook
The Drama
by Sir Henry Irving
About the author
Born John Henry Brodribb in Somerset in 1838, Henry Irving began his career in provincial theatre before making his name in London. His breakthrough came with The Bells in 1871, and he soon became one of the most famous performers of his age, admired for his intense presence, distinctive voice, and carefully shaped interpretations of Shakespeare and other dramatic roles.
Irving is closely linked with the Lyceum Theatre, where he worked as actor-manager and helped shape every part of a production, from casting and staging to the overall artistic tone. His long partnership with actress Ellen Terry became one of the best-known collaborations in British theatre, and together they drew large audiences in plays such as Hamlet, Macbeth, and The Merchant of Venice.
In 1895 he became the first actor to be knighted, a sign of how much the status of the theatre had changed during his lifetime. He died in 1905, shortly after a performance in Bradford, but his influence on modern stage production and on the public standing of actors lasted well beyond the Victorian era.