Wonderful post Hermes. I hope you don't mind me sharing a quote from Ellen Terry speaking of her jubilee in 1906 from her autobiography she says, “When I had celebrated my stage jubilee in 1906, I suddenly began to feel exuberantly young again. It was very inappropriate, but I could not help it. The recognition of my fifty years of stage life by the public and by my profession was quite unexpected. Henry Irving had said to me not long before his death in 1905 that he believed that they (the theatrical profession) “intended to celebrate our jubilee.” (If he had lived he would have completed his fifty years on the stage in the autumn of 1906). He said that there would be a monster performance at Drury Lane, and that already the profession were discussing what form it is to take. After his death I thought no more on the matter. Indeed I did not want to think about it, for any recognition of my jubilee which did not include his, seemed to me very unnecessary. Of course I was pleased that others thought it necessary. I enjoyed all the celebrations. Even the speeches that I had to make did not spoil my enjoyment. But all the time I knew perfectly well that the great show of honour and “friending” was not for me alone. Never for one instant did I forget this, nor that the light of the great man by whose side I had worked for a quarter of a century was still shining on me from his grave.” – Ellen Terry in her own words. Excerpted from her autobiography, ‘The Story of My Life’, with illustrations, London: Hutchinson & Co. Paternoster Row, 1908, pages 329/330.
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Wonderful post Hermes. I hope you don't mind me sharing a quote from Ellen Terry speaking of her jubilee in 1906 from her autobiography she says,
“When I had celebrated my stage jubilee in 1906, I suddenly began to feel exuberantly young again. It was very inappropriate, but I could not help it.
The recognition of my fifty years of stage life by the public and by my profession was quite unexpected. Henry Irving had said to me not long before his death in 1905 that he believed that they (the theatrical profession) “intended to celebrate our jubilee.” (If he had lived he would have completed his fifty years on the stage in the autumn of 1906). He said that there would be a monster performance at Drury Lane, and that already the profession were discussing what form it is to take.
After his death I thought no more on the matter. Indeed I did not want to think about it, for any recognition of my jubilee which did not include his, seemed to me very unnecessary.
Of course I was pleased that others thought it necessary. I enjoyed all the celebrations. Even the speeches that I had to make did not spoil my enjoyment. But all the time I knew perfectly well that the great show of honour and “friending” was not for me alone. Never for one instant did I forget this, nor that the light of the great man by whose side I had worked for a quarter of a century was still shining on me from his grave.” – Ellen Terry in her own words. Excerpted from her autobiography, ‘The Story of My Life’, with illustrations, London: Hutchinson & Co. Paternoster Row, 1908, pages 329/330.
Thanks so much. The more I read about her life, the more wonderful she becomes. Watts was just a blip in her life.
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