Drawing

Watercolour drawing by L.J. Binns, showing the actor/manager Sir Henry Irving (1838-1905) as Hamlet.

Henry Irving (1838-1905) first played the title role of Hamlet by William Shakespeare in 1874. Produced under the management of H. L. Bateman, Irving brought a simplicity to the role, avoiding the contrived point-making and artifice of earlier actors. The new approach found an appreciative audience, and played for 200 nights consecutively. Irving revived the role four years later in a production of the play which inaugurated his management of the Lyceum Theatre, London, and his acting partnership with Ellen Terry (1847-1928), who played Ophelia. Irving was painted in the role by Edwin Longsden Long (1829-1891) in 1880 and sculpted by Edward Onslow Ford (1852–1901) in 1883.