"He may be good, but he isn't Romeo," is a favorite type of criticism. But I have seen [Duse] and [Bernhardt] in "La Dame aux Camélias," and cannot say which is Marguerite Gauthier. Each has her own view of the character, and each is it according to her imagination.
According to his imagination, Henry Irving was Romeo.
Again in this play he used his favorite "fate" tree. It gloomed over the street along which Romeo went to the ball. It was in the scene with the Apothecary. Henry thought that it symbolized the destiny hanging over the lovers.
It is usual for Romeo to go in to the dead body of Juliet lying in Capulet's monument through a gate on the level, as if the Capulets were buried but a few feet from the road. At rehearsals Henry Irving kept on saying: "I must go down to the vault." After a great deal of consideration he had an inspiration. He had the exterior of the vault in one scene, the entrance to it down a flight of steps. Then the scene changed to the interior of the vault, and the steps now led from a height above the stage. At the close of the scene, when the Friar and the crowd came rushing down into the tomb, these steps were thronged with people, each one holding a torch, and the effect was magnificent.
At the opening of the Apothecary Scene, when Balthazar comes to tell Romeo of Juliet's supposed death, Henry was marvelous. His face grew whiter and whiter.
"Then she is well and nothing can be ill;
Her body sleeps in Capulet's monument."
"Then she is well and nothing can be ill;
Her body sleeps in Capulet's monument."
"Then she is well and nothing can be ill;
Her body sleeps in Capulet's monument."
"Then she is well and nothing can be ill;
Her body sleeps in Capulet's monument."
"Then she is well and nothing can be ill;
Her body sleeps in Capulet's monument."