It looks like we don't have any summaries for this title yet. Be the first to contribute.
Learn more- The first scene brings us back to the England of 1740. David Garrick, the greatest actor of that time, is seen on his way to rehearsal. Ada Ingot, a beautiful and wealthy English girl, deeply in love with Garrick, follows after, carrying his portrait in her arms. The impulsive girl, fearing to lose sight of her adored, attempts to cross the road after him, and is run down by a passing horseman. Garrick rescues her, ind she gives him a flower in remembrance. Scene second represents an interior in the home of Simon Ingot, Ada's father, who expects his daughter to marry Squire Chivey, he man he has chosen for her. Old Ingot inters and meets the expected bridegroom, who brings flowers for Ada. She is announced and Ingot, anxious to see how Ada receives the squire's gift of flowers, hurries him into a recess window to watch the action of his laughter. Ada now enters, ignoring the flowers. She holds at arm's length before her Jarrick's portrait, which she lovingly gazes upon. Old Ingot and the Squire, astonished t this state of affairs, watch the lovesick Ada dace Garrick's picture on the mantel, then takes the Squire's flowers and strews them bout the picture. This is too much for the Squire, who starts to leave the house, but is held back by old Ingot, who drives his daughter from the room. The Squire, seizing the Portrait, recognizes it as a picture of the famous actor of Drury Lane Theatre. At this old Ingot hits upon a plan. His daughter must be cured of her infatuation; so he sends by is footman a letter to David Garrick at Drury Lane. Scene third pictures the stage at old Drury in the brave days of the classic drama. This scene takes us back one hundred and sixty years, and to about one hundred years after the death of Shakespeare. Yet so powerful was the influence of the great dramatist upon the minds of men of that time, that the majority of plays acted then were Shakespeare's. It was at a time when the boy in the street and the man in the tavern knew the Titty lines of Shakespeare quite as well as hey know the wit of George Ade or George Cohan today, and perhaps they would consider that these two young bards had nothing on heir swan of Avon. The opening action represents members of Garrick's company assembled for rehearsal. Mr. Garrick enters and is bout to begin rehearsing when Ingot's footman enters and gives him the letter which pads: "To David Garrick, Actor, Drury Lane: Your picture has just been brought d my house. As I am anxious to see the signal, will you be good enough to call upon me. - Simon Ingot." Garrick, indignant, dismisses the footman without an answer; then treating the matter with smiling contempt, he tells the company the contents of the letter, they persuade him to answer the boorish note the way it deserves and give the tradesman reason. Garrick consents and sends his valet with an answer. Rehearsal now begins; Garrick correcting the exaggerated methods of his players; methods prevalent in all of the drama, and methods which have but altogether died out today, for there have been good and bad actors in all times. The picture of this scene represents Garrick delivering Shakespeare's "Seven Ages of Man," the greatest discourse of the kind ever penned by mortal hand. Scene fourth brings us back to Ingot's house. Ingot with the Squire awaits the return of the footman with Garrick's answer. The footman enters and tells of his dismissal by Garrick without a reply. Old Ingot is astounded that a play actor should dare to refuse his summons, when Garrick's valet enters with the desired answer, which reads: "My Dear Mr. Ingot: Your letter has just been brought me. If you are anxious to see me, pay the price of admission to the Drury Lane Theatre. - Yours, David Garrick." Old Ingot is furious and, handing the letter to the Squire, storms up to the window. The Squire throws the letter on a table and follows him. Ada enters, sees the letter, takes it up and kisses it. Ingot snatches it away from her and suddenly decides upon another plan. He will call on this upstart player, "David Garrick." His hat and staff are brought him and, instructing the valet to lead him to Garrick's apartment, he goes off, leaving Ada crying and the Squire trying to comfort her. Scene fifth shows us Garrick's apartment, the characteristic den of a gentleman and player. Ingot enters preceded by the valet. After staring in bourgeois wonder at the place, the valet announces the approach of a number of visitors. Ingot, not wishing to be seen by them, has the valet to hide him back of a screen. Several fellow-players and boon companions of Garrick now enter. Pipes and glasses are brought, but liquor is not forthcoming. They call lustily for Davey and the punch. Suddenly Garrick appears, carrying the punch bowl. A toast in rhyme is proposed and given by Garrick. The players call for more and coax Garrick to impersonate the drunken roysterer, a character made famous by him. His impersonation is so life-like that old Ingot, watching from back of the screen, forgets his whereabouts and applauds heartily. The players bring the intruder from behind the screen to the punch howl, where they are about to force him to drink more than he can hold, when the valet whispers to Garrick that he is the man who sent him the letter. Garrick laughs and calling off his companions, takes them out of the room to tell them the joke of the letter. Ingot, left alone with the valet, writes a letter to Garrick, Garrick returning before he can get away. Ingot again hides. Garrick reads the letter. "My Dear Mr. Garrick: My reason for asking you to call on me is that my daughter is desperately in love with you. I ask you as a father to undeceive her, act before her as you have acted tonight, and you will end the infatuation of my child. I shall expect you and your friends to dine at my house tomorrow. - Yours, Simon Ingot, 23 in the Strand." At finish of reading, Ingot approaches Garrick and implores him to comply with letter. Garrick consents and old Ingot leaves, thanking him. Scene six gives us the coaching party of Garrick and his fellow-players on their way to Ingot's house. Scene seven discloses the vestibule of Ingot's house. Guests are announced for the coming banquet. They enter, but then there are other guests to arrive, so the footman announces "The players have come, my Lord!" They enter and are received with great eclat by Ingot and his friends, whom they proceed to monopolize, particularly the female ones, whom they escort to the drawing room, leaving Ingot to receive Garrick, who now enters. The great player is told of the infatuation of Ingot's daughter. At this point Ada appears unseen by Garrick, who is urged behind the curtains. Ada passes off and Ingot implores Garrick to cure the infatuation of his daughter by pretending before her eyes to be drunk. Squire Chivey enters and helps to urge Garrick, who suddenly sees the humor of the thing, and consents. Scene eight is the drawing room at Ingot's. The guests enter and converse. Then Garrick, between Ingot and the Squire, enters in a most lamentable condition. Ada enters and is shocked to find her idol a thing of clay. In the ninth scene we have the dining room at Ingot s house. Garrick is making a drunken speech to the guests. Ada is not present. Old Ingot tells Chivey to watch for his daughter's coming, and urges Garrick to greater efforts. The actor climaxes his drunken role by pulling the table-cloth off the table, just as Ada enters. Humiliated, she orders Garrick from the house. The Squire and Ingot hug each other at this and hustle the guests out of the room, while from the rear they watch Ada alone with Garrick. She now takes his portrait from the wall and is about to throw it into the fire, when Garrick stops her and, taking a pressed flower from his pocketbook (the one given him by Ada), tells her to burn the flower. Instead, Ada looks at Garrick, and, realizing that he is not drunk, that he was only acting, takes the flower and kisses it. Ingot at this turn of affairs, tells the Squire to take Ada from the room. The Squire attempts to do so, but he is slapped in the face by Garrick. The challenge is given, and they leave to fight a duel. A dueling ground of ye olden time is presented in the tenth scene. The seconds of Garrick and the Squire enter and await their principals, who now enter on horseback. In an age of courtesy, the formalities are not forgotten. The duel with swords begins; the Squire is disarmed. Old Ingot, preceded by Ada, enters. The Squire is given back his sword, but refuses to continue the combat, when old Ingot bestows his daughter upon the player Garrick.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content