This was the beginning of a somewhat extended collaboration. Small success attended the production at the Princess's of ‘The Good Old Times,’ a play from the same pens (12 Feb. 1889), or of Barrett's own drama, ‘Now-a-days: a Tale of the Turf’ (28 Feb.).
On 4 December 1890, after his second American tour, he opened the new Olympic Theatre, London, with ‘The People's Idol,’ by himself and Victor Widnell. An impersonation of the Stranger in Thompson's old play of that title was followed on 21 April 1891 by ‘The Acrobat,’ Barrett's version of Dennery and Fournier's ‘Le Paillasse’ (1850). During a provincial tour he first played Othello at the Court Theatre, Liverpool, on 22 Oct. 1891. Barrett still retained control of the Grand Theatre, Leeds, and there he now brought out three new pieces of his own, ‘Pharaoh’ (29 Sept. 1892); his first, and best, version of Hall Caine's novel ‘The Manxman’ (22 August 1894), in which his Pete was probably the best of his later characterisations; and for the first time in England ‘The Sign of the Cross,’ an adroit amalgam of popular religion and crude melodrama (26 Aug. 1895), which had been originally produced at the Grand Opera House, St. Louis, on 27 March 1895.
On 4 January 1896 Barrett opened management of the Lyric Theatre, London, with ‘The Sign of the Cross,’ which ran prosperously for a year and restored his long precarious fortunes. There followed at the Lyric ‘The Daughters of Babylon,’ by himself (6 Feb. 1897). In May he was seen there as Virginius and Othello. After a last visit to America, and a first visit in 1898 to Australia, Barrett in 1899 succeeded Irving as manager of the Lyceum, but the experiment was a failure. A new drama by himself and Mr. L. N. Parker, ‘Man and His Makers’ (produced 7 Oct.), was unfavourably received, and revivals of ‘The Sign of the Cross,’ ‘Hamlet,’ and ‘Othello’ attracted small audiences.
Meanwhile he continued to bring out new pieces by himself at provincial houses. During 1902 he also paid a second visit to Australia, and on his return he brought out at the Adelphi in London (on 18 Dec.) ‘The Christian King,’ a piece of his own which was first seen at the Prince's, Bristol, 6 Nov. In this he played Alfred of Engleland. Next year he toured in ‘In the Middle of June,’ yet another of his dramas, first produced at Middlesbrough (11 June 1903). On 9 June 1904 he paid a three weeks' visit to the Shakespeare theatre, Liverpool, and after producing his last new play, ‘Lucky Durham,’ made his final appearance on the stage as Wilfred Denver. He died in a private hospital in London on 22 July after an operation for cancer, and was buried in Hampstead cemetery. He was survived by two sons, Frank and Alfred, and by a daughter, Dollie.
Barrett's features were cast in a classic mould and his presence was manly and graceful. Hence his predilection for classical impersonations. But his articulation suffered either from a defect in his utterance or from an affectation of delivery, and his method of acting was usually stilted. In melodrama he presented heroic fortitude with effect. His dramas made no pretence to literature. They aimed at stage effect and boldly picturesque characterisation without logical sequence or psychological consistency. His portrait as Hamlet was painted by Frank Holl, R.A. Besides the pieces by himself already mentioned he wrote (among many others) ‘Sister Mary,’ with Clement Scott (produced at Brighton 8 March 1886); and a dramatic version of Mr. Hall Caine's novel ‘The Bondman’ (produced at the Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, Dec. 1893). He also published one or two novels, based on his own plays.
[Arthur Goddard's Players of the Period, 1891; Boyle Lawrence's Celebrities of the Stage, 1899; J. C. Dibdin's Annals of the Edinburgh Stage, 1888; Notes and Queries, 11th ser. iii. 225 and 276; Broadbent's Annals of the Liverpool Stage; Dramatic Notes, 1881–1885; Theatre Magazine, Dec. 1891; Dramatic Year Book for 1892; Col. T. Allston Brown's History of the New York Stage, 1903; William Archer's Theatrical World for 1895; Daily Telegraph, 23 July 1904; New York Dramatic Mirror, 30 July 1904; private information.]
BARRY, ALFRED (1826–1910), primate of Australia and canon of Windsor, born at Ely Place, Holborn, on 15 Jan. 1826, was second son of Sir Charles Barry [q. v.], architect, whose 'Life and Works' he published (1867 ; 2nd ed. 1870), and elder brother of Edward Middleton Barry [q. v.], whose Royal Academy lectures on architecture he edited with a memoir in 1881. His mother was Sarah, daughter of Samuel Rowsell. His youngest brother is Sir John Wolfe Wolfe Barry, K.C.B., the civil engineer. Educated at King's College, London, from 1841 to 1844, Barry proceeded in 1844 to Trinity College, Cambridge ; in 1848 he was placed fourth among the
