Rutland Barrington
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[[Image:BarringPooh.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Barrington as Pooh Bah in ''[[The Mikado]]'', 1895]]
'''Rutland Barrington''' ([[January 15]] [[1853]] – [[May 31]] [[1922]]) was an [[English people|English]] singer, [[actor]], comedian, and [[Edwardian musical comedy]] star. Best remembered for originating the lyric [[baritone]] roles in the [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] operas from 1877 to 1896, his performing career spanned more than four decades. He also wrote at least a dozen works for the stage.<ref>Walters, p. 21, fn. 25</ref>
After two years with a comic touring company, Barrington joined [[Richard D'Oyly Carte]]'s opera company and, over the next two decades, created a number of memorable [[comic opera]] roles, including Captain Corcoran in ''[[H.M.S. Pinafore]]'' (1878), the Sergeant of Police in ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]'' (1880), and Pooh Bah in ''[[The Mikado]]'' (1885), among many others. Failing in an 1888 attempt to become a theatrical manager, Barrington refocused his energies on acting and occasional playwriting.
Beginning in 1896 and continuing for ten years, Barrington played in a series of very successful musical comedies under the management of [[George Edwardes]] at [[Daly's Theatre]], specialising in comic portrayals of pompous rulers or other persons of authority. One of the most popular features of his performances was his insertion of topical songs, or verses of songs, into these musical comedies. After leaving Daly's he continued to appear in musical comedy roles and performed in [[music hall]]. He also assayed a few Shakespeare and other dramatic roles and appeared in a few silent films. His career ended in 1918, after which he suffered a stroke and lived the last few years of his life in poverty.
==Life and career==
Barrington was born '''George Rutland Fleet''' at [[Penge]], England, the fourth son of John George Fleet (1818–1902).<ref name=Times16>''The Times'', June 2, 1922, p. 16</ref> His mother was the former Esther Faithfull (1823–1908). He was educated at the [[Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood|Merchant Taylors' School]].<ref name=Ayre>Ayre, p. 48</ref> One of his five brothers was actor Duncan Fleet (born 1860, date of death unknown), and another was [[Vice-Admiral]] Herbert Cecil Fleet (born 1851, date of death unknown). He also had two sisters.<ref>''The Times'', June 7, 1922, p. 9</ref> Barrington was employed in a bank for eighteen months as a young man, but had no enthusiasm for such work; he had ambitions to be an actor. Barrington's father did not want his son to go on the stage and forbade him to do so until he came of age.<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 32</ref> His aunt, activist [[Emily Faithfull]], helped him to make his first connections in the theatre.<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 15</ref>
In 1880, Barrington married Ellen Louisa Jane Stainer (1851–1918), from [[Woolwich]] in [[Kent]], the daughter of William Stainer and the former Lucy Mary Wheeler. Barrington and his wife had no children.
===Early career; joining D'Oyly Carte's company===
[[Image:Dr.jpg|left|thumb|Barrington as Dr Daly in ''[[The Sorcerer]]'', 1877]]
Barrington made his professional debut with [[Henry Neville]]'s company at the [[Olympic Theatre]] in 1874, playing the role of Sir George Barclay in [[Tom Taylor]]'s ''Lady Clancarty'', and then in ''The Ticket-of-Leave man'', and ''The Two Orphans'', among others.<ref name=Times16/> The following year, he was hired to appear in the touring company of Mr and Mrs Howard Paul.<ref>Mrs Paul, nee Isabella Featherstone (1833-1879) left her husband (Howard Paul, 1830-1905) around 1877, as he was having an affair with the actress-dancer [[Letty Lind]], with whom he sired two illegitimate children. However, she continued performing under this name, often humorously impersonating the famous [[tenor]] [[Sims Reeves]]. ''See'' Barringon (1908), p. 21</ref> The company played a hectic schedule of entertainments.<ref>Barrington (1908), pp. 21-22</ref>
In 1877, producer [[Richard D'Oyly Carte]] approached Mrs Paul to play the part of Lady Sangazure in the new [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] opera that Carte was producing, ''[[The Sorcerer]]''. She conditioned her acceptance on her young protégé, Barrington, being given a part, and so Barrington was cast in the role of Dr Daly, the vicar, and his career as a star on the London stage was launched at the age of 24.<ref name=Whowaswho>[http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/whowaswho/B/BarringtonRutland.htm Stone, David. "Rutland Barrington" at the ''Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte'' website (G&S Archive)], accessed March 9, 2008</ref> When Barrington auditioned before [[W. S. Gilbert]], the young actor questioned his own suitability for [[comic opera]], but Gilbert, who required that his actors play their sometimes-absurd lines in all earnestness, explained the casting choice: "He's a staid, solid swine, and that's what I want."<ref name=Ayre/>
In his 1908 autobiography, Barrington repeats a line from a first night review of his performance as Dr Daly in ''The Sorcerer'': "Mr Barrington is wonderful. He always manages to sing one-sixteenth of a tone flat; it's so like a vicar."<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 30</ref> Barrington went on to say that producer Richard D'Oyly Carte later came to see him, saying, "...what's the matter? ...some one has just come out of the stalls to tell me you are singing in tune. It will never do." Barrington said that "This pleased me so much that I have never sung flat since, except, of course, when I wished...."<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 31</ref> Several contemporaries disagreed, including [[Francois Cellier]].<ref>Cellier and Bridgeman, p. 158</ref> Many years later, in her memoir, [[Ellaline Terriss]] wrote: "...dear old Rutland scarcely ever did sing in tune – but how grand he was.... He had a beautifully clear diction and a marvellous sense of timing – and was one of the finest singers of the then popular topical songs that our stage ever knew."<ref>[http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/mdpemberton-wsg.htm Excerpt from Terris, Ellaline. "Curtain Up at the Gaiety" in ''Just a Little Bit of String'', pp. 113-15 (1955) Hutchinson & Co., London], accessed March 9, 2008</ref> Percy Hetherington Fitzgerald wrote of Barrington in his 1899 book, ''The Savoy Opera'', "His peculiar tranquil or impassive style has always exactly suited the characters allotted to him, and it would now be difficult to imagine a Savoy opera without him.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=EhkjAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA38&vq=Barrington Fitzgerald, Percy Hetherington. ''The Savoy Opera'' (1899) Chatto & Windus, p. 38], accessed March 9, 2008</ref> However, Barrington's performance as Dr Daly impressed the critics and audiences, and he won a permanent place in D'Oyly Carte's company.<ref name=Walters16>Walters, p. 16</ref>
====Pinafore to Ruddigore====
[[Image:BarringtonCaptain.jpg|right|thumb|Playing Corcoran in ''[[H.M.S. Pinafore]]'', revival]]
From 1877 to 1894, except for a foray into the business of theatrical management in 1888–89, Barrington remained with the [[D'Oyly Carte Opera Company]], creating comic lyric baritone roles in all of Gilbert and Sullivan's new operas with the exception of ''[[The Yeomen of the Guard]]'' (1888). In 1878, Rutland created the role of Lord Chamberlain in [[James Albery|Albery]]'s and [[Alfred Cellier|Cellier's]] [[curtain raiser]], ''[[The Spectre Knight]]'', played the Counsel for the Plaintiff in the revival of ''[[Trial by Jury]]'', and created the role of Captain Corcoran in Gilbert and Sullivan's first smash hit, ''[[H.M.S. Pinafore]]''.<ref name=Whowaswho/> Barrington was a big man, which led to one of Gilbert's famous quips in a rehearsal for ''Pinafore''. Gilbert asked Barrington to sit "pensively" on one of the ship's skylights. Barrington lowered himself into position, and the hastily sewn set piece collapsed under his weight. Gilbert remarked, "No, That's ''ex''-pensively."<ref name=Ayre/>
Barrington also created the role of Pennyfather in [[Frank Desprez|Desprez]] and Cellier's curtain raiser, ''[[After All!]]'' (1878). Barrington played Mr. Cox in Carte's revival of ''[[Cox and Box]]'' (1879) and created the role of the Sergeant of Police in ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]'' in London (1880). Barrington was proud that the Sergeant's song generally received two encores. Eventually, he asked Gilbert to write an "encore verse" for the song. Gilbert replied that "encore" means "sing it again."<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 39</ref> Also around this time, Barrington's short play entitled ''Quid Pro Quo'', written with Cunningham Bridgeman and composed by Wilfred Bendall, was first produced.<ref>Described as "a vaudeville", ''Quid Pro Quo'' played at the Dilettantes Circle, a private club, in March 1881 with Barrington and fellow [[D'Oyly Carte Opera Company|Savoyard]] Emily Cross playing the two roles. See ''The Theatre'', April 1881 and Clarence, Reginald, ''The Stage Cyclopaedia - a bibliography of plays'', p. 374 (Burt, Franklin New York, 1909; 1970 reprint). The piece played at the [[Opera Comique]] under the management of [[John Hollingshead]] from October to December 1881 as a forepiece to Gilbert and Clay's opera, ''[[Princess Toto]]'', and then in March 1882 as a forepiece to ''The Mother-in-law'', in both cases starring Emily Cross again as Lady Ethel, and George Temple as Lord Arthur. See [[Kurt Gänzl]]'s ''The British Musical Theatre, vol. l 1865 – 1914'', p. 191 (Macmillan Press, 1986). It was revived, with revisions, at [[St George's Hall]] in 1886 (Clarence, p. 374) and again in 1889 (''The Musical Times'', 1 August, 1889, p. 486).</ref><ref>[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quid-Vaudeville-written-Barrington-Bridgman/dp/B0000CT133 Barrington, Rutland. Script of ''Quid Pro Quo'' at Amazon], accessed March 9, 2008</ref>
[[Image:BarringonHild.jpg|left|thumb|Playing Hildebrand in ''[[Princess Ida]]'', 1884]]
The next role that Barrington created was Archibald Grosvenor in ''[[Patience (opera)|Patience]]'' (1881). Casting the large Barrington as the "perfect" and "infallible" incarnation of manly beauty mirrored a joke in Gilbert's earlier ''[[A Sensation Novel]]'', in which he cast the large, ungainly Corney Grain, in a similar role.<ref name=Walters16/> This was followed by the role of Earl Mountararat in ''[[Iolanthe]]'' (1882; he also found time to appear in an 1882 Christmas [[pantomime]] of ''Robin Hood'' written by [[George Thorne]]), and King Hildebrand in ''[[Princess Ida]]'' (1884). This role was Barrington's least favourite of the series, and he attributed ''Ida'''s relatively short run, at least in part, to the lack of prominence of this role in the opera.<ref name=Bar54>Barrington (1908), p. 54</ref> During the run of ''Princess Ida'', a comedy written by Barrington and called ''Bartonmere Towers'' was first presented at a matinee.<ref name=Bar54/>
[[Image:Margdespaa.gif|right|frame|With [[Jessie Bond]] as Despard and Margaret, 1887]]
After ''Princess Ida'' closed, Barrington reprised his role of Dr Daly and also played the Learned Judge in the revival of ''The Sorcerer'' and ''Trial'' (1884—over the years, Barrington frequently played the Judge in D'Oyly Carte's and various "benefit" performances of ''Trial''). He also played Dr Dozey in [[Sydney Grundy]]'s ''The Silver Shield'' (1885).<ref name=Walters17>Walters, p. 17</ref> In 1885, he created his most famous role, that of Pooh-Bah in ''[[The Mikado]]''. ''The Theatre'''s review was typical of the critics' unanimous praise: "The Pooh-Bah of Mr. Barrington is a masterpiece of pompous stolidity – nothing could possibly be better of its kind – and this popular comedian provided his many admirers with an agreeable surprise by singing every note of the music allotted to him in perfect tune."<ref name=Walters17/> Next, Barrington created the role of Sir Despard Murgatroyd in ''[[Ruddigore]]'' and then reprised his original roles in revivals of ''Pinafore'', ''Pirates'' and ''The Mikado'' in (1887–88).<ref name=Whowaswho/> During rehearsals for ''Ruddigore'', and after discussions with other cast members on the subject, Barrington complained to Gilbert about the guests that Gilbert frequently invited to rehearsals, saying that he didn't wish to be taught the stage business "before a row of ...strangers." Gilbert forgave Barrington for the outburst and even discontinued the invitations. However, if anyone sat in the stalls during later rehearsals awaiting their cue, Gilbert would expostulate, "You mustn't sit here; Barrington won't like it."<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 61</ref>
''[[The Times]]'' said of Barrington's performances, "His strength lay in his quietness of voice and movement... in perfect contrast to the restlessness of [[George Grossmith]]. No one could be so ridiculously pompous... he moved with effect. There was a native drollery in his lightly rolling dance, a comic dignity in his rotund and placid, yet twinklingly intelligent face. He always gave the impression of thoroughly enjoying whatever he did...."<ref name=Times16/> In its review of ''Ruddigore'', ''The Theatre'' wrote, "Better comic acting than his, or more highly finished, I have never seen and never wish to see."<ref>[http://www.savoyoperas.org.uk/ruddigore/rud3.html ''The Theatre'', 1 February 1887, 4th series 9: pp. 95-98], accessed March 9, 2008</ref>
====Theatrical management experiment and later Savoy roles====
[[Image:Marco and Giuseppe.jpg|left|thumb|With [[Courtice Pounds]], as Marco and Giuseppe, 1889]]
In 1888, Barrington left the D'Oyly Carte organisation and the [[Savoy Theatre]], missing the chance to create the role of Wilfred in ''Yeomen'', to try his hand at theatrical management, leasing the [[St. James's Theatre]]. The ''Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News'' lamented Barrington's departure, suggesting that he was irreplaceable in the [[Savoy Opera]]s: "He is the typical embodiment... of that British Philistinism, the pachydermatous hide of which Mr. Gilbert has so long striven to penetrate by the process of holding up its own image before it."<ref>Stedman, p. 249</ref> In March 1888, Barrington played Chrysos in a benefit performance of Gilbert's ''[[Pygmalion and Galatea]]'', a role that he would reprise at a number of "benefit" performances over the years.<ref name=Walters17/> Later in the year, at the St. James, Barrington produced Grundy's ''The Dean's Daughter'', also playing the dean. Though unsuccessful, the piece launched several theatrical careers, including [[Olga Nethersole]]'s.<ref>[http://www.wayneturney.20m.com/nethersoleolga.htm A description of the opening night of ''The Dean's Daughter'' in "Olga Nethersole (1870-1957), Actress, Manager" (Wayne Turney website)], accessed March 9, 2008</ref> and Gilbert's ''[[Brantinghame Hall]]'' (an abject failure), starring Barrington as Mr. Thursby, as well as his younger brother, Duncan Fleet, [[Julia Neilson]] and [[Lewis Waller]] (the latter two in their professional stage debuts). Its companion piece was ''A Patron Saint''.<ref>[http://www.arcadee.freeserve.co.uk/gnspr03.htm Information about cast and companion piece of ''Brantinghame Hall'' (David B Lovell "Programmes" website)], accessed March 9, 2008</ref> This decision proved to be a financial disaster for Barrington, and he was bankrupt after only five months.<ref>Stedman, pp. 252-58.</ref>
[[Image:Bond and Barrington On the Road in 1891.png|right|thumb|250px|[[Jessie Bond]] and Barrington on their duologues tour in 1891]]
After ''Brantingame Hall'' closed, he again played Chrysos in a revival of ''Pygmalion and Galatea'' at the [[Lyceum Theatre]] and played Mr Barnes in his own play, ''To the Death'', at the Olympic Theatre.<ref name=Adams>[http://books.google.com/books?id=tjwOAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=%22Rutland+Barrington%22+Daly+%22Pooh+Bah%22+%22San+Toy%22+&source=web&ots=JfjH2uGWl9&sig=xiMHl5Ub04HBiyF5Jw3Xl3zXmHE Adams, William Davenport. ''A Dictionary of the Drama'', p. 116 (1904, Chatto & Windus)]</ref> He then appeared at the [[Comedy Theatre]] in ''Pickwick'', a successful one-act musical play by [[F. C. Burnand]] and [[Edward Solomon]] based on an episode in ''[[The Pickwick Papers]]'', which Barrington ended up directing and alternated in the roles of Pickwick and Baker.<ref>Barrington (1908), pp. 79-80</ref> He then created the role of Lt. Col. Cadbury in a Grundy farce called ''Merry Margate'' and then played Tosser in a comic opera by Solomon and George P. Hawtrey called ''Penelope''.<ref name=Walters18>Walters, p. 18</ref> He also played a number of other roles in other theatres<ref name=Adams/> throughout 1889 until he rejoined D'Oyly Carte to create the role of Giuseppe in ''[[The Gondoliers]]'' in December 1889, remaining for the long run of that last Gilbert and Sullivan hit.
After ''The Gondoliers'' closed in 1891, Gilbert and Sullivan were estranged for a time. Barrington appeared in a few more roles, including as Robert Plushly in his own piece, ''A Swarry Dansong'', a duologue with music by Solomon. He then returned to the Savoy to star as Punka, the Rajah of Chutneypore, in [[George Dance (dramatist)|Dance]], [[Frank Desprez|Desprez]], and Solomon's ''[[The Nautch Girl]]''. In August 1891, Barrington and [[Jessie Bond]] took a leave of absence from that show to tour a series of "musical duologues" (written by Barrington and composed by [[Edward Solomon]]) throughout Britain, returning to the Savoy in November.<ref name=Whowaswho/> In 1892, Barrington created the title role of Reverend William Barlow, in Grundy and Solomon's ''[[The Vicar of Bray (opera)|The Vicar of Bray]]'' and then toured with that show.<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 88</ref> In September 1892, he created the role of Rupert Vernon in Grundy and Sullivan's ''[[Haddon Hall (opera)|Haddon Hall]]'', making a critical splash. For example, ''The Figaro'' wrote: "Barrington... kept the audience in shouts of laughter the whole time [he was] on the stage."<ref name=Walters18/> In 1893, he created the role of the Proctor in [[J. M. Barrie]], [[Arthur Conan Doyle]], and [[Ernest Ford]]'s ''[[Jane Annie]]'', which was unsuccessful at the Savoy but ran more successfully on tour. Barrington, a life-long golf enthusiast, speculated that one reason for the failure of ''Jane Annie'' in London was that the game of golf was not yet popular there.<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 96</ref> Despite the failure of the piece, Barrington was singled out for critical praise.<ref name=Walters19>Walters, p. 19</ref> Barrington next created the role of King Paramount I in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''[[Utopia, Limited]]'', opening in October of that year. Barrington's comedy, ''Bartonmere Towers'', was also produced at a matinee the Savoy in 1893, with Barrington playing Sir James Hanbury.<ref name=Adams/>
[[Image:Palmay barrington.jpg|left|thumb|210px|With [[Ilka Pálmay|Pálmay]] in ''[[The Grand Duke]]'', 1896]]
Barrington left the company again when ''Utopia'' closed, taking over the role of Dr Montague Brierly in the [[Owen Hall|Hall]], [[Harry Greenbank|Greenbank]] and [[Sidney Jones|Jones]] musical, ''[[A Gaiety Girl]]'' (in 1894) produced by [[George Edwardes]].<ref name=Walters19/> Next, he appeared in Gilbert and [[F. Osmond Carr|Carr's]] ''[[His Excellency (opera)|His Excellency]]'' (1894–95)<ref name=Whowaswho/> creating the role of the Regent. The stage was dominated by a heroic-size statue of him in the role.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=-2t-7Dn6oGYC&printsec=titlepage#PRA2-PA286,M1 Photo of the statue of Barrington as the Regent from ''The English Illustrated Magazine'', p. 286 (1906, Macmillan)], accessed March 9, 2008</ref> Barrington also wrote and directed a one-act operetta, ''A Knight Errant'', with music by Alfred Caldicott, which played as a companion piece with ''His Excellency'' at the [[Lyric Theatre (London)|Lyric Theatre]]. At [[Toole's Theatre]], he played John Rimple in ''Thoroughbred'', by Ralph R. Lumley, in early 1895. [[J. L. Toole]] had originated the role but took ill and was forced to retire.<ref>Barrington (1908), pp. 100-01</ref> Barrington also played in some [[German Reed Entertainments]], including a revival of ''[[Happy Arcadia]]'' at [[St. George's Hall (London)|St. George's Hall]] in 1895, starring [[Fanny Holland]], and toured with the German Reeds.<ref name=Times16/><ref>Barrington (1908), pp. 103-04</ref>
In November 1895, Barrington returned to the Savoy as Pooh-Bah in another revival of ''The Mikado'', and in March 1896 he created the role of Ludwig in Gilbert and Sullivan's last opera, ''[[The Grand Duke]]''. In his 1908 memoir, Barrington wrote of some difficulty in getting along with his co-star, [[Ilka Palmay]], who was cast in the role of Julia.<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 105</ref> As usual, the critics were pleased with Barrington, "on whom... falls the chief burden of the piece, is intensely funny as Ludwig, more especially in the absurd costume of the second act...."<ref>[http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/grand_duke/html/times_review.html ''The Times'' review of 9 March 1896], accessed 28 April 2008</ref> After another revival of ''The Mikado'', Barrington again left the Savoy.
===Later years===
Beginning in 1896, Barrington spent ten very successful years under the management of [[George Edwardes]] at [[Daly's Theatre]], first taking over the role of Marquis Imari in ''[[The Geisha]]'' (1896), and then creating roles in a number of hit [[Edwardian musical comedies]], including Marcus Pomponius in ''[[A Greek Slave]]'' (1898), Yen How in ''[[San Toy]]'' (1899), The Rajah of Bhong in ''[[A Country Girl]]'' (1902), and Boobhamba in ''[[The Cingalee]]'' (1904), among others. In these roles, he had more freedom to add "gags" than Gilbert had given him at the Savoy, and he often wrote topical verses to [[Adrian Ross]]'s songs. However, Barrington complained that, in these musical comedies, the plot was nearly eliminated during rehearsals.<ref>Barrington (1908), pp. 116-17</ref> During this time, Barrington often reprised his role as the Judge at benefit matinees.<ref name=Walters19/> Also during this period, several of Barrington's stage works were produced by [[Arthur Bourchier]] at the [[Garrick Theatre]], including Barrington's popular children's "fairy play" called ''Water Babies'', based on [[Charles Kingsley]]'s book, with music by Frederick Rosse, Albert Fox, and Alfred Cellier (1902).<ref name=Whowaswho/> Barrington directed ''Water Babies''.
[[Image:Rutland Barrington.jpg|right|thumb|220px|Playing Marcus in ''[[A Greek Slave]]'', 1898]]
Barrington appeared between 1905 and 1907 in several musical comedies, including ''[[The White Chrysanthemum]]'', as Admiral Sir Horatio Armitage, K.C.B. (with [[Isabel Jay]], [[Louie Pounds]] and [[Henry Lytton]]). He also played Barnabas Goodeve in a revival of the farce ''The Candidate'' by Justin Huntly McCarthy at [[Wyndham's Theatre]] with [[Charles Wyndham]]. He then briefly played his old role in a revival of ''The Geisha'', after which he created the role of the Pharoh of Egypt in the successful comic opera ''Amasis'', by Michael Faraday and Frederick Fenn, both in London (where it ran for over 200 performances) and on extended tours.<ref>Barrington (1908), chapters XII through XVI</ref><ref name=Walters19/>
During this period, Barrington performed his own solo music hall sketches at the Coliseum and produced various tours, performing standard topical songs of the day, including the only song that he recorded, "The Moody Mariner" (1905).<ref name=Whowaswho/> This was based on a story in ''Many Cargoes'' by Jacobs, with lyrics by Barrington and music by [[Walter Slaughter]]. Other such sketches and songs included "Man the Lifeboat", written by Leedham Bantock,<ref name=Walters20>Walters, p. 20</ref> "Across the Silent Way" and "The Tramp" by Barrington and Slaughter, and ''Mummydom'', which he wrote with Wilfrid Bendall (Sullivan's former secretary) based on his play of the same name that had been produced some years earlier at Penley's Theatre.<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 207</ref> He also wrote a ''Rip van Winkle'' sketch for Courtice Pounds. Barrington became known for writing topical verses on short notice. In his 1908 memoir, he tells the following story:
{{cquote|The final tie of the Association Football Cup was being played at the Crystal Palace, and I determined to sing them a verse giving the score at half-time.... I had written... an alternative two lines to suit whichever team had scored, but when the curtain rose for my turn the news had not come. While I was singing the song I saw the stage manager in the wings waving a telegram. ...I went to the wings, got the envelope, opened it before the audience, and sang them the information that Aston Villa was a goal ahead. I do not think I have ever had a greater success with a verse.<ref>Barrington (1908), p. 145-46</ref>}}
[[Image:BarringtonHelen.jpg|left|thumb|[[Helen D'Oyly Carte]] with Barrington, c. 1908]]
Barrington returned to the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1908 for the second of the London repertory seasons, playing Pooh-Bah, Captain Corcoran, Mountararat, and the Sergeant once again, and adding the roles of Wilfred Shadbolt in ''Yeomen'' (finally completing his cycle of the extant Gilbert and Sullivan operas), and Don Alhambra in ''The Gondoliers'' to his Savoy repertoire.<ref name=Whowaswho/> He then played in more music hall sketches and in musicals, including in ''A Member of Tattersall's'' an adaptation by Adrian Ross of [[Leo Fall]]'s ''Die Geschtedene Frau'', as the Marquis of Steyne in ''The Walls of Jericho'', as Judge Tucker in ''The Bigamist'' and as Lucas Van Tromp in ''[[The Girl in the Train]]'' at the [[Vaudeville Theatre]] (1910), among others.<ref name=Walters20/> He also established himself on the legitimate stage, playing Falstaff in ''[[The Merry Wives of Windsor]]'' at [[Her Majesty's Theatre|His Majesty's Theatre]] in 1911; as Leonard Alcar in ''The Great Adventure'' by [[Arnold Bennett]] (1913-14; based on Bennett's 1908 novel, ''Buried Alive''); as Max Somossy in ''The Joy-Ride Lady'', by Arthur Anderson and Huntley Carrick at the New Theatre; <ref name=Walters20/> and Polonius in ''[[Hamlet]]'' and Christopher Sly in ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]'' at His Majesty's in 1916, among other roles.<ref>[http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/r-barrington.html Profile of Barrington at the "Memories of the D'Oyly Carte" website], accessed March 9, 2008</ref> Barrington continued to perform in London and in the provinces until 1918. One of his later successes was as the kindly bookmaker in ''A Member of Tattersall's''. His last role was Claus in ''The Burgomaster of Stilemonde''.<ref name=Times16/>
Barrington wrote horse racing columns for ''[[Punch (magazine)|Punch]]'' magazine under the pseudonym ''Lady Gay''<ref name=Times16/> and also wrote two volumes of reminiscences. He also appeared in a number of films, including "San Toy" (1900), "The Great Adventure" (1915), "Still Waters Run Deep" (1916), and "The Girl Who Loves A Soldier" (1916).<ref>[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=17850375 Rutland Barrington at Find-a-grave], accessed March 9, 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0057500/ Rutland Barrington at the IMDB database], accessed March 9, 2008</ref>
After Barrington suffered a paralytic stroke in 1919, he was unable to perform. He spent the rest of his life in poverty,<ref name=Walters20/> although benefits were held and other efforts made to help him. He died in the St. James's Infirmary, [[Balham]], in [[South London]] at the age of 69 and is buried in Lower Morden Lane at the [[Morden]] Cemetery, also known as Battersea New Cemetery, in [[Surrey]].
==Notes==
[[Image:Rutland Barrington as Paramount.jpg|right|thumb|Playing King Paramount in ''[[Utopia, Limited]]'', 1893]]
{{Reflist}}
==References==
*{{cite book|last=Ayre|first=Leslie|year=1972|title=The Gilbert & Sullivan Companion|location=London|publisher=W.H. Allen & Co Ltd}} Introduction by [[Martyn Green]].
*{{cite book|last=Barrington|first=Rutland|year=1908|title=Rutland Barrington: A Record of 35 Years' Experience on the English Stage|location=London|publisher=G. Richards|url=http://www.archive.org/details/rutlandbarringto00barrrich}} Preface by [[W. S. Gilbert]], accessed March 9, 2008
*{{cite book|last=Barrington|first=Rutland|year=1911|title=More Rutland Barrington|location=London|publisher=Grant Richards|url=http://www.archive.org/details/morerutlandbarri00barruoft}}, accessed March 9, 2008
*{{cite book|last=Cellier|first=François and Cunningham Bridgeman|year=1914|title=Gilbert and Sullivan and Their Operas|location=London|publisher=Sir Isaac Pitman & sons, ltd|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=RgARAAAAIAAJ&pgis=1}}, accessed March 9, 2008
* Glynn, Gerald, "Brantinghame Hall: 1. A Night of Melodrama", ''W. S. Gilbert Society Journal'', ed. Brian Jones, Vol. 1, No. 2: Autumn 1985, pp. 45-49.
* {{cite book|last=Stedman|first=Jane W.|year=1996|title=W. S. Gilbert, A Classic Victorian & His Theatre|publisher=Oxford University Press|id=ISBN 0-19-816174-3}}
*Walters, Michael "A Brief Overview of the Life of Rutland Barrington" in ''The Gilbert & Sullivan News'', vol. II, no. 13, pp. 16-21 (Autumn/Winter 1998; The Gilbert and Sullivan Society).
==External links==
*[http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/r-barrington.html Profile of Barrington at the "Memories of the D'Oyly Carte" site]
*[http://www.c20th.com/GSarchive.htm Programme covers and brief descriptions of various productions in which Barrington appeared]
*[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0057500/bio Brief profile of Barrington at the IMDB website]
*[http://library.kent.ac.uk/library/special/icons/playbills/playdat1.htm Cast and crew information about several productions in which Barrington appeared]
*[http://www.savoyoperas.org.uk/duke/gd1.html Reviews of Barrington in ''The Grand Duke'']
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrington, Rutland}}
[[Category:1853 births|Barrington, Rutland]]
[[Category:1922 deaths|Barrington, Rutland]]
[[Category:Gilbert and Sullivan performers]]
[[Category:English stage actors]]
[[Category:English opera singers]]
[[Category:English actor-singers]]
[[Category:English dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Old Merchant Taylors]]
[[es:Rutland Barrington]]