Benefit Performances
Starting in 1877, Trial by Jury was often given at benefit performances, usually for an actor or actress who had fallen on hard times, but occasionally for other causes. These were glittering affairs, with various celebrities appearing in principal roles or as part of the chorus. Gilbert himself played the silent role of the Associate on at least four occasions.
Arthur Sullivan conducted the 1877 benefit for actor Henry Compton. At the Compton benefit, Penley and George Grossmith were members of the Jury, and a number of other famous actors and actresses were in the chorus. Sullivan also conducted the 1889 benefit for Barrington.
At the Nellie Farren benefit, many of the performers listed below sat in the jury or the gallery, and Trial by Jury was followed by a six-hour long concert. Performances were given by Henry Irving, Ellaline Terriss, Marie Tempest, Hayden Coffin, Arthur Roberts, Letty Lind, Edmund Payne and many others.
The Ellen Terry benefit in 1906 was also a particularly well-attended affair, with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle numbered among the jury and Enrico Caruso singing, among many star performances.
| Role | Henry Compton Drury Lane 1 March 1877 |
Amy Roselle Lyceum 16 June 1887 |
Rutland Barrington Savoy 28 May 1889 |
Nellie Farren Drury Lane 17 March 1898 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judge | George Honey | Rutland Barrington | Rutland Barrington | Rutland Barrington |
| Counsel | George Fox | Richard Temple | Alec Marsh | Eric Lewis |
| Defendant | W. H. Cummings | Henry Bracy | Courtice Pounds | Courtice Pounds |
| Foreman | Mr. Burbank | Henry Lytton | ||
| Usher | Arthur Cecil | R. Lewis | W. H. Denny | Walter Passmore |
| Associate | W. S. Gilbert | Arthur Roberts | W. S. Gilbert | |
| Plaintiff | Pauline Rita | Geraldine Ulmar | Lottie Venne | Florence Perry |
| Role | Princess Christian's Homes of Rest for Disabled Soldiers Drury Lane, 15 May 1900 |
William Rignold Lyric Theatre 5 December 1902 |
Ellen Terry Drury Lane 12 June 1906 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judge | Rutland Barrington | Rutland Barrington | Rutland Barrington |
| Counsel | Eric Lewis | C. Hayden Coffin | Henry Lytton |
| Defendant | Courtice Pounds | Courtice Pounds | Courtice Pounds |
| Foreman | W. H. Denny | Fred Kaye | Robert Marshall |
| Usher | Walter Passmore | George Grossmith, Jr. | Walter Passmore |
| Associate | W. S. Gilbert | Lionel Monckton | W. S. Gilbert |
| Associate's Wife1 | Effie Bancroft | — | Fanny Brough |
| Plaintiff | Florence St. John | Evie Greene | Ruth Vincent |
1The role of the Associate's Wife was especially created for the disabled soldiers' benefit performance and does not appear in any standard performances.
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Famous quotes containing the words benefit and/or performances:
“Democracy means the organization of society for the benefit and at the expense of everybody indiscriminately and not for the benefit of a privileged class.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
“This play holds the season’s record [for early closing], thus far, with a run of four evening performances and one matinee. By an odd coincidence it ran just five performances too many.”
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967)