ABSTRACT
In 1856 the Crimean War ended, Flaubert published Madame Bovary, and John Brodribb changed his name to Henry Irving, went to Sunderland, duly presented Hoskins’s letter to the manager of the theatre and began his career. He had chosen the name Irving from the American writer Washington Irving, and had added his own second name Henry. It would look good on the bills, had a fine ring to it, and his mother would not be embarrassed at the Chapel by seeing ‘Brodribb’ connected with the stage. At last the long-awaited first night arrived. The play chosen was Richelieu by Bulwer Lytton, a very suitable vehicle for the first public viewing of the hat with the feathers and one of the swords from the carpet bag. A local critic advised him to take the first steamer back to London, sea travel being the cheapest form of transport at the time.
