Henry IV Beerbohm Tree as Falstaff at the Haymarket Theatre, London, 1896

“The revival of the First Part of King Henry IV, at the Haymarket . . . is magnificently mounted. . . and exempted from ruthless mutilation. . . . Curiosity has necessarily centered in Mr. Beerbohm Tree’s Falstaff, which, by its sustained force, its subtle humour, and its imaginative colouring, amply redeems the promise of this actor’s well-remembered impersonation in The Merry Wives of Windsor [see Gallery 3]. . . . Next to Mr. Tree’s Falstaff in importance was Mr. Lewis Waller’s Hotspur, which, though a little too uniformly vehement, is characterized by a very effective vigour and picturesqueness. Lady Percy is prettily played by Mrs. Tree in the loveliest of dresses.” The Graphic (London) May 16, 1896: 19th C. British Library Newspapers.

Note that Tree rejects the idea of Falstaff as grotesquely fat, matching the subtler figure in Henry Marsh, The Wits (1662)in the previous picture. See Galleries 5 & 7 for other Falstaffs. HMR