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Rutland Barrington was only twenty-four years old when Mrs Howard Paul, the original Lady Sangazure, recommended him for a role in "The Sorcerer". He subsequently played leading roles in all of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas up to and including "The Grand Duke".
While his greatest success was his characterization of Pooh-Bah, he created a few lighter roles as well, Captain Corcoran, Grosvenor, and Giuseppe.
He was on leave of absence from the Savoy during the original production of The "Yeomen of the Guard", and did not appear as Wilfred Shadbolt until the revival of 1907. He first played the Grand Inquisitor in "The Gondoliers" in 1908. During the famous 'carpet quarrel' he appeared in "Haddon Hall" for Sullivan and His "Excellency" for Gilbert.
After 1896 he appeared primarily in musical comedies, including such notable successes as "The Geisha", "San Toy", "A Country Girl", and "The Cingalee". He appeared as Falstaff in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" at a gala at His Majesty's in 1911, and as Polonius in "Hamlet" and Christopher Sly in "The Taming of the Shrew" at the same theatre in 19 T 6. He was seldom out ot work until his retirement due to illness in 1919. A benefit was held for him at the Savoy a few months before his death.
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