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). 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." In June 1885, he played together with Eric Lewis (Grossmith's understudy) in an afternoon "musical dialogue," "Mad to Act", with words by Barrington and music by Wilfred Bendall, at the Japanese Village in Knightsbridge.