"The Times" said of Barrington's performances, "His strength lay in his quietness of voice and movement... in perfect contrast to the restlessness of George Grossmith. No one could be so ridiculously pompous... he moved with effect. There was a native drollery in his lightly rolling dance, a comic dignity in his rotund and placid, yet twinklingly intelligent face. He always gave the impression of thoroughly enjoying whatever he did..." In its review of "Ruddigore", "The Theatre" wrote, "Better comic acting than his, or more highly finished, I have never seen and never wish to see."