A Lively Scone at the Theatre Royal.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4481, 4 September 1882, Page 3

A Lively Scone at the Theatre Royal.

•**•- The "London Comedy Company" were announced to appear on Saturday night in an Attractive programme. About a hundred persons were in the theatre at tho usual time, but the curtain did not rise, and there was no orchestra. Deßpite frequent signs of impatience on the part of the patrons of the pit no explanation of dolay waß made till half- past eight, when Mr Wilkinson came before the curtain, and stated that Mr B cutty having iiken possession of the money which • i been roeeirod at the doors, there wo i. bo no performance. Cries woro at once r*. i it for a return of money, in reply to wl>i< • Mr Wilkinson suggested that application should be made to the person who had got it. Sevoral then submitted that they had paid for a performance and wero entitled to get what they had paid for. Mr Wilkinson, having replied that the Company declined to play for nothing, retired. The audionce rushed to tbe payofliees, where some parleying took placo j the re -ult of which was that Mr Beatty requested all to roturn to their Beats, and he would satisfy them. A roturn to the interior wai made, and for a minuto or bo, tho audience wore entertained (P) by the vagaries of e> drunken womun, who, after having strummed a little on the piano, mounted the stage, and attempted to address them. Mr Beatty, however, quickly displaced hor, and in a fow words, oxplained that the Company declined to play, and ho would return the money which bald beon paid at tho doors. The occupants of the oirole and stalls were, with one or two •• x *aptians, disposed of without much difli.'. „ all receiving their tickets from tho dooil. pure as thoy loft, and on presenting tht:'. .i> Mr Beatty the money warreturned to the . Thoso in tbo pit were not so easily pacified. It appears that as soon ci Mr Wilkinson's announcement wai made general confusion followod,and a rush waß made for the doors. As a consequenoe several persona passed the doorkeeper without obtaining tickets or cheques. The idea that they must havo their money baok seems to have struck them as they wero emerging from tho theatre, and a general rush b:n-k a&ain was mado ; some of those about the doors joined in tho rush und nbout 60 persons in all rogainod possession of the pit, and evinced a determination not to t-o homo till morning. In the oonfvision that had resulted at first it is probable that some persons obtained ticVets— aud afterwards thoir shillings — who were not entitled to tnem, for Mr Beatty found himself with only 12s loft wherewith to clear out tho 60 invaders. A deadlook resulted and tho police were ront for ; a small party of them arrivod undor Sergeant Mooro, but thoy did not like to tako tho responsibility of clearing the building, and dovoted their energies to koeping baok the rathor large orowd whioh had, in the meantimo, collected " to Bee the fun." An announcement by Mr Beatty that ho was willing to pay thoso who had tickets was reco.ved by a wild hoot from tho mon and boye in posßossion, the majority of whom asserted they had paid thoir monoy, seen nu play and got no tickets. Some, porohed contentedly on the screen at tho pit door, and facing the entrance, whilod away tho timo by rendering "Tho Pirato King" with moro bravado than corrootnose, "The Swoet By-and-byo,"and " A Policeman's Lot is not a Happy Ono," tho last sentiment boing no doubt re-echoed in the hearts of tho nightwatchmon, who wero pationtly waiting for tho termination of "this unpleasant predicament," as one of them aptly plirosod it. This state of tilings continued till midnight, tho mob in-ido being gathered ot tho ba'-k of tin. pit, closo to the door, whistling" und singing to koop their spirits up. Thoir ifforts woro grootod with cheers by the mob outsido tho door, Mr Boatty si'.nding on the threshold of hi 3 theatre iv tlio rathor unenviablo position of hotwoon two fires, and entirely irresponsive . o tho calls ot liis unwolcomo visitors to bring thorn " I'omo of his best half-and-h»!f." At 12 o'clook Horgeuut Mooro went inside nnd requested the gurrißOti lo ro!iro with tho honours of war. Aftor considerable grumbling on the part of tho occupants, the perruiusivo eloquence of the Sergeant prevailod, and tho pit was vacated tolerably quietly. About this timo a etono or two was thrown by somo of tho moh outside, nt:d, though no daniago waa dono, Sergeant Mooro had a somewhat narrow ctt-upo from ono of tho misdilos. Aftor the houso had boon 010-cd some of tho parties conoorned broko out into active hostilities in Cathedral square. Tho polico promptly interfered, however, nnd three of the bolligcrenta — Meißrs Wilkinson, Bradley, and Cooper — woro removed to duranoo vilo. Mr Bentty statos that ho has twelve shillings still unclaimed, which ho will pay to persona who can produce thoir ticket*-, o» their applying at tho Palaoo Hotel. Ho entirely di'claimß nny connection witli the performance, being simply the orrru;- of the Theatre, wbich ho let in tlu utuml my to iVlr Wilkiiiuon. At the Police Court thi" Liming, thi Bench camo to tho conclusion that the aggreisors in the row woro not before them, and the men were accordingly duoharged.