AN ALL-NIGHT VIGIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18455, 19 July 1923, Page 10

AN ALL-NIGHT VIGIL.

THEATRE TICKETS QUEUE.

TEDIOUS WAIT OF 15* HOURS.

" Extraordinary interest in the opening of the box plans for the first six nights of Oscar Asche's production, "Cairo," was evinced last night, when 11 persons assembled at the entrance to the box office at Messrs. Lewis E. Eady and Son, Ltd., in Queen Street, to undergo an all-night vigil pending the opening of the doors at eight o'clock this morning. . A managerial announcement reads: "A queue will be formed from 7 a.m.," but so impatient was one man that he arrived on the spot at 4.30 p.m. yesterday, and took up'his stand immediately outside the door as soon as the shop closed. He was tho first-comer, and was on the scene 154 hours before the plans were opened. He tf stood alone for but 2£ hours, two other . young men arriving at 7 p.m. Thereafter a steady trickle of young men came along, until at midnight 11 persons sat in a group in the doorway. One man layasleep on the hard stonework, with his coat for a pillow. Two others sat on boxes with their heads resting in their hands, while the remainder reclined in, various attitudes of fatigue, conversing in low tones -with their companions. Two of the men were furnished with • thermos flasks arid sandwiches; tho remainder arranged among themselves to 'repair to a neighbouring ' place of refreshment in relays. By midnight all had had supper. , The purchase of tickets for "Cairo" Is purposely limited ■by the management to 12 to prevent speculation. Practically all those who arrived early on the scene last night intend purchasing the maximum number, and several, were acting purely as agents for other persons. The stipula* tions, however, definitely preclude the gross speculation which is alleged to have been, indulged in on a similar occasion some years ago.