Curious Panic in a Melbourne Theatre.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4981, 13 April 1889, Page 3

Curious Panic in a Melbourne Theatre.

A more striking illustration of how easily and unecessarily an assemblage of people will allow themselves to become panicstrickcn could not bo obtained than what occurred on the night of the 30th ult., at the Theatre Hoyal. It was the first night of the revival by Mr Bland Holt of the famous drama « The World.’ The family circle, the gallery, and the stalls were packed, whilst the dress circle was well filled. Just at the moment when Mabel Hunlingford was taking her scathing farewell of her husband, the people in the stalls rose en masse as if by msgic, and the whole house was instantly in a state of confusion. From every part of the house the audience. commenced to leave in hot haste, and some jumped on the stage, whilst the actor and actress, who were thus interrupted in one of the most effective scenes of the drama, seemed for a moment utterly bewildered, but the next moment advanced to the footlights to demonstrate that they saw nothing to be alarmed at. Various other members of the company, several of the property men, and a fireman also came forward, and one or two attempted to speak, but could not bo heard amid the confusion ; and it was not until ono of the property men held aloft a large placard, in black letters, “ Keep your seats, no danger,” that the retreating people were pacified, and began to return. It was variously stated that the panic was caused by a boy in the front of the house striking a coloured fusee, which emitted a great glare for a moment, and by a disturbance at the rear of the stalls; but be that as it may, it should be a warning to audiences not to become unnecessarily alarmed and create confusion, whilst the efficacy of the printed placard was very forcibly demonstrated.