The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-14 00:00:00

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The drama and the arts have been
an irreparable loss—the Princess's
was is imminent risk of a conflagratiol
It will be remembered that the "
technically called, is at this theatre a
velvet divided in the centre ; when this is
custom to let fall the " drop" behind it, so
the sound from the stage to the front. Just before the
curtain is raised, the "drop" is pulled up. The act of
doing this causes a draft towards the front, which is
usually shown by the bellying out of the curtain, like a
sail suddenly catching the wind.
The
fifth
actan d ofthe
thead been elevated
dleywaastedj upsrtepabaroautteryto
commence,
to drawing aside the curtain, when it was disco-
vered that the current of air suddenly let in had impelled
the sides of the curtain against the " floats," or rows of
gas-lights at the sides, and that it had caught fire I
The alarm was instantaneous both before and behind
the curtain. The well-known fearful outcry betokening
first surprise, then terror, and finally panic—was raised
among the audience. Luckily, from behind the scenes,
where the most numerous dramatis persona ever known
upon a stage were collected—not less than 400 being
engaged in the performaace of " Richard the Second"—
immediate and efficacious aid rushed forth, while, with a
devotedness and a heroic courage beyond all praise, Mrs.
Charles Kean—while her husband did all that a man
could in assisting on the stage to control and regulate the
action Of so many well-disposed friends—herself stepped
forward in front of the burning curtain, and assuring
the audience, by her voice, ht-r earnest gesture, and,
above all, by her own noble example that there was no
danger ; that there was no more " fire" than what they
saw, and that they would speedily see that " fire"
extinguished—succeeded in allaying the riming tumult
and terror in the front of the house. The audience
resumed their seats ; and then might be seen the
remarkable spectacle of an audience sitting to see, not
the mimic spectacle of human passion and terror, but its
reality—themselves, to no small extent, forming a por-
tion of the drama, and contributing to its interest, and
its terror, for it was to save them from what must have
been the fatal consequences of a panic under such cir-
cumstances that Dirs. C. Kean, forgetful of a woman's
fears and her own safety, generously and courageously
devoted herself.

[PRICE 4D. STAMPED 511.]

To tear asunder the curtain quickly, to pull away the
burning fragments, to cut the ropes that held it, and to
let it fall in one blazing heap upon the stage, was the
work of a few minutes. It was the courage of the in-
stant, the promptness of those few minutes, and the
ready presence of so many auxiliaries, that saved the
Princess's Theatre—now the only seat of the British
Tragic Muse, the home of Shakapeare, and the treasury
of the fine arts—from the fate of the Olympic Theatre,
The conflagration of which was due to an exactly simi-
lar accident, which occurred immediately previous to
the admission of the audience, and when but three per•
sons were near the stage. Mr. Hodson, the mechanist,
the firemen of the house, indeed every person in the
establishment, from Mr. Charles Kean down to the very
lowest supernumerary and humblest carpenter, deserve
unqualified praise for the courage and presence of mind
which they, one and all, exhibited. The fire was ex-
tinguished in about seven minutes from the commence-
ment, if time can be calculated under such circumstances;
and order being for a moment restored, Mr. Charles
Kean came forward to the front of the footlights, hold-
ing Mrs. Kean by the hand. A few words, exhausted as
he was from excitement and the labour, of the occasion,
sufficed to reassure the audience, who greeted them
both with nine cheers, given " with a will."
Among the few words said by Mr. Charles Kean was
(the public will be glad to hear) an announcement that
so small had been the damage sustained that the per-
formances would continue uninterrupted, and the theatre
would re-open this evening.
The audience separated quietly, and we are able to
say that the whole passed off without casualty of any
kind.