Evening journal., 1904-04-08
RIOTS IN THEATERS.
AT ONE TIME THEY WERE COMMON
AND DISASTROUS OCCURRENCES.

N'C OioHO nOOo OCCOhhENCES.
The Strenuous Experience OF Mac
ready In AStor Place, New York.
David Garrfcl's Troubles at the
Drury Lane Thenter, In London.
The general attitude OF forbearance
manifested by theatrical audiences Of
today has come to be such a matter OF
course that it is difficult for the public
10 realize that conditions were not al
ways SO. The playgoer OF today can
have little conception of what actors
and managers often endured IN those
faraway times when interruptions of q
disagreeable aud tumultuous character
were Of almost nightly occurrence. In
deed, the demonstrative character of
the audiences in London became so
pronounced at one time that the man
ayers Of the principal theaters had to
petition the king for a guard Of sol
diers. This precaution was not entire
ly satisfying, evidently for in 1742 the
: manager Of Drury Lane engaged the
services of thirty prize fighters to assist
the soldiers In maintaining order.
The Lincoln's Inn Fields theater was
the scene of small riot on one occa-
sion as a result Of the actions Of "a GER
tain noble earl" who. having drunk
rather too freely, forced his way to the
stage. When the manager ordered him
of he boxed that functionary's ears.
Blow was returned for blow, and a
mixup followed between the actors and
the nobleman's friends, who. after be-
ing driven from the stage, revenged
themselves by cutting and slashing the
furniture and hangings with their
swords The theater had to be closed
for two days.
An even worse riot was precipitated
shortly after at Drury Lane by the fail
ure to announce the nonappearance Of
Nine. Chateauneuf, a premiere danseuse,
to see whom many of the people had
expressly paid their money. The audi
ence, headed by a peer Of the realm,
smashed all the orchestral instruments,
tore up the benches In the pit, broke
the chandeliers and even tore down
the royal arms. The house was COM
pletely wrecked and a loss of several
thousand pounds sustained.
David Garrick, despite his popular
fly, saw two disturbances during his
tenancy of Drury Lane. Garrick had
engaged a number OF foreigners for
''The Chinese Festival" among them
being several Frenchmen. War with
France broke out a few days before
the presentation. Garrick had been
informed that on no account would the
4 presence Of a Frenchman be tolerated
on the stage, but as the foreigners
were cast in important roles it was i'm
& possible for him to substitute other ac-
tors. He had the assurance that the
aristocratic element would support him,
so he concluded 10 brave the displeas-
Z ure Of the so called patriots.
! On the first night the king was pres
f, ent. and only few groans. Kisses and
eatcalls were INDUCED in. The next
( night there were loud demands that
the French players quit the scene.
When the aristocrats were equally in
\ sistent that the foreigners should re-
main, bedlam broke loose. The mana
ger. irresolute, stood in the center of
the stage. knowing that whatever he
did would be antagonistic to one or
the other element and fatal to his
piece as we'll as peace" About him
were grouped the trembling actors.
The gentlemen from the boxes de-
scended into the pit with drawn
swords and attempted to seize the
ringleaders of the patriots" The lat
ter naturally offered a. stout resist
ance, and blood flowed freely. To make
things worse the malcontents finally
adjourned to Garricks home in South
llmpton street, where they demolished
he windows with a volley of stones.
Six years later Garrick's announce
nentthat in future persons coming in
after the conclusion Of the third act
would be charged the full price Of ad-
mission instead Of half price aroused
he ire Of the masses. The audience
'efused to allow the play to proceed,