Press Clippings for the week ending
Saturday, 13 July 2002
A random selection of cuttings
from newspapers and magazines
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* * * * * * * * A theatrical death, London, 1896
‘A terrible mishap occurred [during the first performance of the drama, The Sins of the Night] at the Novelty Theatre on Monday night [10 August 1896]. Wilfred [Moritz] Franks, an actor, was playing the part of a Creole [named Pablo], who had at the close of the final act of the play to stab the villain in the person of Mr. Temple Crozier. By some means or other the dagger used by Mr. Franks penetrated Mr. Crozier’s heart, and he fell dead on the stage. The audience did not know what had happened, and went out of the theatre thinking the death of the villain was part of the play, and not a sad reality. Mr. Franks was brought up on Tuesday at Bow Street, on the charge of manslaughter, and after evidence had been given was remanded for a week on bail.’
‘The inquest on the tragedy at the Novelty ended in a verdict of death by misadventure, with a rider to the effect that dangerous weapons ought not to be used on stage. It was given in evidence that the wound was two inches deep, and that the right lung and pericardium were penetrated. On Tuesday [18 August 1896] Mr. Franks was brought up on the charge of manslaughter at Bow Street, but after hearing further evidence, Mr. Lushington discharged the accused, as he was of opinion that no jury would convict.’
‘Everyone who has read about the terrible tragedy at the Novelty Theatre will be gratified by the sound common sense of the coroner’s jury in adding a rider to their verdict expressing the opinion that no dangerous weapon should be used on the stage. It is news to many that it is not infrequently the custom of actors to employ real weapons instead of property ones, and it is to be hoped that the recommendation of the aforesaid jury will receive the serious attention of all managers. A real dagger is no more requisite than a pistol loaded to do absolute execution, or a phial filled with an actual deadly poison. It all these cases the simulation is quite as good as the reality, and if it were not, the risk is too great to justify for a moment its toleration on the stage.’ * * * * * * * * Publicity for actresses, London, 1888
‘Advice to Actresses. - When you can’t get a paragraph in the papers by the ordinary means, have your jewellery stolen.’ * * * * * * * * |
(photo: Bassano, London, 1900-1901;
advertisement from The Play Pictorial,
‘The Little Cherub’ issue, no.43, vol.7, London, 1906)
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Evie Greene advertises Rayne’s shoes, London, 1906 The photograph of the English actress and singer Evie Greene (1876-1917) featured in this advertisement shows her in the title role of Kitty Grey. This piece, by J. Smyth Piggott, adapted from Mars and Hennequin’s Les Fêtards, began its career as a comedy, opening at the Vaudeville, London, on 25 April 1900, with W.L. Abingdon, Ellis Jeffreys, Lillie Belmore, and Miriam Clements in the title role. With music by Lionel Monckton, Howard Talbot and others, Kitty Grey was converted into a musical play, and with Evie Greene in the lead it was first produced at the Prince’s Theatre, Bristol, on 27 August 1900, before setting out on tours of England and Scotland. Other members of the opening cast were Harry Monkhouse, G.P. Huntley, Maurice Farkoa, Mabel Love, Lillie Belmore and Ethel Sydney. Kitty Grey eventually reached London, opening at the Apollo, on 7 September 1901, for a run of 220 performances. Here the cast included Evie Greene again in the title role (succeeded by Ada Reeve in December 1901), Charles Angelo, G.P. Huntley, Maurice Farkoa, Eva Kelly, Gladys Homfrey and Edna May; Granville Barker and Kitty Gordon sustained small parts. Evie Greene subsequently played the part of Molly Montrose in the musical play The Little Cherub which was produced at the Prince of Wales’s, London, on 13 January 1906, with Fred Kaye, W.H. Berry, Lennox Pawle, George Carroll, Maurice Farkoa, Zena Dare, Lily Elsie, Gabrielle Ray, Grace Pindar, Ida Lytton and others. Alice Oppitz eventually succeeded Evie Greene as Molly. * * * * * * * * Boat Race night at the Empire, London, 1900
‘In accordance with what has now become almost ancient custom, the two crews [Oxford and Cambridge], after dining at the Café Royal, Regent-street, attended the Empire. There was a first rate programme, in keeping with the traditions of the great variety theatre of Leicester-square, and its was witnessed by an enormous and an enthusiastic audience. The enthusiasm culminated in a spontaneous outburst when the war pictures came on and the well-known liniaments [sic] of "Bobs" [Lord Roberts of Kandahar] appeared on the screen. Men in evening dress, faultless as to their attire, men who wore frock coats and the tall hat of commerce, and others who had come in in lounge jackets and bowler, broke into a simultaneous roar. Their efforts were ably assisted by a strong contingent of gentlemen in khaki, who fairly yelled when an armoured train came on and its guns and armed crew belched out smoke and defiance to the distant Boer skirmishers sniping it from an adjacent kopje. After this, in quick succession, Lord Kitchener, General Kelly-Kenny, Lord Dundonald, Lord Methuen, General French, and the great spoofer of the Boers, Colonel Baden-Powell made their bow to the good tempered but noisy audience. All the commanders received great ovations. The portraits of Mr. Kruger and General Cronje were received with one long continued chorus of groans.’ |
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© John Culme, 2002