AN UNREHEARSED SCENE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4311, 14 January 1875, Page 3

AN UNREHEARSED SCENE.

(From the Lyttdton Times, January 4.) Such a scene as that which occurred at the Theatre Royal, on Saturday evening last, has never before been witnessed at any public entertainment in this city. It is needless to say that it was not announced in the bills, but it came so unexpectedly, and was of such a ludicrous nature, that it may be pronounced as having constituted by far the most enjoyable portion of the evening's entertainment. For a couple of nights previously, a lady, under the high-sounding nom de thi&tre of Mdlle. Zelinda, had appeared in the mechanical illusion entitled the Arabian Box Mystery, and executed her part of the performance so admirably as to set her audience thinking how the thing could possibly be done. The item was of course on Saturday night's programme, and the audience were in breathless expectation when the time for the box mystery arrived. The drop scene went up in due course, and disclosed some of the appliances necessary to the successful carrying out of the trick. But instead of Zelinda coming on, there issued from the wings a young man of very " seedy" appearance, whom nobody would accuse of an extravagant use of shoe-blacking. Coming to the footlights, he intimated that as a person had threatened to expose the box mystery, it would not be proceeded with that evening, and that therefore any of the audience who so desired might get back their money on tion at the box office. While this announcement was being made, there was seen scrambling on to the stage from the orchestra an individual of more than ordinary dimensions, who, getting on his legs, exclaimed—" Ladies and gentlemen, this box is mine, and I mean to show you how it's done." No sooner had he said this, than another member of the company made his appearance from the wings, and pointing to the man of portly dimensions, ejaculated in a sneering, contemptuous manner "Ladies and gentlemen, this man, this thing, is mean enough to do anything ; he is mean enough to take a woman's living away." So saying, he seized the portly gentleman and ran him fairly off the stage, the lady whose 1 livin" was announced to be at stake assisting in the operation. The state of the audience at this ' particular juncture can be better imamned than described. The laughter that ensued could not be heartier or more boisterous ; while at the same time, the idea of a. man being mean enough to take a woman's living away, was more than the infinitesimal section of the British public assembled within the walls of the theatre could possibly withstand, and amidst encouraging yells of "go on," and " turn him out," it was decided that the box mystery should proceed. Meantime, the individual who had been so unceremoniously ejected from the stage had found his I way into the orchestra, from the door leading into it from the stage, and no sooner did ho get there than he proceeded to scramble on to it as before, with the evident intention of carrving his former threat into execution. His presence on' the stage a second time had the effect of bringing another member of the company on the scene, in the person of the goldon-Bhoe dancer, who, face blacked, and fantastically attired, emerged from the wings, and attempted to run the obnoxious party off the stage. Finding himself overmatched, however, ho had recourse to certain means, which were no less unique than eff eotuaL Taking advantage of his opponent's

corpulency, he converted his head into a kind of buffer, and in this manner succeeded in buffeting him into one of the recesses of the stage. The box mystery was then proceeded with, and was a great success, despite the managerial contretemps that preceded it. The secret of the whole affair is, that the partnership had a quarrel among themselves concerning the handling of the money taken at the doors. One partner failed to see why the other partner should keep the money, and thought the only means of redress at his disposal was a public exposure of the box mystery. The lessees of the theatre, on their part, consider that for one night the scene that occurred was very enjoyable, but they fear the public might have too much of a good thing, and acting under this impression thay have been reluctantly compelled to cut off the gas. Under these circumstances, it is by no means likely that " the greatest array of talent ever seen in New Zealand" (as the advertisements have it), will appear again at the Theatre Royal.