A FADE OUT

NZ Truth, Issue 1185, 16 August 1928, Page 6

A FADE OUT

But Dirty Doings \n *■ The Darkness

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep;) "Every light m the theatre went out, and m the pitch darkness were heard the terrified screams of women m the dress circle. . . . ' For several minutes it appeared as though a serious panic would 'ensue. . . • Suddenly the stage was flooded with light, revealing a large advertising placard." THIS is an extract from a daily news--1 ' paper! report on a "realistic" advertising stunt put over by the New Regent Theatre, Auckland, 'before a crowded audience.' If there was - providentially no panic, resulting* 1 m serious injury to members of. the audience, or possible loss of life, it was not for the' want of trying on the part of an irresponsible theatre management. ■.■■'• That much is certain on the report .of the occurrence- as it appears m the columns of the "N.Z. .Herald." This paper has- no reason to, r believe that the "Herald" has been guilty of shocking sensationalism, therefore it accepts the report at its face value. - v It is surely bad enough that New Zealanders should have to suffer' the multitude of sex-saturated : films imposed on them, without the local theatre managements adding to their infliction by the importation of cheap, dangerous publicity stunts. "• , THE NEW EXPLOITATION There does hot appear; however, to be any such thing as a saturation point, where New Zealand '■■ theatre manage-' ments are concerned, for the absorption of the superficial bunk — allegedly repl resenting real life — and artificial emotion as portrayed by the American.! it appears that the management ; of the Regent Theatre (Queen Street) oh Saturday night, August 4, allowed; 'its hungry commercialism to outweigh its sense of decency— even to the extent of placing m jeopardy, the lives' and. limbs of the , public attending ; ■;' the theatre. . .■ ■ '.' .' .{: "■ ■■;.-•. : /'■■■'. In its desire "to secure publicity, toii a certain film billed for /screening at a later date, the management resorted to' a true Yankee' notion of advertising the coming event. We are told by the Auckland "Herald"— and "Truth" refuses to believe that this newspaper would be capable of exaggerating the affair^— that "the orchestra had just completed the playing of an entr'acte, and, as the applause died away, the whole theatre reverberated with a terrific explosion behind the curtain. ' ; "Every light m the theatre went •■ out and m the pitch darkness was heard the . terrified screams of ■ women m the dress circle. Weird noises as .of racing machinery then issued from the stage. There were. . strange rumblings and a great clatter, above which .the women screamed and moaned m a most alarming fashion. • • "Numbers rose m their seats, but there were no lights over the exit doors, and many people stumbled over one another as, there svas a decided move to get out of the- theatre;: '■' . ".'..' ... "For several minutes it looked as though <a panic would ensue. To make matters %w.orse those m the dress circle were alai'rned by. 'sudden glares in -the operating, box at the back. ; The noise on the stage increased m volume; until there was a second report; which' produced more screams. Suddenly . the stage was flooded with light revealing a large advertising placard. There were audible expressions of relief and the screening -of a film, which' followed immediately, soon reassured the audience." . ■ Nevertheless there wer^e a goodly number of the audience whose assurance was not restored until after they had left ' the .theatre. -Then, again, from all 1 accounts, a number of women were on the verge of hysterics, and it is fairly safe to. say that any -children m the'audience would have been terrified and left, with an impression that would conceivably take years, to eradicate—if- ever.. All this m order to secure cheap publicity! EMOTIONAL POT POURI . Individuals have been gaoled before to-day for .starting a riot, but the Regent' Theatre stunt makes it apparent that r^picture .^theatre managements may, : . with / impunity, create, '. a panic through 1 shock tactics m order to secure public. attention. '. \\ . The . Impression was deliberately created m, the Regent Theatre' On Saturday night m the minds .of men,women and' children, that there had been an explosion. The first thought m the minds of all was — fire! Not satisfied with the effect produced by the explosion, the management, with crass stupidity, deliberately put out the lights over the exit-doors. It is astounding that there x was not a more -serious panic. It required but some hysterical individual to commence, shouting Vflre!". and the result would/Chave been a hurried call for ambulances, - doctors, and later" , an interesting: appearance of certain gentlemen connected with the theatre, before a coroner's inquiry.. ■•■/.'.. It is up to the City Council to see that there is no recurrence of this sort of Yarilcee \ humor. ■, The sooner.. the quota system\with regard to fltnls begins to operate,- the. 'better. One canno.t conceive 'the British corporations suggesting this sort of criminal lunacy as a publicity stunt to catch the public cash. '\ ' ■ ' : *•