SAFETY CURTAIN DANGER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9360, 1 February 1909, Page 6

SAFETY CURTAIN DANGER.

There was a sensation on a recent Wednesday night at the Royal Artillery Theatre, Woolwich, known locally as “Tommy’s Theatre,” which was not provided for in the hill of play. As the curtain was to be rang up on the drama “Alone in London” the counterweight of the fire-screen, weighing 16 owt, broke away. It crashed from the grid through the limelight box, and passed through the stage like a shot into the basement. Altogether it fell some sixty feet. The safety curtain was about a foot up at the time, so it had not far when the weight cameoff. There were fully a score of people on the stage at the time, but fortunately the weight missed them all. One man, a stage hand, was Injured by a splinter. , The preformance, of course, could not be given, and the stage manager went in front and explained that the people could have their money back, or ticket. They then left the theatre, most taking tickets. The theatre, which was burned down some years ago, was reopened by Lord/ Roberts a con pie of years back, the cost of re-erection being borne partly by the local military authorities and partly by a contribution from the War Office. It is at present leased by a company.