ROW IN A THEATRE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2947, 5 September 1882, Page 3

ROW IN A THEATRE.

A row occurred at the Theatre Royal, Christchurch, on Saturday night. The London Comedy Company (Mr J. Wilkinson, Miss Amy Johns, and company) were announced -to give a performance, and a small audience assembled. Shortly after eight o'clock, however, Wilkinson announced that Mr Beatty, the proprietor of the hotel and Theatre, had seized all the money taken at the doors, and that there would, therefore, be no performance. |A great row ensued, and Mr Beatty promised to return the money at the doors. After returning the money to the people in stalls and circle, he found he had only 12s left for upward of sixty persons in the pit, and it was thus apparent that some • people must have rushed in during the row,without paying. Mr Beatty declined to make, up the balance, and the people would not leave without their money. Impromptu singing And dancing was indulged in, and the police could not get the theatre clear till after midnight. When the people did leave,a free fight occurred in front of the theatre, and two’ of the combatants were arrested, Yesterday Wilkinson the actor, and two other men arrested for taking part in the row on Sunday morning over the closing of the theatre, were dismissed by the Bench. They said the police were quite right to stop the disturbance, but it was evident they had captured the wrong men.