Press Clippings for the week ending
Saturday, 6 September 2008

A random selection of clippings
from newspapers and magazines

Kitty Loftus, appearing in the
Crystal Palace pantomime, Christmas 1891/92,
recalls a dramatic panic

Kitty Loftus & Ted Lauri jr

Kitty Loftus (1867-1927), English actress, singer and dancer
in the title role of Aladdin,
the Theatre Royal, Brighton, pantomime, Christmas 1890,
with Edward Lauri jr as Snip-a-Snap.

(photo: W. & A.H. Fry, Brighton, Sussex, 1890/91, negative no.62519-3)

'Panics in places of amusement do not, happily, always end disastrously, as is shown by a singular and somewhat amusing mishap which occurred some time ago in a small town in North Wales, during a performance given by a theatrical company, which included Miss Kitty Loftus, at present appearing in the Crystal Palace pantomime. The stage was composed of long deal tables, the tops of which projected some distance over the supports, but was quite firm, so long as the weight upon it was evenly distributed. During the performance, however, several members of the company incautiously collected at the wings, and, the weight being suddenly removed from the centre of the stage by a general exit, up tilted the tables, depositing the group of actors in a heap on the ground, and bringing down at one fell swoop, in a wreck resembling very much the earthquake scene in Claudian, the entire proscenium and stage fittings. The sudden collapse naturally alarmed the audience very much, and a serious panic seemed imminent; but, happily, owing to the coolness and self-possession displayed by Miss Loftus and one or two other members of the company, the entire audience got safely out of the hall, suffering from nothing more serious than a slight fright and a little squeezing.'
(The Era, London, Saturday, 9 January 1892, p. 10a)

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Rosie Boote looses a dancing shoe, 1896

Rosie Boote

Rosie Boote (1878-1958),
English musical comedy actress and dancer,
who in 1901 married the 4th Marquess of Headfort
(photo: Bassano, London, circa 1897)

'There was an unrehearsed incident at the Leeds Grand Theatre the other evening. Miss Rosie Boote, a lively dancer with a facility for high kicking, was executing some vigorous steps when the shoe of her right foot flew high up into the auditorium, and it is supposed reached the dress-circle. The lady discontinued her dance, and was carried off the stage by an actor. The audience, however, uproariously demanded a reappearance, and Miss Boote, with one foot still shoeless, came hopping on to smile her acknowledgements. Doubtless some lucky fellow is treasuring the dainty shoe of the fair Boote as a memento of an unusual experience.'
(The Era, London, Saturday, 23 May 1896, p. 10b)

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© John Culme, 2008