Murder in a Haunted Theatre (Death Walks A Victorian Stage)

murder in a haunted theatre death walks a victorian stage haunted theatres london find out more about the ghosts that haunt the theatre royal drury lane.
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GHOSTS, GHOULS AND HAUNTED THEATRES

Will you, perchance, get to hold a conversation with the spectral man who, for a time, will listen intently to what you have to say but who will, rather rudely, vanish into thin air before you have time to finish?. One thing is certain. The chilling tales that you will hear will set just the right mood as Richard begins to lift the curtain on the haunted streets of London's Theatreland.

Oh, the tales the history encrusted walls of this place could tell if only they could speak.

Tales of triumph and tragedy, of murder and betrayal, of the highs and the lows of the careers of the famous and forgotten stars of the stage whose living selves once appeared here, and whose departed selves are not going to let a little thing like death prevent them from treading the boards once more. The walls themselves will, probably, remain mute. But worry not oh fearless phantom hunters, for Richard will be on hand to tease those tales from the cold stone and he will regale you with the stories of the ghostly goings on at the theatre.


  • William Terriss - Wikipedia.
  • The ghosts of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
  • Heroes A2Z #5: Easter Egg Haunt (Heroes A to Z, A Funny Chapter Book Series For Kids).
  • William Terriss at the Adelphi Theatre.
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Tales such as that of the ghostly clown whose mischievous spirit has been known to administer a well-aimed kick at the unguarded behinds of many a leading lady or man. In the darkness of the alleyway that runs alongside the theatre, Richard will tell you, in hushed tones, of the disembodied white face that has been known to scare the wits out of hapless witnesses who have turned to find it floating, eerily, in mid-air behind them.

But, by far the most famous ghost to roam this place is that of the man in grey - one of Theatreland's best known ghosts, and one who managers, producers and actors alike are absolutely delighted to see! You will stand on the very spot where one of the greatest actors of his age was stabbed to death by a bit part player who had grown insanely jealous of his success.

Among other roles, especially in melodrama , in the late s, he was Captain Absolute in The Rivals. In the highly successful revival of Olivia that followed, he again earned high praise. Sims and Henry Pettitt , which ran for performances. In Terriss rejoined the Adelphi, earning even greater fame in melodrama. His son-in-law, Seymour Hicks, wrote the piece at the suggestion of the dramatist W.

On 16 December , as he was entering the Adelphi Theatre through the stage door in Maiden Lane to prepare for the evening's performance of Secret Service , Terriss was stabbed to death by a deranged and disgruntled actor, Richard Archer Prince. On 13 December Prince was forcibly ejected from the foyer of the Vaudeville Theatre , and he and Terriss were seen to argue the next night in Terriss's dressing room in the Adelphi Theatre.

On the day of the murder Prince asked for money at the Fund's office, but was told that his request could not be considered that day. The murder became a sensation in the London press. Terriss is buried in Brompton Cemetery , London.

It still stands there with a memorial plaque. There is also a plaque on the wall by the stage door of the Adelphi Theatre recording the event of his murder. It became the Rotherhithe Hippodrome in and was demolished in The site is now the Rotherhithe Free Church.

Haunted Theatres

The home is run by The Actors' Charitable Trust. Grimaldi has reportedly kicked a few actors on stage and, on feeling a shove they have turned to see nobody was there! Panto dame, Dan Leno manifests himself as a smell rather a vision. Dan Leno is said to transmit a lavender fragrance from beyond the grave. The Theatre Royal Drury Lane dates back to and has been a career making and breaking venue for many actors and theatre professionals.

Haunted Theatres London | Spooky Spaces

Actors are a notoriously a passionate breed of people and no doubt some would rather not be forgotten, even in death. It is perhaps out of jealousy that Grimaldi is known to administer a sharp kick to the legs of actors and theatre workers, or even sometimes a tug of the hair or a shove on the back! In regards to the lavender pantomime dame, it is said that the actor Dan Leno suffered from terrible incontinence and attempted to mask the smell with a thick perfume. It seems that Dan Leno took his embarrassment beyond the grave… The haunting of the Man in Grey is also fairly dramatic as what are thought to be his remains were found in a bricked up room near his Upper Circle haunt.

PHANTOMS IN THE FOOTLIGHTS

His bones were found with a dagger in the chest with many historians believing he was murdered in that spot. A kicking clown, and inconstant Dame and a murdered Man in Grey thought to have been stabbed in the chest…it all definitely sounds like the stuff of nightmares! The Victorian Actor William Terriss. Terriss was a very well known performer in his day and took on many heroic roles in both Shakespeare plays and contemporary productions of his day.

In life Terriss was said to be mild mannered but in death it appears that Terris is less friendly.