Book review: DEATH IN THE THEATRE, Chris Wood - Pen and Sword
Photo credit: Chris Wood
In this dark journey through theatre’s grisly history, we are invited for an in-depth look at over thirty theatre deaths, complete with eyewitness accounts and inquest notes.
An engaging macabre history of theatre deaths from newborn to the elderly, accidents to murders, North to South - a fascinating read for any theatre fan.
The book is peppered with a myriad of riveting theatrical facts which will make you appreciate the leaps and bounds we’ve made in health and safety over the years, as Chris Wood guides us through falling boulders, cotton wool fires and limelight injuries. As we dip in and out of the tragic goings on, we also get an insight into historical attitudes and behaviour, with the book packed with more twists and turns than many of the stage shows providing the backdrop for the gruesome goings on.
We are taken back to 1794 for our first ghastly theatre visit to Haymarket Theatre, where King George III was present when fifteen people were killed in a crushing accident. This didn’t impact the performance however, and was kept from the Royal visitors until the end of the performance. This sets the tone for the book as we are then taken on a journey around Britain, revisiting terrifying and tense incidents, including lion mauling, suicide, accidental stabbings with ‘too sharp’ props, and numerous building fires.
The author discusses each incident with a forensic eye, reviewing each event from start to finish, including coroner’s notes from the deaths, which often avoided addressing culpability. This case file type approach to the tales adds an interesting layer to the book, and invites the reader to form their own view of the tragedies and decide with whom blame should lie, if anyone.
If you enjoy the theatre and its rich history and you are not easily shockable, then this morbid, informative amble through Britain’s theatrical archives is the read for you.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Cara Brazier
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