| Marlene Dietrich fell into the orchestra pit, Shady Grove Music Fair November 1973 | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 01:26 pm EST 12/20/17 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 01:17 pm EST 12/20/17 | |
| In reply to: What are the 'best' onstage mishaps that you've seen in live theater? - GrumpyMorningBoy 10:15 am EST 12/20/17 | |
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| As I've reported here, I grew up in suburban DC, and was a frequent visitor to the Music Fair, first as a tent, then a nice hard-top house that began to play year round in the 70s. Mostly book shows. But we saw solo and other performances. I was in the house on the cold November night when Dietrich fell into the pit during her curtain call. I'll never forget it, because she reached down to take conductor Stan Freeman*'s hand, and then suddenly, she was gone. She went in head first, and we thought she'd killed herself. After a few minutes, when we gasped and then fell into a silence unlike any other, we heard "Falling In Love Again" strike up and play, almost ominously. She finally pulled herself up, and leaning on the rim of the stage, waved. When we stood and cheered, she began to scream "Go home! Go ... HOME!" Unforgettable. Ordering us to leave -- she was injured, after all -- was the part that sticks in my head. The only part enhanced by memory (I was 22) was the actual house size. I was recently reminded that it sold poorly (I was there on a weeknight, about 60% full). I believe the press reported that her famous dress was the reason for the fall. But I distinctly remember that Davis took her hand, and then that's what pulled her down. No dress malfunction or tripping. She weighed about 85 pounds, and the one tug was all that was required. *Still fact checking this. I can't find the program The incident is reported in "The Blue Angel," a bio. And goes on to explain that she needed skin grafts -- poor circulation in her legs made the gash on her thigh slow to heal -- and she didn't perform for 4 months. Memory is an odd thing, because I recall her playing more that week. I went either the Wednesday or Thursday night. Obviously, she didn't finish the run (through November 11th), my memory unreliable as ever. |
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