Our old theatre, empty and abandoned as it is, seems to deserve a ghost. In fact, it has one, Old Dougie. He was seen for one night only, but many people have been aware of his existence.
Dougie, who died in the late 1980’s, was an amiable soul who lived in the upstairs flat in our old house and acted and directed there for many years…
No one knew we had a ghost until one night a young girl was alone in the dressing room when she saw, in the mirror, a rather dishevelled-looking man standing in the doorway, with his hands in his cardigan pockets and his glasses balanced precariously on his head. He then disappeared, never to be seen again. She ran downstairs and told everybody, and they knew instantly who he was. However, footsteps have been heard moving about upstairs in the theatre, but no one was there and one night, two strong men ran as quickly as they could out of the theatre after feeling an icy presence pass through them. It had to be good old Dougie.
Theatres seem to be the favourite haunt of ghosts and London’s theatreland is one of their most popular venues.
Some sightings are –
- London Coliseum: a ghostly soldier has been seen marching around the theatre. Rumoured to be a soldier who had been to see a show there and the following day was killed in battle.
- Duke of York Theatre: a former manager of the theatre, Violet, mingles with the audience.
- Theatre Royal Drury Lane: allegedly seen by many cast members, the ‘Man in Grey,’ dressed in 18 th century costume wanders, from one side of the theatre to the other.
- Last bot not least, in the Lyceum Theatre: people from the balcony have seen a woman sitting in the stalls with of the skull a man’s head in her lap, YIKES!
If you know of any good theatre ghost stories do let us know. We would love to hear them (but not necessarily want to see them!).
