A SALE OF surplus "props" at Worcester's historic Theatre Royal a century ago this week appears to have been very much a performance in itself, judging from "Crowquill's" comment column in the Journal of June 1902.

"There was a crowded house in the pit and stalls at the Theatre on Monday. Admission was free, and the entertainment was comedy of a sort. The sale of props, to which more people were attracted by curiosity than by a desire to buy, was better fun than some entertainment for which one has to pay.

"Mr. Gibbs of Messrs Yeates and Son was the "star" of the evening, but the gentlemen who filled the parts of porters contributed to the humour of the show.

"They found plenty of scope in displaying a wonderful variety of theatrical costumes, some of which recalled pantomimes of long ago.

"A Harlequin costume, spangles and all, held the record price until that of Richard III was offered and fetched five shillings. Costumes of princes and pages went for a mere song - in fact, purchases were thrown to the purchasers, and the shillings were shied back. At one stage, the boisterous laughter of the 'house' drowned out the voice of the auctioneer who at last offered to put up as the next lot a lady's laugh, the like of which had not been heard off stage for many a year.

"The clearing out of costumes that were the accumulation of years will probably add to the colour and the comedy of our coming Coronation cycle carnival!"