The Crush Room

The Crush Room of an Edwardian theatre was a large room where the audience could gather to promenade and/or converse during the intermissions, and where the ladies in particular could wait until their carriages were called at the end of the evening. It was called a 'Crush Room' because it was invariably crowded forcing everyone there to crush together.

Because it drew such crowds, the Crush Room was commonly the most beautiful and sumptuously decorated room in the entire building. Often, as at the Gaiety, the walls were lined with painted panels or hung portraits of some of the biggest stars who had graced the stage at that particular establishment, captured portraying their most memorable roles.

This is my crush room, hung with the best portraits I have of the stars who grace my web pages. Click on any portrait to open a larger version in a new window.

These images are best veiwed at a screen resolution of at least 800 x 600.

NORTH WALL
Evelyn Millard	Winifred Emery	Maud Jeffries	Anna Pavlova

Maud Fealy	Maxine Elliott	Edna May	To: Dress Circle Upper Balcony

"Look, here's Edna May."
"Doesn't she look beautiful!"
"I saw her in 'The Belle of New York' when she first came over to England"

EAST WALL
Lily Langtry	Cecilia Loftus	Dorothea Baird	Ruth Vincent

"Ah! Dorothea Baird"
"She married Henry Irving you know, lucky chap!"

SOUTH WALL
Irene Vanbrugh	Julia Neilson	Mrs. Brown Potter	Kitty Gordon

May De Sousa	Mrs. Patrick Campbell	Valli Valli	To: Foyer Stalls

"Julia Neilson - I think I recognise this costume, she was playing the Queen."
"She certainly looks regal."
"Oh she was - absolutely magnificent!"

WEST WALL
Lily Hanbury	Ellen Terry	Marie Studholme	Marie Tempest

"The great Dame Ellen Terry, I have seen her so many times."
"And every one a memorable occasion I'll wager."
"Just so, she has brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion!"
"Oh, here's Ralph - our carriage has arrived. So lovely seeing you again, will you be here next week?"

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