A review by slferg
Cursed in the Act by Raymond Buckland

4.0

Based loosely on the historical fact of Bram Stoker (pre Dracula) being theater manager for Henry Irving at the Lyceum in London. The tale is told from the point of view of Harry Rivers, stage manager at the Lyceum. Harry greatly respects his boss' abilities. On the opening night of Hamlet, Henry Irving falls ill. He has been poisoned, but insists on going on -- to the fury of his understudy, Peter Richland. The next evening Richland is run over by a "growler". He is trampled by the horses, but the police believe it is Richland by the greasepaint on the face. His burial is well attended by the theater people -- but at a later performance his head rolls out of some scenery on the stage. Fortunately, it is removed before the audience notices. Other strange things are happening - sandbag counterweights fall nearly hitting people,as well as lighting equipment falling. Fortunately the Lyceum has been wired for electricity so the fear of fire has been greatly reduced. But strange things keep happening. Stoker and Rivers suspect Ralph Bateman the younger brother of Mrs Crowe who runs the rival Strand. But Harry overhears Ralph refer to "the boss". Stoker has begun to get an inkling as to who it might be. It all comes together when Ms Terry's son is kidnapped.