Badly behaving audiences have been in the news after the incident at The Bodyguard in Manchester. But does the crisis affect London theatre too? We asked actors, critics and staff about their worst experiences. An usher in a West End theatre told us they broke up a fist fight between a man and a woman last week. We have also heard horror stories from staff who say they have been vomited on and attacked.
Matilda the Musical was recently ruined for one fan by a row of people eating burgers out of takeaway bags. Actor Paddy Lock was performing in Their Finest Hour last month when, “during my cast mate’s monologue, a woman in the front row took her phone out and filmed with the flash on.” Theatre critic Charlie Froy fears we are “policing reactions to art”. Or have people lost their manners?
Sir Keir slides back on trans rights
This week LGBT Labour, a campaign group within the Labour Party, urged members to challenge Sir Keir Starmer over his changing attitude to trans people. Until recently Sir Keir, pictured with his deputy Angela Rayner, was promising to “modernise” UK equality law to allow trans people to self-identify their gender. This month he did a U-turn following a backlash against new gender self-ID laws in Scotland. There are rumblings that some LGBT Labour members might not march under the party’s banner at Pride events this year to show their opposition.
NYC gets a “Rat Czar”. Is London next?
In an effort to “fully rat out the rodents”, New York City mayor Eric Adams appointed a “Rat Czar” this week. It seems to be a world first — but could London be next? Transport for London estimates that around 500,000 mice and other rodents live in the city’s Tube stations. Adams and Sadiq Khan are on good terms, so perhaps the mayor will be allowed to borrow the policy.
BBC Symphony Orchestra keeps Ukrainian conductor
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is so enamoured with their Ukrainian guest conductor Dalia Stasevska that they have asked her to stay on for another two years as a principal conductor. A Finnish national born in Kyiv, Stasevska sent relief to Ukraine between shifts at the orchestra. The Beeb announced job cuts in its orchestras last month, but at least someone is safe.
The wags are back
At St Martin’s House, one of the most hotly anticipated plays of the season, Vardy vs Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial, had its press night yesterday. Katie Price turned up and took a photo with stars Laura Dos Santos and Lucy May Barker, who play Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy, respectively. Emma, Marchioness of Bath, posed with a bottle of Seventy One gin. At home for the half-term holidays, actor Emilia Clarke tried out a new ride.
