A viral video showing two audience members being removed from a musical in Manchester by security has prompted a wider discussion on theatre etiquette.
The Bodyguard is the latest musical to captivate and entertain audiences in Manchester.
Based on the beloved 1992 film of the same name starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, the stage musical adaptation that’s currently here at Manchester’s Palace Theatre until Saturday 15 April is already an award-winning smash hit international production, and is lead by former Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton and soap actor Ayden Callaghan.
The show tells the story of Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, who is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker.
Just like the film, the stage production is known for its music – with a score featuring some of Whitney Houston’s most iconic songs, including ‘One Moment in Time’, ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’, and, of course, ‘I Will Always Love You’.
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But as the musical’s massively talented cast attempt to do Houston’s hits justice each night, they ask that the audience “please refrain from singing along” while they do so.
Two “rowdy” audience members in Manchester didn’t appear to get the memo last week though.
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Watch the moment two audiences members were removed from a theatre performance of The Bodyguard.
The duo were reportedly 'singing over' the lead actor and the show ended 10 minutes early 👇🎭 pic.twitter.com/LmLlqsyIY4
After the duo were said to have been “singing over the lead during the final song” and were asked to stop by staff, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called to reports of a “disturbance” the Palace Theatre and removed the audience members from the venue.
A video showing the moment they were removed from the crowd by security has gone viral and has been widely-shared across social media over the last few days.
The Palace Theatre said in a statement after the incident that it was “disappointed” the show had to be halted and the last 10 minutes needed to be cancelled due to “disruptive customers refusing to stay seated and spoiling the performance for others”.
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The incident has prompted a widespread discussion on theatre etiquette – with the topic debated on ITV‘s This Morning and Good Morning Britain, and on BBC News.
Should people be allowed to sing at theatres? 🎭 After one theatre in Manchester banned audiences from singing along, @VanessaOnAir has her say… pic.twitter.com/NiQCEw49N7
A performance of The Bodyguard was brought to an abrupt halt on Friday night after theatregoers started singing over the lead during the final number. Should rowdy theatregoers be banned for life when they start singing along with the stars on stage?
Hundreds have also been sharing their takes on social media.
While reaction has been fairly mixed, with some having chosen to make light of the situation, and others saying they would be “devastated” at the thought of not being able to sing along with the hugely-popular hits that usually fill musicals’ scores, others have shared their disappointment in the situation.
Some have also pointed out that The Bodyguard isn’t unique in its request to ask that audiences “refrain from singing along”, and that this has been common theatre knowledge for quite a while, with several other shows also asking the same.
Others who have either worked front of house or in theatre settings have also shared their experiences and opinions on the matter.
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Sending support to the cast, crew and creative team at @TheBodyguardUK. And a big thank you to The Palace Theatre Manchester for all their efforts! This should not be a debate, and it shouldn't have gotten to this point to have police closing the performance. #thebodyguard
— Georgia Siân Clarke 🏴 (@That_actingirl) April 7, 2023
the bodyguard isn’t even the first show to outright ask for audiences to not sing along. it’s always been a part of theatre etiquette and it’s embarrassing that productions have to directly ask for it to be respected now.
i’m honestly hoping that our audiences are going to be more respectful and appreciate of the art they have paid to see, instead of acting in a way that is so horrific. theatre etiquette has gone so downhill recently and it’s so upsetting to see. people need to learn basic manners
Famous names from the world of musical theatre and wider entertainment industry are also among those sending their support to The Bodyguard’s cast and crew.
Acress Hayley Tamaddon said on Twitter: “I truly feel for the cast of The Bodyguard. Do you know how hard it is to sing songs like that 8 shows a week?! I don’t understand how people can be so disrespectful. There are plenty of karaoke bars or “sing- a- long” shows. go there instead.”
Etiquette consultant and society commentators William Hanson added on Twitter: “Where does one begin with this? When people have paid (a lot of) money to see the lead in ‘The Bodyguard’ musical do her thing, it’s because they want to hear *her* sing ‘How Will I Know’, not Debbie from Macclesfield.
“Eyes front, phones off and keep quiet.”
I truly feel for the cast of #TheBodyguard Do you know how hard it is to sing songs like that 8 shows a week?! I don’t understand how people can be so disrespectful..there are plenty of karaoke bars or “sing- a- long” shows. go there instead! Urgh. So much I could say about this.
When people have paid (a lot of) money to see the lead in ‘The Bodyguard’ musical do her thing, it's because they want to hear *her* sing ‘How Will I Know’, not Debbie from Macclesfield.
The Bodyguard’s leads Melody Thornton and Ayden Callaghan both spoke out after the incident, thanking fans and audience members who “respect the people on stage who want to give you a beautiful show”.
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Thornton said in a video message shared to Twitter that it felt “awful” to have to cancel the last 10 minutes, and that she “fought really hard” to keep the show going, but that the situation was out of their hands.
“I thank everyone who was respectful of the performers, and am very very sorry for those who weren’t,” she added.
Prior to the incident in Manchester, Ayden Callaghan first gave his take in response to the topic being discussed on This Morning, explaining: “It’s not karaoke, we want people to enjoy themselves, and enjoy the performances they have paid to see. You don’t expect to go and have a kick about at Anfield when watching or a few rallies at Wimbledon as well as spectating.
“Respect the performers and fellow audience. Simple.”
He then followed up on this following the Manchester show, adding: “Theatre pulled the show at the end tonight because of disgusting behaviour. We wanted to carry on but it had become a major incident. I’m really sorry to what was 99.9% a brilliant audience that a few badly behaved individuals ruined it.”
Theatre pulled the show at the end tonight because of disgusting behaviour. We wanted to carry on but it had become a major incident. I’m really sorry to what was 99.9% a brilliant audience that a few badly behaved individuals ruined it. https://t.co/quemi5Jmt5
A spokesperson for the Palace Theatre confirmed that future performances of The Bodyguard would “continue as planned” in Manchester right up until it closes this Saturday.
But the theatre has asked that customers are “considerate” towards the cast, fellow audience members, and theatre team so that “everyone can enjoy the wonderful entertainment on stage”.
Featured Image – ATG Tickets
Theatre
Thousands of FREE tickets to The Big Night of Musicals at AO Arena have been released
Thomas Melia
There are thousands of free tickets up for grabs to attend ‘The Big Night of Musicals’ in Manchester next year which features a variety of theatre classics.
The curtain has risen once again as returning favourite, The Big Night of Musicals, is coming to AO Arena for a fourth year.
Hosted once again by the one and only Jason Manford, this event contains segments from some of the world’s greatest theatre productions.
Fronted by The National Lottery, this showcase is a thank you to all players whose money has supported more than 20,000 theatre-related projects totalling £1.3 billion.
These funds have been used on many performing arts resources including restoring theatres and enabling hundreds of musical-related projects to commence.
This isn’t something to be missed out on as the bill is shaping up to be one of the event’s biggest to date featuring stars from the West End and some of the most notorious shows.
Attendees can expect to hear some familiar favourites in the likes of Bat Out of Hell, Here & Now: The Steps Musical, Mean Girls and more.
There’s even an exclusive preview of the upcoming theatre adaptation of a Disney superhero as snippets from ‘Hercules’ will be performed live.
Guests even have a chance to be in the same room as musical theatre legend Carrie Hope Fletcher as she takes on the role of Calamity Jane in the theatre show of the same name.
Dear Evan Hansen is also on the bill and if you aren’t free for the musical ensemble, it’s running at Palace Theatre Manchester from 18-22 February next year and tickets are available right now.
This event has a super varied lineup too, from throwback pop bangers to Wild West heroines, this night really caters to everyone.
In true musical style, there will be big, bold performances and, of course, lots of excellent surprises all set to make a fantastic night of live music at the AO Arena.
All National Lottery players have the chance to reserve up to four tickets, the only cost is proof they’ve purchased a product from the National Lottery and a £2 booking fee per ticket.
Tickets for the ‘Big Night of Musicals’ on 25 January are already on sale you can try your luck at grabbing some free seats HERE.
Come From Away at The Lowry – a 9/11 musical full of heart and hope
Oli Lowe
Let’s start with a summary of Come From Away – this is a theatre show about a small town on the coast of Canada, that when disaster shook the world on September 11th 2001, offered accommodation to over 7,000 passengers whose flights had been diverted due to the American airspace being closed.
On the surface, you wouldn’t read the above summary of events and think ‘Let’s turn that cheery story into a musical’ but you simply have to believe me when I tell you that it just works.
Come From Away isn’t a story about disaster or tragedy (although both do feature heavily for obvious reasons) – it’s a story about community, hope and how when faced with the toughest of circumstances people are capable of extraordinary things.
The show opens in the unsuspecting town of Gander, Canada on the morning of 9/11. Gander was once home to the world’s largest airport, in a time gone by, when planes used to have to stop immediately after crossing the Atlantic.
This meant that Gander was the first place in North America that people such as The Beatles or even The Queen, ever landed. However, as we begin our story, Gander is now a small town with a population of about 11,000 and a derelict Airport, barely fit for purpose.
These circumstances changed very quickly when at 8:46am on September 11th 2001, a terrorist attack was committed on the World Trade Centre, New York. With the US airspace immediately closed, with all airborne planes now suspected to be terrorist weapons, all flights crossing the Atlantic had to be diverted to the nearest Canadian airport… Gander.
Come From Away at The Lowry – a 9/11 musical full of heart and hope
This creates a scenario whereby within minutes a quiet unassuming town on the coast of Canada is expected to welcome over 7000 passengers from 38 different flights, without warning, without proper preparation and without any indication as to how long they’ll be staying.
When this tale is brought to life, it’s one that will bring you to tears. I have never in my life cried so much at a musical, which I know might not sound like the most resounding endorsement but it’s truly meant to be. There were of course sad tears, heartbreaking tears and sorrowful tears but there were also tears of joy, tears of quiet happiness and tears of hope.
When you think of the horrific events of 9/11, your thoughts immediately turn to the epicentre, to New York. I’d never considered the wider implications of that day, how thousands of people flying must have had their lives turned upside down, how panicked loved ones all across the world must have been, how communities globally were affected and how a small town in a completely different country was called into action.
I don’t want to give too much away in regards to the actual characters within this story or how their journeys play out through what must of been an incredibly tough time, but what I will say is that the characters in this story, all of whom are directly based on real people (more on that later), are some of the most inspirational human beings I’ve ever come across.
Come From Away is at The Lowry until 5 January
The show stars an extraordinary ensemble performance, with no leads or ‘main characters’, instead each of the twelve actors play a multitude of characters, whose stories inevitably intertwine with one and others.
The staging and choreography for this show are also fantastic, very minimalist with the set mainly being made up of just chairs and small props, leading the audience to use their imaginations to fill in blanks.
I sadly can’t guarantee this at every performance of Come From Away but at the curtain call the night we watched, the real residents of Gander from whom the story is based on, came onto stage and gave a speech about how ‘none of them are heroes but instead just people who decided to do the right thing’… Which inevitably led to more tears from me and an even deeper appreciation of the show.
I think this story is truly needed in the world we’re living in at the moment, with global tensions high, an economy that doesn’t favour most of us, and a lot of the world feeling more separated than ever before. This story, this beautiful, heartwarming and inspirational story shows us how even through the toughest of circumstances, we can work together for the betterment of everyone.
Please go and watch Come From Away. It’s one of the most beautiful stories I’ve seen brought to the stage and it deserves endless support from us Mancs whilst here in Salford.
It’s running throughout the festive season till 5 January and I guarantee you’ll walk away from it feeling just that little bit more hopeful about the world we live in.
Emily Sergeant -
10th April 2023 
