A production of The Bodyguard starring former Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton had to be stopped twice as a rowdy crowd caused chaos by shouting and singing during the show.
Shocking footage shows the moment a woman was forcibly removed from the Palace Theatre in Manchester as riot police were called.
The musical was forced to end early after audience members refused to stop singing and jeered performers and staff ‘does this mean we can start singing now?’ when Thornton began her rendition of I Will Always Love You.
The show was paused in its first act as staff at the theatre were forced to drag out several people singing loudly during the performance and again just 10 minutes from the final curtain as police arrived on the scene.
Star of the show Thornton apologised to fans for the disruption and people at show who were not ‘respectful.’
A performance of The Bodyguard was stopped early after audience members sparked chaos
Former Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton stars in The Bodyguard musical, currently showing in Manchester
Some attending said that ‘fights’ and ‘mini riots’ erupted in the theatre during the chaotic performance, Manchester Evening News reported.
Tash Kenyon, 27, said she and her mother Jan Kenyon, a nurse, had gone to see the show for Jan’s 65th birthday.
Tash said: ‘Before the performance the stewards were walking up and down the aisles with signs saying ‘please refrain from singing along’ – they were incredibly hard to miss. Two announcements were made as well saying ‘please don’t sing’ and that the audience would have a chance to join in in the finale.
‘The show was halted about 20 minutes in as some guests were singing. The guests were removed, and the show continued. The show had about 10 minutes left when the lead started performing I Will Always Love You.
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‘Someone shouted ‘Does this mean we can start singing now?’ Which set the audience off laughing, and that’s when the singing started over the top of the lead’s vocals.
‘The show stopped a minute later, the lights went on, and I couldn’t see from my seat but I could hear the commotion from the 2nd tier of seats, and people were looking up shocked.
‘I’m pretty sure some women were being forcibly removed. We had to catch the train home, so we decided to just leave, and when we got to the foyer we were told the show had been cancelled and everyone had to leave anyway.
‘There was already a police van outside, then two more showed up, one very nearly hitting me and my mum as we tried to cross the road.’
Footage taken at the event shows women being dragged from the top tier of the theatre.
Police arrived at the theatre after ‘mini riots’ broke out and people disrupted the show in Manchester
Members of the audience applauded security guards as they are dragged outside.
Around six police officers were pictured at the venue, while several police vans were parked outside.
Speaking in a video posted to her Instagram story on Friday evening, Thornton said: ‘I wanted to send a really special message to people in Manchester who came to the show tonight to say thank you so much.
‘I respect that you paid your money and I am so grateful to everyone who respects the people on stage who want to give you a beautiful show. For everything that happened tonight, I don’t have all of the details, I just am very, very sorry that we couldn’t finish the show. I fought really hard. It feels awful, and I just hope that we see you again.
‘The Bodyguard is a great show. It’s a wonderful story and love story. And I know people were out to see just a really beautiful show. I thank everyone who was respectful of the performers, and I’m very sorry for those who weren’t. I hope that we see you soon. That’s it. Thank you love you.’
Greater Manchester Police said: ‘Officers were called to the Palace Theatre last night (April 7 2023) after staff reported a number of people in the audience causing a disturbance.
‘Two people removed by security staff were spoken to by police and a decision about any further action will be made once the evidence has been reviewed.’
One person at the show said online: ‘Seen a lot of reports about bad behaviour at the theatre lately, and wondered if they were a bit overblown. Anyway, at the Palace tonight and they had to stop the show during the first act to eject disruptive audience members.
‘They’ve had to stop the show AGAIN during the finale because of people shouting out, screaming and being incredibly disruptive. Just unbelievably disrespectful to the actors. And they’re refusing to leave. This is horrendous. Never seen anything like it.
‘They decided not to finish the performance because of the disruption. Feel so sorry for the whole cast. Respect to all the staff at the Manchester Palace for trying to deal with an incredibly difficult situation. Three police vehicles outside the theatre. Awful.’
Another said: ‘There was a lot of heckling at Melody Thornton [the lead singer] who was on the stage solo at this point,’ she said.
‘Her mic was cut and the curtain was brought down for the second time. A fight broke out in the upper stands as security tried to deal with members of the audience.
‘It was about ten mins to the end after an earlier stoppage in the show as others were removed.’
Others at the show took to social media to vent their frustration at the disruption.
One said: ‘Can’t believe we was all kicked out 10 minutes before the end. Disrespectful idiots singing and screaming. I felt for the amazing performers and gutted I didn’t get to see the end.’
Another added: ‘Went to The Palace Theatre in Manchester to watch The Bodyguard and a bunch of entitled p***** starting singing over the lead during the final song. A riot broke out, the show was cancelled and the police were called.’
An audience member said: ‘Just been to watch the bodyguard at the palace and a mini riot erupted during the big ending,show cancelled people being physically removed and fights in the aisle’s. All because you can’t sing along !!!!! Police at the scene!!! Utter madness.’
