To say my week got off to an interesting start would be an understatement! I went to the Sunday matinee of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium and everything seemed fine. That is until I got to the stage door. I know most of this has been reported, but I will reveal the litany of events that led up to what happened.
I genuinely didn’t expect the kind of attention this story would get (presumably when a beloved British comedian’s involved, anything turns into a headline) and I cannot thank you all for your kind messages of support and even sharing your similar stories. The reason I wrote my tweet was to raise awareness of what can happen when the stage door goes too far because it’s happened too many times for it to be brushed off. When children are involved who see this kind of behaviour and could’ve gotten hurt, then it needs to be addressed quickly.
What happened at the Palladium stage door?
I may as well start with the general vibe. I was stood close to the front (great, I don’t have to worry about being sandwiched between people!) Slowly I could see parents and children crowding like a flock of birds. Were they there to meet Ashley Banjo and Jason Manford? “Get ready to meet Ashley, he should definitely come out” one mother said, so confirmed. For those who don’t know, the Palladium stage door is placed right next to a busy road. An awkward place not built for crowds of fans, this instance was certainly proof as the crowd crept closer to the point there was barely room for the ensemble and crew could just squeeze out of there.
Before anyone came out the stage door, I noticed parents pushing in using their children and getting them to ask security about anyone coming out (honestly a disgusting manipulation tactic on the parent’s end), and overheard people saying “I’ve met {celebrity name}, so they should come out.” In other words, not your typical theatregoer.
When Louis Gaunt and Gary Wilmot came out the stage door, things seemed to be OK if not cramped (and I overheard a mum shouting “Scarecrow” to get Gaunt’s attention which left me miffed). I’m a very quick person as I don’t like the thought of holding someone up for time, so I quickly gave them my usual “you were amazing” spiel before asking for an autograph and selfie. Plus I bumped into Louis Gaunt before the show at the M&S in Oxford Street when waiting in line, so I didn’t have much else to say before letting others get their turn meeting him.
Reserve booing for panto villains
Second, I want to address the treatment of ensemble members. If anyone saw my tweet about this didn’t know the context, here’s the story: A mum thought an ensemble member was Ashley Banjo. When she realised it wasn’t Banjo, some people booed him as he left. I’ve said this before, but every single person involved in a show onstage and backstage should be treated with respect. Watching people be so dismissive towards another hardworking performer because they’re not a big name in their eyes was honestly disgusting. I’d never seen anything like this before, and I completely understand the outrage from the theatre community (which I didn’t expect or intend either).
When Ashley Banjo did come out the stage door, things weren’t any better. Because Banjo had to go back inside for rehearsals before the 5PM show, he said he couldn’t do individual selfies or autographs. Instead, he did a group selfie with everyone. Honestly, I say that’s a fair compromise given that he could’ve easily not come out at all. Clearly it wasn’t enough for some who still shoved programmes towards him and demanded photos.
The bit you’ve all been waiting for…
I can’t describe this part other than shit hit the fan by the time Jason Manford came out the stage door.
I already asked someone gently but firmly to back off a bit because they were getting too close, but I still got pushed to the ground by a parent which badly grazed my thigh and knee. Manford was the one who picked me up and got security to take me inside to calm me down so I was away from everything. I have anxiety and autism, so I was more shaken than somebody else may have been in that sort of situation – given that this being pushed to the ground has happened more than once, it definitely triggered a trauma response.
First aid checked me over and Manford came over to see how I was doing after meeting everyone before security gave me the heads up the crowd had cleared and I was OK to leave. He, and everyone else at the Palladium, couldn’t have been kinder and I didn’t want or expect any type of treatment despite the incident resulting in me being physically hurt. What I also didn’t expect was the media attention this got.
What do I want out of this?
Given that I have this platform, I guess my main message is people need to be more considerate to each other. I’ve already dedicated an entire blog post to this topic and mentioned it in my socials, but the stage door isn’t an add-on with your ticket or a guarantee. It’s a privilege. I understand the excitement it can create, but if a performer doesn’t want to meet fans or is busy speaking with other people, then respect that instead of labelling them as rude for not doing what you want.
I can already hear people saying “You go to the stage door, you’re no better.” I hear you on that, but I always go in expecting somebody may not come out, ask for consent before doing anything and keep my distance whenever possible. I’m certainly not generalising it, but this mass sense of entitlement I’ve seen at the stage door has been abhorrent from fans chasing actors down the streets to demanding security to get someone out. Some need to realise performers are people who don’t owe us anything. They’re not idols you should put up on a pedestal and do everything out of the kindness of their hearts.
I guess that’s where I want to end this on: Be kind. Be respectful. Be considerate to everybody.
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