Chandelier brings the house down

Sandra Laville
Monday May 17, 2004
The Guardian

The audience could have been forgiven for thinking they were in the wrong musical when a chandelier came crashing towards the dress circle in an echo of the famous scene in the Phantom of the Opera.

Theatregoers were only saved from serious injury by the safety cable on the light fitting which prevented it from landing on the packed house at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on Saturday night.

In the pandemonium that followed, Luke Perry, the Hollywood star playing the lead role in the musical When Harry Met Sally, leapt from the stage to help the audience, who were showered with plaster and concrete.

Eleven people were taken to hospital suffering minor in juries and yesterday all but one were allowed home.

Arnold M Cook, the theatre's chairman, said performances would not resume until Wednesday. He apologised to the audience members affected and promised all 900 present a full refund and an invitation to see the show again.

Ben Chamberlain, a spokesman for the theatre which was built in 1720, said the chandelier pulled free from the ceiling five minutes before the end of the show. "Luke was a bit of a hero."

Health and safety officials will visit the theatre today. But seasoned stage hands believe they know the cause of the accident. "Everyone's speculated whether this is the work of the Phantom of the Opera but that show is on across the road from us at Her Majesty's," said one.