Chanting students halt production

PATRONS at Durban’s Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre were held hostage for at least two hours on Friday night after protesting students demanded that the production being staged be stopped.

The iconic theatre founded in 1981 by the late Professor Elizabeth Sneddon is on the same property as the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Howard campus.

The students were demanding total shutdown at the campus.

At least 200 people were watching Ian von Memerty and Gino Fabbri’s production, Common and Class.

Taking to Facebook, Von Memerty said students pounded on the doors and chanted.

“We could hear the students outside getting increasingly more vocal and rowdier so we led the audience downstairs into the safety of the dressing rooms. We quietly waited for security and police to deal with the situation,” Von Memerty said.

He said eventually the students were dispersed and the audience were led out. But due to the disruption the show was moved to other venues.

A group of pensioners made a block booking but were unable to watch the production.

However, Von Memerty and Fabbri held a special performance at their retirement village.

UKZN spokesperson Normah Zondo said they were aware of the incident. “UKZN’s risk management services, public order policing, and SAPS were on hand to ensure safety and security,” Zondo said.