Actor helps theatregoer
The quick-thinking actions of a Lycra-clad actor who noticed an unresponsive theatregoer in the front of an audience has attracted praise from others attending the show.
Kiwi actor Mark Hadlow was 10 minutes away from finishing his one-man MAMIL show at Palmerston North’s Centrepoint Theatre on Saturday night when he jumped off stage as he realised awoman was slumped in her seat.
Hadlow said he saw the woman was not responding to the person next to her so he rushed over to attempt to rouse her.
‘‘It was really freaky,’’ he said.
‘‘But therewas no panic ... It is a reality and in amoment’s notice, everything can change.’’
A doctor in the audience came forward and helped thewoman while staff alerted emergency services.
Whanganui man Scott Taylor Moore was at the show and said Hadlow, who has acted in films such as King Kong and The Hobbit, had just delivered a line directed towards the front of the stage when he noticed the woman slumped over.
‘‘He jumped down and said: ‘Can we get the lights up?’’’ he said.
Taylor Moore said Hadlow’s actions were seamless, calm and showed care towards his
audience. ‘‘He was certainly thinking a lot more about a person’s welfare than his tireless effort on stage,’’ he said.
‘‘The priority was given to the right person at the right time.’’
The audience filed out of the theatre to the pavement to allow for emergency services to tend to the woman, and Hadlow followed and managed to keep the crowd entertained with daily life musings.
‘‘Collectively, the people that were managing things were really calm and matter of fact and polite,’’ Taylor Moore said. ‘‘We came back in and he took it back from almost the exact place where he had been.
‘‘The show must go on and so it did.
‘‘Hadlow and crew receiving a well-earned standing ovation for both the sublime performance and also their collective concern and competence.’’
The condition of the woman was not known, however, Taylor Moore said the woman walked to a waiting ambulance at the time.
Centrepoint general manager Kate Louise Elliott said actors were always aware of their surroundings as part of what they did on stage.
‘‘This is live theatre. Anything can happen,’’ she said.
‘‘Our audience’s safety and happiness is our first priority. We do our best to ensure our team are prepared and our procedures are up to date to be able to deal with most scenarios off stage and well as on.’’
MAMIL, which stands for ‘‘Middle aged male in Lycra’’, has been running at Centrepoint since November 9 and continues until December 14.
The show follows a man’s adventure as he transforms from a stressed property developer to a health-conscious road warrior.