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Disabled theatregoer thrown out of show
A theatregoer with learning disabilities was ordered out of a performance at the New Wimbledon Theatre and compared to a drunk by the show's producer.
The audience member and his carer were asked to leave the musical Shout! by James Woods because they were making "too much noise".
One onlooker, who also works with disabled people, branded Mr Woods' behaviour on March 17 as "ridiculous" and accused him of being rude and aggressive.
Sue Fretton was watching the musical with 15 members of the Surrey Special Olympics team and was sitting near the people involved.
"Music is a passion for disabled people. Every so often one of them would shout out and then be quiet," she explained.
Ms Fretton said that they were not disturbing the cast or the rest of the audience, but claims that Mr Woods "pulled an usher over to him and said get them out of the theatre'".
By this time the carers had decided to leave anyway, she said, and were moving the disabled person - who was wheelchair bound and has learning difficulties - towards the exit.
Ms Fretton added: "Then he stood in front of them and said "the reason I've asked you to leave is because you're upsetting the other customers".
According to Ms Fretton, the producer then appeared again at the end of the show as the general manager was taking complaints.
"He tried to put his point across but said 'when people are drunk they have to be removed'," she said.
Mr Woods, of producers Mark Goucher Ltd, said the noises were "loud screams" which, had they continued, would have forced the show to stop.
He described the event as "unfortunate", but said the carer had a responsibility to remove the person in question.
A spokesman for the theatre said: "The point of view of the producer is categorically not that of the New Wimbledon Theatre and we are extremely sorry for the offence his comments caused."
He added that staff offered the guests assistance and invited them to return to their seats after a break outside, but they decided to leave the venue.
Ms Fretton praised the reaction of the theatre staff, who were "horrified" by the producer's behaviour, and said disabled people were normally treated excellently at the venue.
"It's so disability friendly - this won't put people off going," she said.
10:50am Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: ric, kingston on 1:20pm Thu 27 Mar 08
i dont see the problem? what so your exempt from bad behaviour if your disabled?
the carer should have taken control of the situation quicker.
my tip would be. dont take noisey disabled folk to a quiet theatre.
go to the theme park or something. their screams will be un noticed
i dont see the problem? what so your exempt from bad behaviour if your disabled?
the carer should have taken control of the situation quicker.
my tip would be. dont take noisey disabled folk to a quiet theatre.
go to the theme park or something. their screams will be un noticed
Posted by: Brendan kennedy, Putney on 10:22am Fri 28 Mar 08
As the musical is called 'shout'making noise is probably appropriate.There are enough 'labels' for people with disabilities without people being barred from places they enjoy going to.As for the themepark comments they are too stupid to reply to.I have been on trains where supposed intelligent people are making lots of noise in a fairly obnoxious and objectionable way should they be chucked off the train.
As the musical is called 'shout'making noise is probably appropriate.There are enough 'labels' for people with disabilities without people being barred from places they enjoy going to.As for the themepark comments they are too stupid to reply to.I have been on trains where supposed intelligent people are making lots of noise in a fairly obnoxious and objectionable way should they be chucked off the train.
Posted by: sam, Croydon on 9:51pm Sat 29 Mar 08
Ric, Kingston.... I assume you spell your name with a silent p.
Ric, Kingston.... I assume you spell your name with a silent p.
Posted by: ric, kingston on 8:50am Mon 31 Mar 08
lol
sam dont get out your pram mate.
or wheelchair should i say.
lol
sam dont get out your pram mate.
or wheelchair should i say.
Posted by: Shirley, Wimbledon on 8:59am Tue 1 Apr 08
I "use" this theater for entertainment once a week. I witnessed this event and can tell all that the noise was extremely distracting. This is not the first occasion my enjoyment has been spoilt by similar outbursts.If we are to treat disabled people equally then we should be able to take the appropriate actions if they misbehave just as if they were not disabled,this is the point the producer was trying to make. Surely that was the whole point behind the legislation after all.
I recognize that mentally disabled people benefit from visual stimuli but that theater visits may not be an inappropriate place to gain this stimulation.
In this instance the carer should have acted earlier.Possibly it is the carer who benefits more?
Shirley.
I "use" this theater for entertainment once a week. I witnessed this event and can tell all that the noise was extremely distracting. This is not the first occasion my enjoyment has been spoilt by similar outbursts.If we are to treat disabled people equally then we should be able to take the appropriate actions if they misbehave just as if they were not disabled,this is the point the producer was trying to make. Surely that was the whole point behind the legislation after all.
I recognize that mentally disabled people benefit from visual stimuli but that theater visits may not be an inappropriate place to gain this stimulation.
In this instance the carer should have acted earlier.Possibly it is the carer who benefits more?
Shirley.
Posted by: sam, croydon on 9:28am Tue 1 Apr 08
I cannot believe the bigoted views that people still have. I notice the guardian remove comments of a racist nature(rightly so) and comments with swear words yet it's OK to leave narrow minded comments that I find offensive. Shirley, you cannot treat disabled people "equally" as quite often their needs are different to yours. I hope I never see the day when there are notices on doors excluding disabled people in case it spoils youyr enjoyment. Quite often it's not just a person's enjoyment being satisfied but creating a learning experience. Maybe some of the people leaving comments could do a bit of learning too. Personally I am glad we are beyond the days of leaving disabled people in institutions and asylums. As for the remark about the carers being more concerned of their own enjoyment.... Ask yourself how long did it take them to prepare for this trip? Are they ever in a position to attend such places alone? Most carers work with very little respite and for well below the minimum wage.Next time you are about to stare and make offensive remarks please think . A smile cost nothing and could improve both their days. If you find that hard just think without carers these people would be put in institutions, watch your taxes go up then! You won't be able to afford the theatre.
I cannot believe the bigoted views that people still have. I notice the guardian remove comments of a racist nature(rightly so) and comments with swear words yet it's OK to leave narrow minded comments that I find offensive. Shirley, you cannot treat disabled people "equally" as quite often their needs are different to yours. I hope I never see the day when there are notices on doors excluding disabled people in case it spoils youyr enjoyment. Quite often it's not just a person's enjoyment being satisfied but creating a learning experience. Maybe some of the people leaving comments could do a bit of learning too. Personally I am glad we are beyond the days of leaving disabled people in institutions and asylums. As for the remark about the carers being more concerned of their own enjoyment.... Ask yourself how long did it take them to prepare for this trip? Are they ever in a position to attend such places alone? Most carers work with very little respite and for well below the minimum wage.Next time you are about to stare and make offensive remarks please think . A smile cost nothing and could improve both their days. If you find that hard just think without carers these people would be put in institutions, watch your taxes go up then! You won't be able to afford the theatre.
Posted by: Den, Wallington on 5:36pm Tue 1 Apr 08
Why were my comments removed? They wasn't racist. All I done was ask one person why they had made a racist comment, then when she replied with "she pays the tax on my council house" I replied back to let her know that I work long hours to survive without any benefits at all.
Nothing offensive there.
Why were my comments removed? They wasn't racist. All I done was ask one person why they had made a racist comment, then when she replied with "she pays the tax on my council house" I replied back to let her know that I work long hours to survive without any benefits at all.
Nothing offensive there.
Posted by: Shirely, Wimbledon on 11:14am Tue 8 Apr 08
Hi Sam
I think that you and others are missing the point.
I certainly am not proposing that disabled people be excluded "in case" they spoil my or anybody else's enjoyment just that the carers exercise judgment when using public facilities that the actions of the cared for does not upset or cause annoyance to the others using that facility. Try this , would the carer be right to take incontinent people to use a public swimming bath knowing that they may defecate in the baths? Of course not, same logic applies here. It is not a clear cut set of rules but the discretion of the carer. If the disability precludes this then the carer should exercise judgment and use a different stimuli where the disabled persons actions would not be upsetting to others.
This group visit the theater regularly and as I understand it the theater actually go out of there way to accommodate them.
No one in this country legally employed works for less than the minimum wage let alone carers funded by councils, volunteer carers, that is different but then there reward is in the joy that receive from caring for others and to portray them as overworked and underpaid is factually incorrect. The parents of these children maybe the ones who are overworked and not in receipt of sufficient funds to pay for help needed.
Now to the personal bit.
Your use of emotive words and terminology like Institution and Asylum doesn't help your argument
(there are still "institutions" (old emotive name) that are needed to care for those that are severely disabled and incapable of life without intensive support . as for the "asylums" (old emotive name) these still exist too! These people are not "left" (emotive word) in them, they are cared for by them. We are not talking about Bulgaria.
The misquoted remark about the carers does not use the word "enjoyment " but the word "benefit" "enjoyment" was your interpretation.
Rest assured you will never see the day signs you describe fixed to doors in my name.
A bigot is someone who will not accept any other way of looking at things.
Censoring a point of view because of .." narrow minded comments that I find offensive".. is bigoted.
Put your emotions to one side and look at the broader picture take into account the rest of the society too.
Maybe at the end of the day we could all do with a little more understanding but that doesn't preclude you Sam
Hi Sam
I think that you and others are missing the point.
I certainly am not proposing that disabled people be excluded "in case" they spoil my or anybody else's enjoyment just that the carers exercise judgment when using public facilities that the actions of the cared for does not upset or cause annoyance to the others using that facility. Try this , would the carer be right to take incontinent people to use a public swimming bath knowing that they may defecate in the baths? Of course not, same logic applies here. It is not a clear cut set of rules but the discretion of the carer. If the disability precludes this then the carer should exercise judgment and use a different stimuli where the disabled persons actions would not be upsetting to others.
This group visit the theater regularly and as I understand it the theater actually go out of there way to accommodate them.
No one in this country legally employed works for less than the minimum wage let alone carers funded by councils, volunteer carers, that is different but then there reward is in the joy that receive from caring for others and to portray them as overworked and underpaid is factually incorrect. The parents of these children maybe the ones who are overworked and not in receipt of sufficient funds to pay for help needed.
Now to the personal bit.
Your use of emotive words and terminology like Institution and Asylum doesn't help your argument
(there are still "institutions" (old emotive name) that are needed to care for those that are severely disabled and incapable of life without intensive support . as for the "asylums" (old emotive name) these still exist too! These people are not "left" (emotive word) in them, they are cared for by them. We are not talking about Bulgaria.
The misquoted remark about the carers does not use the word "enjoyment " but the word "benefit" "enjoyment" was your interpretation.
Rest assured you will never see the day signs you describe fixed to doors in my name.
A bigot is someone who will not accept any other way of looking at things.
Censoring a point of view because of .." narrow minded comments that I find offensive".. is bigoted.
Put your emotions to one side and look at the broader picture take into account the rest of the society too.
Maybe at the end of the day we could all do with a little more understanding but that doesn't preclude you Sam
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