'Totally unacceptable' behaviour at London shows

A London performance of Only Fools And Horses: The Musical was hit by racist heckles that left the cast hurt and upset.

Producers issued a statement after last Friday’s show at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, saying: ‘Here at Only Fools and Horses the Musical we always act with respect and kindness towards ourselves and others. We do expect our audiences to do the same.

‘Any unkind comments, bullying, discrimination or any form of abuse towards our cast or company members will not be tolerated by the producers or theatres. We expect respect on and off stage.

‘We are committed to working closely with the venue teams to ensure that our cast, company and audiences embrace an environment of respect, inclusivity and safety.’

Although they did not mention the nature of the incident, The Sun today reports that it was racist. 

It quoted one unnamed audience member saying: ‘This idiot spoiled parts of the performance for those in ear shot, it was totally unacceptable what was blurted out. Unfortunately, security were unable to identify the culprit and eject them from the theatre.’

The newspaper says black cast members Bradley John and Gloria Acquaah-Harrison, who play lorry driver Denzil Tulser and Mrs Obooko repsectively, were targeted.

Only Fools And Horses: The Musical, which stars Paul Whitehouse as granddad is in the midst of a three-week run in London, which ends on January 5, before continuing its UK tour. Vinnie Jones is playing gangster Danny Driscoll, during the Hammersmith shows.

Published: 24 Dec 2024