6 hours ago
4
An actor in the hit musical Calamity Jane at the Sydney Opera House has called out theatre patrons for groping cast members as they pass through the audience in the production.
Kala Gare in the video she shared on Instagram.Credit: Instagram
Kala Gare, who plays Katie Brown in the show, has posted on social media on Sunday that for the third consecutive day, performers had been touched inappropriately during performances at the Opera House Studio.
“We’ve had too many times of people coming up and touching people inappropriately,” she said on Instagram.
“We’re talking about people grabbing bums, touching ‘ta-tas’. It’s starting to get a little crazy with people feeling a little liberal. Please don’t do it for the safety of everybody.
“Come see the show. Have a great time - but don’t touch us,” the Melbourne performer concluded.
The show, which has returned to Sydney after multiple dates around Australia over the past seven years playing to more than 75,000 people, is an “immersive” production in which the theatre is transformed into the Golden Garter Saloon. It’s when cast members move among audience members’ tables that the alleged inappropriate behaviour has occurred.
Director Richard Carroll said that, while he had not seen Gare’s social media comments, he was unaware of any complaints about audience behaviour.
“There has not been, to my knowledge any incident that has resulted in any sort of action by the Opera House,” he said. “I would assume that’s just Kala expressing her own opinions about what it is and isn’t OK. Obviously, it’s a Sunday and I’m not at the Opera House.
Loading
“It’s something that we have talked about with the cast before we went into the theatre – how we can make sure that they feel as safe and secure as possible.
“And we talked about what they were empowered to do in terms of their communication with audience and I certainly encourage all of the cast to be as clear and vocal as they want to about consent. I would assume that’s Kala doing so on social media as well.”
Gare and producers One Eyed Man Productions have been contacted for comment.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
Most Viewed in Culture
Loading
