Bouncers tackle rowdy West End audiences

Bouncers are to be introduced at some West End theatres to tackle loutish behaviour during some of the capital's most popular shows.

Audience behaviour has become so bad that theatres have been forced to call the police and many producers are now hiring security staff to throw out the worst offenders, who have been seen to fight, fondle each other and even urinate.

The audience for Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre has been likened to a "bear pit" by insiders, who said many audience members turn up drunk and often have to be removed.

The cast of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music were stunned to see an audience member walk over to the side of the stage and relieve himself.

Critics blame lower ticket prices designed to attract younger audiences and say it is too easy to take alcohol into shows. Nica Burns, who owns theatres including the Lyric and Shaftesbury Avenue, where Thriller is running, is the first to have made plans to introduce security guards.

She said: "In a show like Thriller you may get people who have never been to the theatre before and may have been out for a drink before they arrive, It can get quite hectic and very boisterous."

A source close to the production said police had to be called at least twice to deal with troublemakers and said it was "unreasonable" to leave the ushers to sort out these type of problems.

"They are mostly out-of-work actors hired to sell programmes and ice cream and show people to their seat," he said. "It's thought if people see security when they go in, it will make them think twice."

Actor Patrick Stewart was distracted last week during Waiting for Godot by a member of the audience taking photographs with his mobile phone. Richard Griffiths stopped several performances of The History Boys after mobile phones interrupted the play.