National Theatre Responds Following Overnight Security Breach

The National Theatre is responding after a Youtube prankster posted a video himself and a friend breaking into the National Theatre late one weekend after the evening's performance had ended.

The two men were entered the theatre through an unlocked door on the roof. They spent the evening rummaging through the backstage area, modeling costumes and entering dressing rooms. The stunt nearly ended in disaster when a railing the pranksters climbed on came loose.

They were approached by a security guard at one point in the evening, but were able to continue their shenanigans by saying that they were there for a late-night rehearsal.

As a result of the break-in, theatre owners have begun to re-evaluate their security procedures. They responded on Twitter stating, "We took action immediately after the incident and have further strengthened our security."

A spokesperson for the theatre said in a statement that theatre owners and staff "were shocked and concerned that two intruders recently put themselves at great risk by gaining unauthorised access to a restricted area of the building."

They added, "The safety and security of everyone at the National Theatre is of the utmost importance. We would like to reassure audiences that we have taken immediate action to further strengthen our security, we liaise with the police on an ongoing basis and we are working closely with the Met following this incident."

The National Theatre is currently home to the Broadway-bound production of Follies, starring Imelda Staunton.

Photo credit: Johan Persson