Staff “Scared” to Come to Work says Edinburgh Playhouse Director

Staff at the Edinburgh Playhouse are "nervous and scared" due to a rise in verbal and physical abuse from patrons, according to its theatre director.

Colin Marr told The Stage that the issue had become "significantly worse" since audiences returned after the Covid pandemic.

He added the police had been called twice since theatres reopened, with the most recent regarding an incident where a member of staff was punched during a performance of Jersey Boys (As previously reported by BroadwayWorld).

In more than five years running the venue, he said it was the worst it has ever been and warned it was having an impact on his staff.

"It is really horrible for them and staff can be scared to come to work. And what I hear from other theatre directors is that we are dealing with a mental-health crisis in our staff as well, and this is part of it, a part of what fuels it," he said.

Read the full article on The Stage here.

Photo Credit: BRINKHOFF & MOEGENBURG