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During a performance on 4 October by the West End production Les Miserables, 5 protesters stormed the stage during the famous protest song “Do You Hear The People Sing” bringing the performance to a quick halt. Unfortunately, the show could not go on.
Just Stop Oil is a group of activists that became known to the public in 2022 with their protests including blocking major roads and targeting events. Their popular symbols include orange paint, paper, or powder. Majority of their funding comes from the Climate Emergency Fund, an American network. Just Stop Oil claims that their groups simply want to stop the UK government production of fossil fuels in the United Kingdom. At this particular protest from Just Stop Oil, five arrests were made and charged with aggravated trespass due to the performance of Les Miserables being interrupted and eventually evacuated.
The Chief Executive of Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, William Village, made this statement in regards to the protest and the interruption of Les Miserables:
“During the first half of our performance of ‘Les Miserables’, individuals from Just Stop Oil invaded the stage, abruptly stopping the show. Following our safety protocols, the audience were asked to leave the auditorium and the Met Police attended. Regrettably, there was insufficient time to enable us to complete the rest of the performance. Whilst we recognise the importance of free expression, we must also respect our audience’s right to enjoy the event for which they have paid.
Tickets purchased through Delfont Mackintosh Theatres will be automatically refunded. If you booked through a ticket agent or third party, please contact your point of purchase to obtain a refund.”
Testaments from audience members in attendance during the interruption of the Les Miserables performance stated that protesters messing with the arts is not the way to get sympathy for their cause, that this is a moronic strategy. Some audience members even made it clear that this is trouble purely for the sake of causing trouble and the protesters disrupted a performance which has nothing to do with their cause only for the sake of mimicking without understanding what they were trying to mimic and should choose a better suited target for next time.
Clearly those who witnessed this interruption of Les Miserables are upset that the show they paid for was not the show they were hoping to see. Since the protest during the interrupted performance, other protesters from Just Stop Oil have been mocked and criticised calling them ‘hooligans’ and ‘zealots’.
Janine has always been a part of music and performing. The first show that inspired her to go into theatre was the Velveteen Rabbit which she saw as a child, and Drew works to keep that magic alive in her work. When Drew was accepted into an internship program for audio engineering at a recording studio, she jumped at the opportunity. That was at the start of 2020, and so much has happened since then, both in her career and in the world. Since then, Drew has taken several opportunities to work at recording studios, concerts, festivals, and even large theatres while spending some time on tour. Drew's favorite by far though, has been the chance to work on Broadways and West End shows, as this was a dream come true. Drew is honoured to get to share these experiences from being inside the entertainment industry.
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