London’s West End theatres are infested with vermin, according to a report by actors union Equity – and they’re not talking about soap stars pretending to be serious theatre actors.
Three quarters of all actors and stage managers employed in the 24 theatres in London’s West End have described regular infestations of mice and rats in the venues, with Equity General Secretary Christine Payne saying she was “really shocked” by the result of the study. One reply to the survey stated that “Our floors have been eaten by mice and they leave their faeces.” Another noted “Mice, mice, mice. Quite often there is an unpleasant smell which usually turns out to be a dead one!” “I had tiny bite marks on my lipstick recently when I left the lid off,” added another, presumably female, respondent.
“I knew it was bad out there, but I am really shocked by this,” Payne admitted to the BBC. “These findings mean that tonight, over six hundred actors and stage managers will go to work knowing that they will probably see and smell vermin, both living and decomposing, in their work place. I accept that many West End theatres are old and difficult buildings to manage, but this is running out of control. These appalling conditions must come to an end. I want to thank all those West End actors and stage managers who took part in this survey. Their union will be working with them to ensure that effective action is taken.”
