Mean Girls UK Tour Cancelled in Belfast Amidst Unrest
Quick Look
- The UK tour of Mean Girls has been cancelled in Belfast due to ongoing unrest and planned protests following a knife attack.
- Lead cast member Panka expressed fear and has not left her house, citing safety concerns, especially as a person of colour.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Disorder has been breaking out across Northern Ireland following a serious knife attack. The Mean Girls musical was scheduled to perform in Belfast but faced planned protests, leading to cancellations.
One of the lead cast of the Mean Girls UK tour has said she has not left her house and is frightened following disorder in Belfast that has led to the show being cancelled.
Posting on TikTok, Panka said she has kept her blinds closed since the trouble started on Tuesday.
Disorder has been breaking out across Northern Ireland after a man was seriously injured in a knife attack.
The musical was due to open at the Grand Opera House in Belfast on Tuesday evening but was cancelled due to planned protests.
Producers then announced the Wednesday evening and Thursday matinee were off but have now confirmed the entire rest of the run has been cancelled.
Posting on social media, Panka said she was "very sad that the situation is happening right now".
"People are saying and doing things that I completely don't agree with, and it's very scary to be here right now, especially as a person of colour - but just I'm worried for everyone in our company," she said.
"There were fires in the street. The company that I work for and the theatre have decided to cancel yesterday's show, which was good."
Panka said she had received angry messages from fans about the cancellation of the shows and she asked that people consider how she is feeling at the moment.
"I just wanted to address something because especially, for me, as a person of colour, and people are actively targeting black people.
"I just really wanna ask people to think before they send me a DM because I haven't left my house because I am scared to do so.
"My blinds, I just opened them slightly to make this video, but they have been closed."
Panka said this was not a case of an actor being ill but it was a safety issue.
"I'm just very careful because I'm not even from this country," she said.
"It's not our choice to not come in. It's a safety issue. And it's not just for us, it's for the audience and it's for everyone who works at the theatre too."
The show was due to run for two weeks from 9 June until 20 June.
"Given the uncertainty caused by the unrest in recent days, the producers of Mean Girls have taken the difficult decision to cancel the musical's run at the Grand Opera House. We know that customers will share our disappointment, and on behalf of the producers and the Theatre, we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Ticket holders will be contacted directly by email over the next few days regarding refund arrangements."
Open Questions
- What specific nature of the protests led to the cancellation?
- What is the current status of the investigation into the knife attack?
- What are the specific safety measures being considered for future events?
- Will the tour be rescheduled for Belfast at a later date?
