Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow came to a premature close last night (26 March) when a medical emergency forced the show to be cut short.
After introductions and audience warm-ups, the recorded-for-TV line-up show (set to feature more than 25 comedians) kicked off with host Michael Hing, NZ comic Guy Montgomery, and the UK’s Amy Gledhill, before a loud scream was heard in the Palais Theatre’s upper level urging to “stop the show”.
House lights came on and audiences were left in stunned silence for a few moments, before Festival Director Susan Proven appeared on stage, announcing the remainder of the evening had been cancelled due to a serious medical emergency.
An audience member who spoke to ABC revealed that the first performers on stage were unaware of the medical emergency on the top level of the Palais for around 15 minutes – with theatre ushers stepping in to help in the darkness of the theatre.
Susan Proven spoke to ABC, saying emergency services were alerted “as soon as it became clear that there was an emergency going on up in the balcony”.
Palais Theatre - Image © Brandon Clamp
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival made an official statement on Instagram, which read in part, “Melbourne International Comedy Festival regrets to confirm that there was a medical emergency while the Opening Night Allstars Supershow was taking place this evening at the Palais Theatre. The show was stopped and cancelled.”
While many on social media are praising the quick work of the organisers once the situation had escalated, others are criticising the venue and staff for not raising the alarm sooner.
“The only reason the show stopped was audience members calling out […] that was probably 5 minutes into the paramedics using the defibrillator in the dark, and at least 15 minutes after CPR started,” one Instagram user commented on MICF’s post. “The venue did not handle it well.”
Another commenter wrote, “Hats off to Susan Proven and her MICF team and the Palais staff for handling this medical emergency professionally, respectfully and calmly.”
Victoria Police confirmed to The Age that the man who suffered the medical emergency, yet to be identified, died at the scene.
The Allstars Supershow will now take place on 31 March at Palais Theatre.
