Charing Cross Theatre slams ‘appalling’ security guard who threw patron out for kissing a man
Charing Cross Theatre. (Facebook)
Charing Cross Theatre, one of central London’s smallest theatres, is to change its policy after a homophobic incident involving security.
The venue, tucked under a train station archway and regarded as the city’s equivalent of Off Broadway, will now require contracted staffers to sign a “statement of values”.
Among them, a pledge to equality, inclusion and non-discrimination, The Stage newspaper reported.
The statement comes after performer Ciarán McCormack tweeted 7 November that he was “dragged” out of the theatre for kissing another man.
After singing at the theatre’s bar, McCormack said he shared a kiss with a male patron. But he was spotted by a security agent and swift evicted.
“Not me getting kicked, no, sorry, DRAGGED out of [Charing Cross Theatre] by a member of security for being caught kissing a guy in the toilets,” McCormack claimed.
Not me getting kicked, no sorry DRAGGED, out of @CharingCrossThr by a member of security for being caught kissing a guy in the toilets. Oh, and right after singing my heart for the rest of the guests. Because “that behaviour between two geezers isn’t accepted here”
— Ciarán McCormack (@ciaranmc_) November 7, 2021
“Oh, and right after singing my heart out for the rest of the guests. Because: ‘That behaviour between two geezers isn’t accepted here’,” he added, quoting the guard.
McCormack stressed that he doesn’t want anyone to “boycott” the theatre. “But it has to be shared that things like this are still happening in 2021 & even in spaces we consider safe and our own,” he said.
(2/) sadly this won’t be the last time this will happen someone. But it’s a reminder to keep pushing for change. Charing X have responded and the individual has had their employment terminated. Thanks again for the messages and love x— Ciarán McCormack (@ciaranmc_) November 7, 2021
“Sadly, this won’t be the last time this will happen someone. But it’s a reminder to keep pushing for change. [Charing Cross] have responded and the individual has had their employment terminated.”
Charing Cross Theatre slams ‘outrageous’ homophobic guard
A statement from the management of Charing Cross Theatre and the Players Bar and Kitchen, its in-house piano bar, said: “The Charing Cross Theatre is appalled at the outrageous, unauthorised actions this past weekend by a security guard supplied by an outside agency.
“We have scheduled an urgent meeting with the chief executive of the security company to see how such a situation could ever have arisen and to seek robust reaffirmation that they have taken organisational changes that will prevent it ever happening again.”
It added: “It has been long-standing policy only to work with companies that share our of values of equality, inclusion and non-discrimination; however, as a result of this event, we will now formalise this and have all outside vendors and contractors sign up to our ‘statement of values’ before we will do business with them.”
Charing Cross Theatre had “apologised unreservedly” for the incident in a previous statement.
The security worker, the social media statement read, was employed by an outside agency. They “acted without our knowledge or consent in a way that was contrary to the values and policies of our establishment.”
The guard’s employment has since been terminated by the unnamed security company, it added.
