Taron Egerton Collapses on Stage during the First Night of New West End Play
Courtesy: Paul Drinkwater/NBC
After collapsing on stage midway through the performance of his new play, Taron Egerton worried the crowd.
The Rocketman star, 32, was performing alongside Jonathan Bailey in a new production of Mike Bartlett’s 2009 play Cock when he passed out.
One of Egerton’s co-stars reportedly stopped the opening night performance and a safety curtain went down, leaving the audience waiting for an update on his condition, according to audience goers at London’s Ambassadors Theatre.
An audience member claimed on Twitter that a doctor from the audience came to the stage to assist him.
Following a 40-minute intermission during which the production crew “assessed the situation,” Marianne Elliott, the play’s director, stepped on stage to assure the audience that Egerton was “absolutely fine.”
Elliott, on the other hand, stated that his understudy, Joel Harper-Jackson, would take over for the remaining 15 minutes.
Sue Nelson, a member of the audience, stated on Twitter that the news that Egerton was alright received “huge applause.”
A statement from the play’s production read: “During this evening’s first preview of Mike Bartlett’s play Cock at the Ambassadors Theatre, Taron Egerton fainted towards the end of the performance.
“A doctor who was in the audience attended to Taron immediately after the incident, and whilst he felt fine, it was decided that Taron’s understudy, Joel Harper-Jackson would continue in the role to complete the performance.”
Cock, starring Phil Daniels, is about a gay couple who are rocked when one falls in love with a woman (Jade Anouka).
As per independent, the play marks Egerton’s West End debut, and audience members complimented both his “sensational” performance and the production in between updates on Egerton’s health.
It will run until 4 June and will continue its run as normal n Tuesday (8 March).
