NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

'Which pub are we going to?' — Suits star's class act after London theatre's ceiling collapses

By Hannah Dawson and Jake Hurfurt
Daily Mail·
8 Nov, 2019 02:44 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Actor Wendell Pierce apologises to the audience after a Piccadilly Theatre's ceiling collapsed mid-performance. Video / Helen Berresford

Audience members fled from one of the West End's most popular theatres after part of the ceiling collapsed during a production on Wednesday night, but US actor Wendell Pierce is being praised for the way he addressed the dramatic incident.

A number of people suffered minor injuries from falling debris when the collapse left a gaping hole in the ceiling above the grand circle at the Piccadilly Theatre, 20 minutes into Death of a Salesman, the Daily Mail reports.

Police, the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service arrived as theatre goers were evacuated.

Dominic West and Wendell Pierce attend the press night after party for Death Of A Salesman in London, England. West, starred with Pierce in The Wire. Photo / Getty Images
Dominic West and Wendell Pierce attend the press night after party for Death Of A Salesman in London, England. West, starred with Pierce in The Wire. Photo / Getty Images

Videos on social media showed lead actor Pierce — who plays Willy Loman in the Arthur Miller play — posing for pictures with fans outside the 91-year-old theatre after the evacuation.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I did not mean for it to go like this," he was filmed saying in one video, to laughs from the audience gathered on the footpath.

READ MORE:
• NZ theatre adds another chapter to its history with opening of new play
• The year in theatre - ATC announces 2020 season
• Theatre review: Once's soulful songs exceeds the simple story
• AloFA - the new play from Samoa with love

Pierce, who previously starred as Robert Zane in Suits, thanked people for evacuating the building safely and apologised on behalf of the show's cast.

"We are so honoured that you came tonight; we're so sorry that ... unfortunately this happened.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Well that was eventful- the ceiling at the Piccadilly Theatre fell in whilst watching #DeathOfASalesman. Incredibly efficient evacuation by the staff & very excited to hear @WendellPierce up close but sad not to see the play. Hopefully no one injured pic.twitter.com/iXPLDZpupV

— Helen Berresford (@HelenBerresford) November 6, 2019

"We promise you when we return we will make this a memorable evening at the theatre, no matter what," he continued in another video.

"So as of now, turn to your loved ones and friends, to your left and right, and say 'Which pub are we going to?' and let's go there and have a memorable night in anticipation of coming back."

Shocked to hear about the ceiling at the #PiccadillyTheatre during the performance of #DeathofaSalesman, happy no one has been seriously injured. Just wanted to share this tweet showing what a wonderful man @WendellPierce is 🎭❤️ https://t.co/izWuHdQaLa

— ᒪIᑎᗪᗩ EᑎᖴIEᒪᗪ 🦉🇪🇺💙😷💚 (@LindaEnfield) November 6, 2019

Samuel Rhydderch, 21, who was at Wednesday night's show, said: "There was a piercing scream coming from the upper tier above us, then there was a lot of rumbling which turned out to be people running. I saw some people being treated for cuts and bruises but it didn't seem serious."

- additional reporting nzherald.co.nz

Discover more

Entertainment

The Wire's 'Proposition Joe' dies at 52

19 Jan 01:26 AM
Opinion

Party's over for Treme

23 Jan 10:00 PM
Entertainment

Suits pokes fun at its former star

16 Aug 03:06 AM
Royals

Meghan revealed in unseen snaps from Suits co-star

23 Sep 10:06 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

Rock legends Oasis kick off 'historic' comeback tour

04 Jul 08:05 PM
Premium
Entertainment

Is Romeo & Juliet the greatest love story of all time?

Premium
Entertainment

'The 60s was a decade synonymous with love'

04 Jul 08:00 PM

Sponsored: Get your kids involved in your reno

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

Rock legends Oasis kick off 'historic' comeback tour

Rock legends Oasis kick off 'historic' comeback tour

04 Jul 08:05 PM

The much-loved 90s band kicked off their reunion tour in Cardiff, thrilling 74,000 fans.

Premium
Is Romeo & Juliet the greatest love story of all time?

Is Romeo & Juliet the greatest love story of all time?

Premium
'The 60s was a decade synonymous with love'

'The 60s was a decade synonymous with love'

04 Jul 08:00 PM
What to watch at this year's Whānau Mārama: NZ International Film Festival

What to watch at this year's Whānau Mārama: NZ International Film Festival

04 Jul 05:00 PM
Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP