Actor collapses at theatre
A leading cast member in an amateur production at Stafford's Gatehouse Theatre was rushed to hospital seriously ill after collapsing as he left the stage.
A leading cast member in an amateur production at Stafford's Gatehouse Theatre was rushed to hospital seriously ill after collapsing as he left the stage.
Andrew Ridal was suffering from abdominal pains through most of the first act of Yeomen of the Guard on Saturday night but bravely carried on to the interval.
St John Ambulance members tended him at the scene before he was whisked away by ambulance.
Mr Ridal, who was playing jailer Wilfred Shadbolt, was taken to the Stafford General Hospital where he expects to remain for a week while tests are carried out to find the cause.
He was the third member of the Stafford and District Operatic Society to be hit by illness during the production of Yeomen of the Guard.
Ian Bowen, playing Sgt Meryll, was struck down with a tooth abcess during rehearsals but managed to make it back for opening night on Wednesday.
And on Friday Sarah Bishop, playing Phoebe lost her voice completely and had to be replaced.
Speaking from the hospital today Mr Ridal said: "It was a close run thing. I started getting pains around 7.45 pm and they got worse as the first act progressed.
"But I managed to make it to the finale of the act and when I came off stage I was greeted by two paramedics who took me off to hospital.
"The problem is either my abdomen or liver and they are doing tests to establish what is wrong," added Andrew, 26-year-old marketing manager of the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton.
His part was taken over by Calum Robarts. He said: "There was a bit of a curse on the show, but we got through in the end.
"We spent some time during the interval discussing what to do and the decision was made to continue, with another member who had gone to hospital with Andrew keeping us up to date with text messages."
Society chairman Mark Sproston said that the most important concern now was Mr Ridal's recovery.
He is also a member of the South Staffs Musical Theatre Company and is due to play the role of Jud Fry in its production of Oklahoma at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre in October.
