Theatre forced to take drastic steps to stop audience members from doing coke during shows

THEATREGOERS are being searched by sniffer dogs over fears of cocaine taking during top shows.

The Sun saw a ticketholder for West End hit Hamilton have his bag checked at the entrance before being allowed in.

Other customers have reported a rise in searches and one visitor to the Victoria Palace Theatre said: “They must think they are necessary, which is a bit worrying.”

A source added: “These dogs are becoming more important as audiences seem to be getting rowdier. It might be that some are just rude or drunk.

“But management can’t ignore the possibility some may be under the influence of substances like cocaine.”

A survey by theatre workers’ union Bectu last year found anti-social behaviour at venues has got worse since the pandemic.

Staff reported intoxicated audience members, sexual harassment and assaults.

Bectu said it revealed a sense of audience entitlement and marked a lack of concern for people to enjoy shows.

The union urged venues’ management to take a zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour.

Last year audiences were evacuated from a performance of the Lion King due to a bomb threat.

Officers searched the building in July and taped off an area around it but found no bomb.

Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, which owns the Victoria Palace Theatre, says online: “We conduct regular security checks for everyone’s safety and security.”

It adds: “We use highly-trained detection dogs to provide additional security spot checks.”