The show will go on at the Stratford Festival, with increased security.
Monday night’s opening of the festival’s 2018 season, a performance of “The Tempest” at the Festival Theatre, was cancelled after Stratford Police say they received a phone call around 6:45 p.m. from an unknown man who made a bomb threat against the festival.
Police then advised festival officials about the threat and both the Festival Theatre, filled with just over 18 hundred people gathered for the show, and the Avon Theatre, which had workers getting it ready for shows, were evacuated with police then searching the grounds both inside and out.
Stratford Police Acting Deputy Chief Sam Theocharis says they have no leads as to who made the threat.
“We’re in the early stages of the investigation right now, I have no information for that right now, my prime concern was the safety of the public, the patrons and the festival itself.”
This is the first time in its history that the Stratford Festival’s opening night has been cancelled but all performances for Tuesday are still scheduled to take place.
Stratford Festival Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino says the festival has a plan in place should things like this happen.
“The Stratford Festival Theatre is a very large theatre and there were many people who had come from long distances to be there including members of the press, patrons, people really looking forward to this so it is not a small deal it’s a large deal, it’s a sad moment.”
Cimolino adds all tickets for Monday night’s performance will be honored and ticket-holders will be contacted by staff.