Comedians have been slammed for continuing to perform while a dying man was being treated inside the theatre during the first night of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
The Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow at St Kilda’s Palais Theatre was eventually cancelled mid-show due to the medical emergency in the venue’s upper level.
However the show continued on for at least 15 minutes while the man was being treated, with one patron saying carrying on in those circumstances was ‘disgusting’.
‘Paramedics had to commence their care in the dark using torchlight because the show was still going,’ attendee Andrea Bortoli told The Age.
‘It was the most disgraceful, disgusting thing I have ever witnessed.
‘I don’t think I was the only person wondering if we were in some sort of dystopian, parallel universe where we prioritise “the show must go on” over human life.’
Several others at the show said up to three comedians continued with their five-minute sets after the man became ill.
Comments posted to the festival’s social media account said they were concerned at how the incident was handled.
Comedians have been slammed for continuing to perform after a man died while attending the first night of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (pictured)
When organisers failed to stop the show, audience members yelled out to the performers on stage that there was an emergency medical situation unfolding.
‘It was deeply concerning that the show continued for nearly two comedy acts while CPR and defibrillator shocks were being administered in the dark,’ one attendee wrote on Instagram.
‘They were administering CPR and defibrillator shocks while flashing lights from the production kept changing,’ another wrote.
‘The volume of the mics were still extremely loud and people were laughing and clapping. It 100 per cent should have been handled better.’
Another said it was ‘very poor that the show continued for some 15 mins while compressions took place with only patrons yelling to stop the show while crew attended to the person’.
In a statement, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival said it ‘regrets to confirm that there was a medical emergency while the Opening Night Allstars Supershow was taking place … at the Palais Theatre.
‘The show was stopped and cancelled. The Festival will be in touch with all ticket holders.’
Comedian Michael Hing (pictured) hosted the opening night of the festival which featured ‘a star-studded line-up’
A woman called Stephanie who was at the show said a comedian continued telling a ‘funny story about a drug trip’ while the man was being given CPR.
She was sitting near the back of the theatre and watched as people rushed to help the man, who was seated close to where she was.
‘At first we saw some people gathered around, we thought someone’s fainted,’ she told ABC Radio Melbourne.
‘We were expecting that then maybe they’d be carried or supported down to rest.’
But Stephanie said three comedians each did five minute sets while the ‘very distressing’ scenes unfolded.
‘As other people have said, it did go on for quite some time,’ she said.
‘Once we saw someone doing CPR, we were all shocked and so then the people in the upper section were not at all paying attention to the poor comedian who was trying to tell a funny story about a drug trip, which was unfortunate content at the time.’
Shocked patrons were eventually told the show would not continue due to the medical emergency.
The iconic Melbourne venue was left empty on Wednesday night as patrons headed home in tears
One attendee told Daily Mail Australia that before paramedics arrived, patrons initially provided CPR in the dark as headline act Michael Hing continued his performance, unaware of what was happening.
Another attendee confirmed that the show continued even after paramedics arrived.
‘People started to get up and leave. I saw people in tears and comforting each other,’ he said.
‘No one was laughing or paying real attention to the stage, maybe only to see if someone would come out and stop the show.
‘It was only when a few people, who were leaving, got up and were loudly talking or arguing with a staff member before leaning over and shouting at the comedian on stage to stop the show that anything happened.
‘The public and paramedics were there for a good 15-20 minutes in the dark doing CPR before the show stopped.
‘I can’t believe they (the organisers) didn’t communicate with backstage to halt the show, and that it took the public to yell out to the comedian to stop for something to happen.’
Comedians including Dave Hughes (pictured) expressed their shock and sadness
Another attendee said she was further away from the incident but recognised the gravity of the situation when she heard the defibrillator being used.
‘You could hear the defibrillator sounds from across the room,’ she said.
‘While this was happening, the show was still going on until a man yelled from the audience – somewhere from the dress circle – to stop the show, followed by another guy yelling, “someone is dying”.’
‘Lighting was dark though – still light enough to see that a lady and man were interchanging doing chest compressions.’
Well-known comedians took to social media late Wednesday night to share their shock and sadness.
‘All performers thoughts are with the family affected,’ Dave Hughes said.
Tahir Bilgiç added: ‘Sad news but correctly handled all round … well done everyone and thoughts with those involved.’
