London Theatres Outfit Staff With Body Cameras to Handle Rowdy Attendees

London Theatres Outfit Staff With Body Cameras to Handle Rowdy Attendees

After experiencing a rise in aggressive behavior from guests, theatres in London’s West End are using body cameras to deter audience members from being abusive toward staff.

After facing down aggressive behavior from attendees, security workers and ushers working in London’s West End theatres are stepping up their security operations with technology typically associated with police officers: body cameras.

Seven theatres with the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre have partnered with the security company Calla to try out body cameras for front-of-house staff in hopes of de-escalating incidents with guests, The Stage, a British theater newspaper, reported last month.

Phill Brown, the society’s head of risk and safety, told The Stage that the theatres had seen more problems with audience behavior and “increasing levels of aggression towards staff” in recent years. Part of the issue is alcohol consumption, he said.

“When you mix alcohol with the theatre environment that can exacerbate situations and we want to try to manage that before it becomes a major problem within our industry,” Brown said.

The incidents became so upsetting that some security guards and other staff were refusing to work at certain shows or at particular times of the week, particularly weekend evenings, Brown said.

A three-month trial at one theatre earned positive feedback from staff and helped to de-escalate volatile audience members, Brown said. The cameras can be clipped to belts or shirts and have front-facing screens that show the video footage as it is being recorded.

“I think just the fact that people can see themselves behaving in an unpleasant way can sometimes be enough to calm themselves down so they walk away from the situation before it turns into something more significant,” Brown said. “So I think body cameras can make a difference.”

Some ushers say the audiences for “jukebox musicals”  “Mamma Mia!” and “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” among them  are known for having the worst behaved audiences, but other, more formal shows have had their own share of challenges, The New York Times reported. One incident included a theater producer being punched after asking a woman to stop using her phone during a performance.

For their part, some audience members think the cameras are a “brilliant” idea.

“I’m all for people having a little bit of a laugh, but it’s a thin line when you’re spoiling it for others,” Emma Simpson, who attended a performance for her bachelorette party, told the Times.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.