Leon Donnelly, who has worked backstage and as a writer and actor for many years, claimed that a number of his former colleagues at the New London theatre – until recently owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber – would come into work drunk. When he complained, he alleged, he was subjected to swearing, threats and racial abuse about his Irish ancestry.
Even more disturbingly, he added, he and others were plagued by mystery "accidents" such as hammers being dropped from platforms above the stage. In one incident, Donnelly alleged, he narrowly escaped serious injury when a full-size replica first world war tank was dropped "intentionally" on his legs.
Donnelly says he was so appalled by the behaviour, and by the management's failure to condemn it, that he made direct contact with Lloyd Webber and the National Theatre, where War Horse made its West End debut in 2007.
He was then sacked for breaching confidentiality with his "damaging and derogatory" remarks and for having recorded conversations with his line manager.
"I have done nothing wrong, yet I was sacked as a malicious troublemaker when all I wanted was for managers in the theatre, the home of liberal arts, to step in and stop what was going on before their eyes.
"I didn't want an actor or member of staff to be injured or killed because we have drunks on the stage crew," said Donnelly, who was offered a £25,000 payoff in return for his silence, an offer which he turned down.
Donnelly is not the only person to have voiced concern over the backstage culture at War Horse, the first world war drama impressing audiences with its depiction of the horrors of war for both men and animals.
Carlos Cruz, a former stagehand who took up a formal grievance with the theatre management and has since left the UK following a financial settlement, claimed to have been ridiculed because of his nationality, called "Manuel" and a "fucking Spanish waiter".
He also said that he had been told his mountain bike was "a bit gay" because of its pink lock, and had one night found it plastered with pink stickers.
Cruz's abuse allegedly climaxed backstage when he was head-butted by one of the gang while being restrained by another. He needed hospital treatment and gave a statement to the police, but the gang produced three witnesses to say that he struck first. He dropped the case when the police warned that he might be charged with assault.
For his part, Donnelly claimed he narrowly missed being seriously injured while working on the play, which has potentially lethal sets, including giant puppet warhorses and a replica tank. He said that, during a performance in November last year, he was underneath the replica tank connecting up hydraulics that make it move. "Before I was finished one of the gang intentionally dropped the tank, hitting me heavily on the knees," he said.
The play, a stage adaptation of the book by former children's laureate Michael Morpurgo that centres on the relationship between a young farmhand and his horse Joey, moved to the New London Theatre last year after two sell-out seasons at the National Theatre.
Two weeks ago Lord Lloyd-Webber's Really Useful Group sold four theatres, including the New London.
It is understood that just one of the men at the centre of Donnelly's allegations is still employed on War Horse.
A spokeswoman for the Really Useful Group refused to comment.
The Guardian
