Strictlys Rose Ayling-Ellis horrified as man interrupts her stage performance with vile rant

Publish date: 2021-06-24

ROSE Ayling-Ellis was left horrified yesterday as she was interrupted on stage by a very angry theatre goer.

The Strictly winner was performing in Shakespeare’s As You Like It when the audience member launched into a vile rant, claiming the production was "discriminating against hearing people".

This version of the classic play includes British Sign Language via screens around Soho Place Theatre.

Rose, who is an advocate for the deaf community, recalled what happened – revealing she was targeted by the man.

She shared:  “During the matinee yesterday. An angry man in the audience interrupted the show with an entitled rant screaming that we were “discriminating against hearing people!”. He looks at me directly. It was shocking.

“The video is the reaction when we got back on the stage after he was kicked off. We pick up from Touchstone's line, ‘The more pity that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly’.”

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Rose continued:  “In the same audience, a little deaf girl sat in the front row with her parents signing to her.

“Deaf members of the audience are able to sit wherever they want and whenever they want.

“Hearing people reading the captions, laughing and reacting to our signing on stage, coming into our world and understanding Shakespeare because of this. Two days ago, we had a BSL performance show, and 106 deaf people turn up.

She added: “This is why we do accessible theatre.”

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Rose was inundated with messages of support from her famous pals and followers.

The actress, who became a household name on EastEnders before doing Strictly has broken numerous barriers and is incredibly proud to be doing accessible theatre.

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