Bomb threat at Stratford Festival 'hugely disappointing,' artistic director says

A bomb threat made against the Stratford Festival on Monday's opening night was "hugely disappointing" both to the audience and to the actors who were ready to take the stage, the festival's artistic director says.

Antoni Cimolino said someone called in a threat against the theatre before The Tempest was set to open this year's season.

Audience members had just started to enter the building when they were asked to leave. Stratford Police Service officers swept the entire theatre with the canine unit. The theatre and the area around it were reopened by police just before 5 a.m. Tuesday.

"There's a lot of preparation that goes on for months leading up carefully to an opening night — different previews, rehearsals — everything is calculated to get you right to the point where you're ready to open the play," Cimolino said Tuesday.

'Surreal, quiet'

Stratford Mayor Dan Mathieson said he was also there on opening night.

"The night which is normally a festive night on the grounds of the festival with pipe bands and spectators, turned into a very surreal, quiet and somewhat dramatic evening," said Mathieson.  

Cimolino is directing The Tempest and said he had to tell the actors, including Martha Henry, who is playing the lead role of Prospero, that the show would not go on that night.

"This is hugely disappointing for Martha. I had to go backstage and talk to her about this," he said.

"I had to let her know that after all the nervous energy that goes leading up to a performance like that, that it wasn't going to happen and why. And she was amazing. She was just so together about it. She left the building, holding Prospero's staff and walking down the street. She was a real inspiration," he said.

"That helped, because I was feeling so terrible."

More security at future shows

Stratford Festival officials said there will be increased security at future shows, including bags being checked. A police investigation is also underway.

"There's going to be a lot of care about what security preparations will go on from here in consultation with the festival, the city and police," said the mayor. 

Mathieson said people going to the theatre will "face a couple of minutes of inconvenience" with metal detectors and having their bags checked.

"But other than that, nothing will change in Stratford," he said. ​"We're not going to let one evening and one situation define who we are." 

While many audience members, actors and staff went home disappointed, Cimolino said there was one scene that played out in a nearby park Monday night that showed the spirit of the show went on.

One of the actors from the show was walking in the park when he saw a group of students.

"They were at Tom Patterson Island, in a circle, some up a tree, all with their cellphones out, and they were together reading The Tempest," Cimolino said.

3,000 jobs

The festival has said it will have a new official opening for its 66th season. 

Mathieson said the festival "directly and indirectly" generates 3,000 jobs and $140 million of economic activity.  

"I don't think we're going to give into mass hysteria, but we're also going to take these things seriously," he said.  

All ticket holders for Monday's opening will be contacted regarding their tickets.