'Overdoing audience participation' at theatre show costs Jurby man £600

37-year-old resisted police after being ejected from venue

A Jurby man who took audience participation at a theatre show to the extreme has been fined £600.

Adam Alan Cowin’s behaviour, on 2 September, led to him becoming involved in a struggle with police outside.

At Douglas Courthouse today (4 October) the 37-year-old, of The Bretney, admitted resisting a police officer in the execution of their duty.

The court heard Cowin was in the audience for a performance of ‘Once’ at The Gaiety Theatre.

In a change to normal productions the stalls area within the theatre was licensed – and part of the stage was turned into a bar.

It was something designed to enable a more immersive experience for the audience – with theatregoers able to purchase a drink, and take it on the stage, during the interval period.

But, just after 9pm, the front-of-house supervisor had to call police after Cowin’s behaviour became ‘inappropriate and disturbing’.

The prosecutor told the court Cowin had been ‘overdoing audience participation’ in the stalls area and despite being warned his conduct didn’t improve.

Due to the fact he was interrupting the performance he was ejected from the venue – outside police found him staggering, shouting and swearing and he became aggressive when challenged.

Officers were forced to use PAVA spray in order to detain him and he was arrested and taken to Police Headquarters.

Cowin’s advocate told the court: “He was in good spirits; he was enjoying himself and he was getting into the swing of things.”

He added that unemployed Cowin had become aggrieved with police because he didn’t feel he’d done anything wrong which led to, what he described as, the ‘slight tussle’ outside the theatre.

Acknowledging that Cowin had drunk alcohol and taken medication he told the court his client wished to apologise for ‘getting upset at the arrest’ adding he’d ‘significantly settled down’ over the last four years.

Ordering Cowin to pay £125 in prosecution costs Deputy High Bailiff James Brooks told him: “You perhaps did become rather over enthusiastic,” adding: “I hope this was a one-off incident.”