It was a hard day's night for audiences at the New Empire Theatre as they were smoked out during a Beatles tribute show.

The performance of the Long and Winding Road at the theatre in Alexandra Street, Southend, pumped out so much smoke from stage machines the fire alarms went off, forcing an evacuation of the building at the start of the second half last night.

The show resumed within a few minutes.

Technical director Daniel Robertson said: "There was a lot of smoke on the stage and when the cast came in through the stage door it wafted out into the corridor and set off the smoke alarms.

"This is not he first time it has happened. We are looking at getting the smoke alarm moved to another spot away from the stage door."

Published Friday, June 6, 2003

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