From: aku@leland.Stanford.EDU (Andrew Chia-Tso Ku)
Subject: Colm Wilkinson's "brutish" behavior
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 93 07:58:14 GMT

Considering the amount of Colm Wilkinson/Phantom stuff that get's
posted, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the recently
publicized spat between Colm Wilkinson and Rebecca Caine, who formerly
starred together as the Phantom and Christine in the Toronto
production (CW remains in the Toronto production; Caine has been moved
to the Canadian touring company).  A friend sent me a clipping from
the Toronto Globe and Mail (Dec. 12/92) about their dispute.  Here are
a few excerpts.

....The last year the two worked together was marked by increasing
accusations by Caine of "excessive roughness" on the part of Wilkinson
and an arbitrator has concluded that Wilkinson's attitude to his
co-star during their stormy last performance was "brutish" and
"abusive in nature"...

...Details of the clashes between the two...are outlined in a 150 page
arbitration report obtained by the G&M.  The arbitration was called
for by Actors Equity to determine whether Live Entertainment Corp.
[the producers] was justified in terminating the actress's contract...

...The troubled stage rapport between CW and RC - both of them were
locked into the show through long-term contracts - appears to have
changed the dynamics and even the staging of some performances before
unsuspecting audiences.  Assistant resident director, 1991: "It's a
cyclical battle, whereby if either one of them deviates from the
other's perceptions of the correct blocking, they will demonstrate to
each other their displeasure with this - on stage."

...By this time, the performers were not speaking to each other
offstage...

[Claims that RC wasn't following some of the director's notes,
thus provoking CW's behavior].

...the problems between the two reached a climax in an evening
performance on Feb. 21 - the last time they performed together...one
witness said that "Colm has gone out of control" due to what he saw as
Caine's refusal to perform certain movements for which she had
received correcting notes before the performance.  Caine said later
that she didn't perform one because she was "stubborn" and another
because she had been frightened and apprehensive about Wilkinson.  The
performance ended in a wrist burn for Caine due to Wilkinson's
handling of the actress as the two left the stage...

...arbitrator has ordered Live Entertainment to pay Caine the $110,000
it still owed her for several weeks of emplyment on two different
contracts...

Arbitrator:"I find that management was either unable or unwilling
to deal effectively with Mr. Wilkinson's roughness..."

-----
Under that article is another, detailing the more of the juicy
testimony of witnesses, such as:

- CW becoming upset upon learning that his solo The Music of the Night
  would not be used in a promotional video, and that RC would be
  featured so prominently

- CW causing a sprain in RC's wrist at one performance, necessitating
  a brace

- while still recovering, some of the staging was modified to accomodate
  RC.  That night CW momentarily forgot his lines, and pulled off his
  own mask.  After the scene, when the two left the stage, he pushed
  her, causing her to cry out.  One witness said Wilkinson then
  said of the reaction "That is the best fucking acting you have
  ever done".

-----

Has anyone heard any new information?  Perhaps the person who
works at the Pangates Theater, and who has posted in the past,
could fill us in on situation (if he's allowed to).  I, for one,
am rather curious.

Andrew