| Brown and out |
| Words: Curio | |
| Monday, 06 August 2007 | |
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The grandmother of comedy collapses on stage.  Faith Brown, the veteran comedian currently playing the Fringe Festival, has been forced to pull out of her two daily shows after she fainted during a performance. The 63 year old comic appeared to faint and fell to the floor halfway through her afternoon show, Boys in the Buff. The incident happened at the Pleasance One venue. The show immediately stopped and she was seen by a doctor. Faith, who suffered a throat infection earlier this week, has now been ordered to rest at home but has vowed to return to the show as soon as possible. “Faith is desperately sad to let down any of her fans,” said her spokesman, Kevin Wilson. “Faith is an old pro from the school of ‘The Show Must Go On’ variety and is devastated not to be performing her two shows.” The incident raises concerns about the veteran star’s ability to do two shows a day over a month-long run. She will be replaced in Boys in the Buff by her understudy, Anna Stolli. Members of the audience were left shocked after the veteran comic passed out and were ushered out of the room by venue staff. Mark McGuiness, an audience member, said: “Faith came on, looking a little frazzled from the start. She then passed out midway through her show. She did faint very elegantly, I must say.” Leslie Russell, also at the show, added: “I thought it was part of her act at first, but then with it being so hot inside the venue and Faith wearing a corset, is it any wonder she fainted?” The venue is one of many that have seen both performers and audiences complain about hot conditions inside rooms. A spokesperson for the Pleasance Box Office said: “All tickets for yesterday’s cancelled show were either exchanged for another show or refunded.” ‘Faith Brown and Her Boys in the Buff’ is a new musical comedy revue that sees Faith running a small theatre that decides to introduce male nudity to boost audiences. Faith also stars in ‘Faith Brown Up Front’ at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar, a one-woman show celebrating her amazing career from impressionist to singer. Performances of this show have been cancelled until Faith recovers. Faith Brown was born Irene Carroll in Liverpool. She began her career as a singer at the age of 15. |