Audience Member Charged After Fight During 'Swan Lake' performance

Police have arrested a man after fighting broke out in the audience at a performance of the ballet Swan Lake at Manchester Opera House in the UK. It is believed the violence was triggered by someone in the audience asking another to stop talking.

Horrified audience members who witnessed the violence during the interval at an evening performance of the ballet said the incident was 'disgusting' and 'outrageous'. Police were called to the theatre on Quay Street in Manchester city centre on Sunday, January 21.

The incident happened at 8.30pm around an hour into the performance.

Theatre-goers claimed there was a 'heated argument' moments before it turned to violence and one man's face 'was a mess' after he was assaulted by another audience member.

A witness said: "It was terrible. I was sat about ten feet away. There were elderly people sat closer. It was outrageous behavior, talking through the performance, then arguing when they were asked to stop during the interval by a gentleman, then fighting."

The performance was beautiful by the way but no one appreciated that ‘entertainment’ during the intermission. “I’m glad he was arrested. Hope he’s banned from the venue." Another audience member claimed: "It was disgusting behavior and no need for it. Why people like that attend these performances I have no idea.”

The general behavior of audiences these days is poor and puts you off going. I was sat across the aisle from this and the poor guy that got assaulted, his face was a mess."

They added that the incident 'started as a heated argument' that 'could have been resolved' if the man in question had been ejected from the theatre before 'violence took over'.

A third person commented: "I was there. It was a punch up in the interval. Awful behavior really." Greater Manchester Police said a man, aged 30, was arrested by officers on suspicion of assault and taken into custody.

He has since been released pending further investigations into the incident.