5 hours ago
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Paul Coltas
Vivian Panka (centre) was due to play Regina George in the Mean Girls musical in Belfast
One of the lead cast of the Mean Girls UK tour has said she has not left her house and is frightened following disorder in Belfast that has led to the show being cancelled.
Vivian Panka is the first black actress to play the role of Regina George.
Posting on TikTok, Panka said she has kept her blinds closed since the trouble started on Tuesday.
The musical was due to open at the Grand Opera House in Belfast on Tuesday evening but was cancelled due to planned protests.
Producers then announced the Wednesday evening and Thursday matinee were off but have now confirmed the entire rest of the run has been cancelled.
Posting on social media, the Dutch actress said she was "very sad that the situation is happening right now".
"People are saying and doing things that I completely don't agree with, and it's very scary to be here right now, especially as a person of colour - but just I'm worried for everyone in our company," she said.
"There were fires in the street. The company that I work for and the theatre have decided to cancel yesterday's show, which was good."
Paul Coltas
The Mean Girls musical comedy is based on the hit 2004 film
Panka said she had received angry messages from fans about the cancellation of the shows and she asked that people consider how she is feeling at the moment.
"I just wanted to address something because especially, for me, as a person of colour, and people are actively targeting black people.
"I just really wanna ask people to think before they send me a DM because I haven't left my house because I am scared to do so.
"My blinds, I just opened them slightly to make this video, but they have been closed."
Panka said this was not a case of an actor being ill but it was a safety issue.
"I'm just very careful because I'm not even from this country," she said.
"It's not our choice to not come in. It's a safety issue. And it's not just for us, it's for the audience and it's for everyone who works at the theatre too."
PA
Faye Tozer, from the band Steps, was also due to perform in Belfast as Regina's "cool mom"
The show was due to run for two weeks from 9 June until 20 June.
BBC News NI has contacted Sonia Friedman Productions and representatives of Vivian Panka for comment.
The Grand Opera House issued a statement which said: "Given the uncertainty caused by the unrest in recent days, the producers of Mean Girls have taken the difficult decision to cancel the musical's run at the Grand Opera House.
"We know that customers will share our disappointment, and on behalf of the producers and the Theatre, we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
"Ticket holders will be contacted directly by email over the next few days regarding refund arrangements."
