Definitely whistle. Aspects ate Ann Crumbs foot but the Whistle highway crushed the actors regularly, Heath and Safety Executive were involved, and Dean Collinson was severely injured and had a payout years after the show closed. There’s a very old thread on here with more information from people who worked on the show about the regularity of the incidents.
"The entire stage floor was a big fake tarmac surface, like a motorway. Most of the time it was used just as a floor. During the train tunnel an freeway scenes, the entire floor raised half way up the proscenium, forming a flat elevated stage area above, and another flat area area below. This was used to great effect during the Finale of Act One, when the children were down below with The Man ('Jesus'
, and the adults were above, searching for the Killer (also The Man).
"The "Freeway" which was a 12-tonne piece of set cause a great deal of technical problems and injuries. I recall Dean Collinson dislocating his ribs and getting a hernia.
Many of the cast had bruises, scratches etc.
I actually hit my head and cut my arm open on that set whilst having to climb through the railings on it in the final scene. "
And back in 2005, actor Dean Collinson was awarded £7500 for his injuries.
"He said after the hearing he had missed more than 100 shows because of injuries received during the production. He said he had had to pick up a motorbike with a pillion passenger still on the back to avoid them being crushed by a 12-tonne stage set.
He had also "had to push the female lead out of the way of a train that was being pushed towards the audience, giving myself a hernia".In another show, "I fell from a ladder that had had oil used on it to stop it squeaking"."
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4398395.stm
Updated On: 8/7/26 at 05:28 PM
