Theatre director, 68, who broke her back before Agatha Christie sues

Theatre director, 68, who broke her back after accidentally falling through a trapdoor before performance of Agatha Christie play ‘And Then There Were None’ is suing for £3.2m

  • Cheryl Palmer, 68, was director of ‘And Then There Were None’ play in Surrey
  • But she broke her back falling through a trapdoor before a performance in 2019 

A director who broke her back falling through a trapdoor putting on an Agatha Christie play is suing the theatre for £3.2million.

Cheryl Palmer, 68, was preparing to direct a production of ‘And Then There Were None’ at the Archway Theatre, in Horley, Surrey, when she fell six feet into a tunnel used by stage staff.

Mrs Palmer, Horley, shattered one of her vertebra in the June 2019 fall and says she has been left ‘partially paraplegic’ as a result.

The director – who had previously made costumes for productions of Aladdin and Dad’s Army at the theatre – is now suing Archway Theatre Company Limited for £3.2m, blaming it for her devastating injury.

In documents lodged with London’s High Court, Mrs Palmer’s lawyers state: ‘The claimant was a member of the theatre company and in June 2019 was the director of a production of Agatha Christie’s play “And Then There Were None” at the theatre.

Cheryl Palmer, 68, was director of ‘And Then There Were None’ Agatha Christie play in Surrey

The Archway Theatre, Horley, Surrey, where Ms Palmer fell and was seriously injured

‘At the rear of the theatre auditorium, there were two enclosed boxes for the use of persons involved in productions, a director’s box and a lighting box for the lighting technician.

‘Each box incorporated a glass viewing window from which one could look out towards the auditorium and stage.

‘On June 12, 2019, the claimant attended the theatre to watch a performance of the play. The claimant’s intention was to watch the performance from the director’s box.

‘Within the floor of the director’s box, albeit unbeknown to the claimant at the material time, there was a trapdoor which gave access to a tunnel running below the theatre auditorium.

‘The claimant went into the theatre auditorium along with her daughter, who was due to act as prompter for the performance, before the audience arrived.

The poster for the play showed Ms Palmer was the director before the tragedy happened

‘In order to check the view from the director’s box, the claimant entered the same. The door to the box was not at the material time locked in any way.

‘The auditorium lights were on and the interior of the box was partially lit by light passing through the viewing window.

‘The claimant sat briefly on the stool within the box and checked the view. She then stepped down from the stool, moving towards her left.

‘Upon doing so she fell through the trapdoor, which had been left open and unguarded, thereby sustaining injury.’

The court papers state Mrs Palmer suffered a ‘burst fracture’ to one of her vertebrae, leaving her with ‘spinal cord injury and incomplete…paraplegia’.

She has ‘significant ongoing spinal pain and weakness affecting both lower limbs. Her mobility is now markedly reduced by reason of her injuries,’ her lawyers say, adding that she ‘also suffered psychological injury involving PTSD-type symptoms’.

In a brief hearing before judge Master John Dagnall, lawyers for Archway Theatre Company, of The Drive, Horley, said they have admitted primary liability for Mrs Palmer’s accident.

However, they are contesting the amount of damages she is due and a trial on quantum is set to go ahead at a later date, not yet finalised.

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