TARA FITZGERALD - THEATREGOERS SPRAYED WITH VOMIT

A preview performance of actress TARA FITZGERALD's new London play descended into chaos on Saturday (15OCT05) when 12 audience members were accidentally sprayed with fake vomit.

Props bosses at the West End's Gielgud Theatre underestimated the power of a contraption used to simulate an actor in AND THEN THERE WERE NONE being sick.

The actor, whose character was poisoned to death, propelled the stage sick (vegetable soup) beyond the stage and into the first row of the stalls.

A spokesperson confirms, "Yes this did happen. It was extremely unfortunate but the whole point of previews is to iron out small glitches like this.

"I have to admit, though, that most glitches don't involve drenching paying theatregoers in a torrent of vomit. We were happy to pay their dry cleaning bills."