"Sweeney Todd," a play about a murderous barber, was canceled at St. Kentigern College after two 16-year-old boys had their necks cut by a prop shaving razor on Wednesday.
The New Zealand Herald reported that college headmaster Steve Cole said that the razor prop was blunted and wrapped in several protective layers to prevent such an accident from happening. The incident reportedly happened during the opening night performance of the play.
Auckland Now wrote that the boys were taken to Auckland Hospital for their injuries.
"Sweeney Todd" is a play about a London barber who was unjustly imprisoned for years by a corrupt judge, but returns to England bent on revenge by murdering his victims and baking them into meat pies,
according to Playbill.
"It's normal for Sweeney Todd to have such an instrument [and it] clearly had been checked many, many times," Cole told the New Zealand Herald.
Auckland Now reported that Counties-Manukau police began its initial investigation at the school Thursday, while St. Kentigern College added that it has started its own investigation into the incident.
"Our priority is to continue to support the boys and their families, and we would appreciate if their privacy is respected," Cole told Auckland Now. "We are also very focused on helping other cast and crew members, along with the wider school community and have offered all students counselling."
One person who attended the play Wednesday said that the audience was unaware of the incident and that the blood they saw on stage was real, according to Auckland Now.
"No announcements were made to the audience that the throat slitting was not all just 'fake blood,' the show went on, we never knew anything about the real blood being spilt until later," the person said.
"It is terribly sad what has happened. It's a great show and I'd hate to see anything bad overshadow the quality of the show," the attendee added.
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