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Last update: 15/05/15

“The show must go on,” they say.

It’s an honourable creed for the showbusiness fraternity, but occasionally, something has to give. In March 2016, Sheridan Smith pulled out of two performances of “Funny Girl” after her father was reportedly diagnosed with cancer.

London’s Menier Chocolate Factory said it would “take each day as it comes” and would “never ask nor expect an artist to perform in this situation.” However, the star tweeted that she was facing intense pressure to return to the boards as soon as possible, compelling theatre bosses to respond after the star had interacted with fans on social media, writing “You have no idea what I’m getting pressured into. They don’t give a f*** about my dad!”

After being criticised by fans left upset that she had dropped out of the first London performance, the actress revealed her father’s diagnosis on Twitter before promising to personally reimburse those affected.

A difficult call, and one can understand patrons’ disappointment. Perhaps more interesting was the speed with which the star deleted her disparaging tweet; yet another reminder of the dangers of social media where millions post comments before allowing their brain sufficient time to engage. In her case allowances could be made, as her feelings for her father were clearly genuine.

What would follow was an enforced month long absence from the production, and an opportunity for her understudy Natasha Barnes to grasp a unique opportunity. Despite some media backlash, it would later emerge that her father’s cancer mirrored the same disease that had claimed her brother a decade earlier. She had previously accused producers of pressuring her into returning to ‘Funny Girl’ before she was ready. Shortly afterwards, a production was stopped just 15 minutes into the play. an interruption attributed to technical difficulties, though there were reports from audience members claiming Smith was drunk and slurring her words on stage. Despite a denial from her publicist, the incident was the subject of a BAFTA night quip by the chat show host Graham Norton, that raised a few cheap laughs: “We’re all excited for a couple of drinks tonight. Or, as it’s known in theatrical circles, a few glasses of ‘technical difficulties’.” Norton is not to be singled out here, for the days of universally brilliant and utterly inoffensive humour are long gone. Smith’s slurring may have been the combination of literally one drink and prescribed medication, or over indulgence in the sauce. Nevertheless, whatever the truth, would Norton’s business advisers have countenanced such a cutting barb against the actress had the circumstances of her brother’s death been fully researched?