Theatre boss quits over Madonna

The theatre manager in charge of Madonna's West end debut has sensationally quit after becoming infuriated with the star's never-ending demands and quest for total control.

Madonna has been performing to sell-out audiences in the play Up For Grabs at Wyndham's Theatre. But William Ingrey, who has spent nearly 30 years at the theatre, was unable to stand her and her entourage any longer.

Among Madonna's demands was that her dressing room be decorated in pale shades and fitted with a walk-in power shower. She also insisted that her bouncers remain each side of the stage when she is performing. She asked for the stage to be raised by several feet and decreed that large areas of the auditorium be closed to staff during performances.

Mr Ingrey was unable to comment but a friend said: "William was exasperated by all the fuss surrounding Madonna. He had been pushing for the dressing room to be redecorated for donkey's years. When Madonna arrived there was a complete revamp to her precise specifications. William wasn't terribly happy in the job anyway and Madonna was the icing on the cake."

At his leaving party Mr Ingrey told colleagues he was "unable to cope with constraints put upon him to satisfy the needs of the present productions".

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