Scotland's national theatre is to pay out £1.4million to a stagehand injured during a Broadway production of William Shakespeare's Macbeth.
The tragedy which superstitious actors rehearsing often call The Scottish Play in case it brings them bad luck has turned out to be just that for the National Theatre of Scotland's insurers.
Jason Makula wanted £13m after a temporary wall fell on him at the theatre where Hollywood actor Alan Cumming's acclaimed one-man version of the play was performed. The case was settled last week for $2.37m (£1.4m) after a year of wrangling.
The NTS insisted the settlement was covered by insurance.
Mr Makula was employed by the venue, he claimed NTS was "absolutely liable" for the accident as it was in charge at the time.
He said NTS fell short of safety standards by failing to use proper equipment to remove a stage wall at the end of the play's run at the Jazz at Lincoln Centre in July 2012.
Mr Makula argued NTS had a duty to keep the venue safe and hazard-free, but had allowed it to be "in an unsafe, defective, hazardous and/or dangerous condition" and that the accident was "caused wholly and solely by reason of the carelessness, recklessness and negligence" of the NTS, its agents or employees.
This caused the wall "to fall with great force and violence", causing him "great physical pain, mental anguish and bodily injuries".
NTS's lawyers accepted Makula, from New Haven, Connecticut, had been injured. However, they vigorously denied the NTS was to blame.
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