Actor accidentally hangs himself on stage while re-enacting death of Judas Iscariot in Easter play

An actor in Brazil has died 17-days after being strangled by his own safety equipment during an Easter play.



Tiago Klimeck, 27, hanged himself while re-enacting the death of Judas Iscariot during the performance.

He had been playing the part of Judas in a Passion of Christ theatrical performance in the town of Itarare, in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Shock: A fellow cast member puts a shroud over the hanging body of the Brazilian actor before realising his air supply had been cut off

While acting the scene in which Judas commits suicide after betraying Jesus, he was supposed to ‘hang himself’ from a rope then pretend to be dead .

But the safety vest the actor was wearing under is robe is believed to have risen up across his neck, strangling him.

Mr Klimeck was left dangling for four minutes until horrified performers and spectators realised it wasn’t part of his performance and rushed to his aid.

Pictures show the actor taking part in the play before the incident in which he was suffocated.

He can then be seen on set hanging from the rope moments before the cast and audience realise a real life tragedy is unfolding.



Brink: The tragic actor in the final moments before the hanging scene went tragically wrong

The actor was taken to hospital in a critical condition following the accident during the Good Friday open-air performance.

Scans revealed that the incident caused cerebral anoxia as the oxygen supply to his brain had been cut off.

Mr Klimeck ’s life support machine was finally switched off on Sunday afternoon. The incident is being investigated by the local police.

Show: Tiago Klimeck, 27, playing Judas Iscariot with fellow cast members before the Easter play went tragically wrong

Drama: Actor Tiago Klimeck taking part in moving scenes before the performance in Brazil went tragically wrong

Brazil is a predominantly Catholic country where the Passion of Christ is put on every year in front of big audiences.

The biggest show is at 100,000sqm theatre complex in Pernambuco, north eastern Brazil.



Thousands of visitors watch more than 500 actors appear on the nine separate stages at what is one of biggest outdoor theatres in the world.



Hollywood star Michael Sheen led a revival of the Easter tradition in the UK last year taking on taken the role with a 72-hour performance in which he stayed in character for the entire time.

The climax of the play saw the ambitious actor 'nailed' to a cross and 'crucified' in front of a huge audience in his home town of Port Talbot in south Wales.