“Thunder” undies key evidence in robbery case

Joey Kadmiri was wearing the underwear of two male dancers from “Thunder From Down Under” when the cast and crew found him near a backstage dressing room trying to steal costumes and props, the show’s host testified Monday.

Kadmiri quickly became violent on March 18 after the performers tried to get the items back from him, prosecutors said in opening statements.

“That’s mine,” Kadmiri yelled, holding a prop briefcase, prosecutor Nick Portz said.

Matthew Fardell, one of “The Blokes” in the Excalibur show for the past 14 years, described “the scariest thing ever,” as Kadmiri pulled out a Smith &Wesson .44-caliber Magnum.

“Will I die here?” Fardell said he thought, as he used both hands to push Kadmiri’s right wrist away from other performers.

At least five other performers tried to hold Kadmiri down, some kicking and punching him, as they waited for security to arrive, said Fardwell, the main emcee, whom other dancers call “Pop.”

“The strength of the guy was pretty amazing,” Fardell said. “It was animal strong. It was epic.”

Amid the scuffle, Fardell noticed that Kadmiri had been wearing teal Calvin Klein boxer briefs of a fellow dancer. Under the briefs, Kadmiri also wore a black thong, which Fardell said he recognized as the style he has specially delivered from Australia. He later noticed at least eight pairs of thongs missing.

Kadmiri threatened to shoot, then fired once, authorities have said.

No one was struck, but Fardell suffered powder burns to his face and still has ringing in his left ear.

The show was going on the entire time, and Fardell cleaned himself up, asked for some makeup and walked back on stage. He made sure to only show the audience the right side of his face, as blood dripped from his left ear.

“We couldn’t stop the show,” Fardell said.

With many people dining that evening at Buca di Beppo on the other side of the wall, Portz said, “it’s a miracle that no one was killed.”

Kadmiri faces several charges including burglary, robbery with the use of a deadly weapon, battery with the use of a deadly weapon, battery with the use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, possession of a controlled substance and firearm charges.

“Joey Kadmiri was willing to use any means necessary — whether it be force, fraud or a .44 Magnum — to get what he wanted,” Portz said. “And if it weren’t for the brave actions of the cast and crew of that ‘Thunder’ show, he just might have gotten away with it.”

Earlier that day, a stagehand first spotted Kadmiri in a fedora and a Syndey Fire Department T-shirt, pulling up his pants inside the “Thunder” dressing room, according to Portz.

Kadmiri told the worker that he was a new performer, but when word spread to the cast, they became suspicious because none of the dancers is American.

That’s when they confronted him about the props, and he became defensive.

As security moved in, Kadmiri repeatedly shouted, “I’m on meth,” Portz said.

With the gun and a box of bullets, Kadmiri had a bag with 2.1 grams of methamphetamine on him when he was arrested, the prosecutor said.

Court records indicate Kadmiri has a history of arrests on felony charges dating to 2010. He also faces domestic violence, robbery and kidnapping charges in connection with an incident in November.

The trial is scheduled to resume this morning.