West End performer Amber Davies recently had a theatergoer removed from a performance of "Legally Blonde" in Dublin after the individual was caught filming the show. Davies, who plays the lead role of Elle Woods, stated that the filming disrupted the cast and negatively impacted their morale.
Davies shared her experience via Instagram Stories during the show's intermission. She explained that the audience member in the front row was filming for the entirety of the first act. "It ruined the morale of our wonderful eighth show on a Saturday night from selfish actions," Davies said. She reported the individual to theater staff, requesting they not be allowed to return for the second act. Davies noted that this was not the first instance of filming she had encountered during the tour in Ireland that week, emphasizing her zero-tolerance approach to such behavior.
Davies reminded her followers of theater etiquette, stating, "Don't film. Let's just enjoy the two and a half hours together, we don't need to film everything." She cited copyright laws, union compliance, and the preservation of the live theater experience as reasons why video, flash photography, and audio recording are prohibited during performances.
This incident follows a similar situation last month involving actress Rosamund Pike. Pike publicly addressed and berated an audience member for using a phone to text during the finale of her West End performance in "Prima Facie." After the curtain call, Pike addressed the audience member directly, stating that their actions disrupted the performance and "broken the bond" between the cast and the audience.
Footage captured by another theatergoer showed Pike gesturing to the area where the texting occurred. She acknowledged that the message might have been important, but emphasized that performers can sense such distractions. Audience members on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) supported Pike's stance, commending her for calling out the unacceptable behavior during a live performance.