West End star Amber Davies has proven she doesn’t mess around when it comes to calling out bad behaviour at the theatre – telling fans she had an audience member thrown out after they “distracted” the Legally Blonde cast at the weekend.
The Strictly Come Dancing runner-up is currently playing Elle Woods in the UK and Ireland tour of the musical and while she’s loving her time on the road, the 29-year-old admitted the morale was “ruined” at Saturday night’s show in Dublin.
In a video posted on her Instagram Story, Davies warned fans: “This is your daily reminder not to film at the theatre!
“Unfortunately, tonight, at the Bord Gáis, we’ve got a beautiful audience, but there’s just one woman in the front row, filming the entirety of Act One.
“It’s had us all distracted. It’s ruined the morale of our wonderful eighth show on a Saturday night from selfish actions.”
In the video, filmed during the interval, Davies continued: “Hopefully, she’s not back for Act Two. I’ve asked, ‘can she go so we can just enjoy ourselves?’”
Davies also revealed this isn’t the first time she’s spotted theatregoers breaking the strict no-filming rules.
“There have been a couple of people filming in Ireland this week, and I’m the type of person, I will count how many seats away you are from what door, and you will be told and asked to leave,” she said. “So, yeah, guys… don’t film. Let’s just enjoy the two and a half hours together! We don’t need to film everything.”
It comes after Rosamund Pike called out a theatregoer for texting during a performance of Inter Alia last month – and while Davies decided to air her complaint on Instagram, Pike did it in person.
The Gone Girl star returned to the stage at the end of the production at Wyndham’s Theatre in London on Saturday to give a lecture on theatre etiquette.
“I just wanted to say for anyone going to the theatre, it’s a huge thing that we’re trying to give you. I am trying to tell you a story, and I’m feeling you, and I hope you’re feeling me too,” she told the crowd.
“Somebody was texting in this part,” Pike said, directing to a section of the audience. “You know who you are and I’m not going to single you out.
“Maybe it was very important, and maybe you’re a doctor, and you’re saving someone's life, and I hope you are, but we do see these, we do feel them.
“I’ve got you, I feel like I’ve got to hold you all, so when I feel that and see it, it’s hard.”
The likes of Daniel Craig, Patti Lupone and Hugh Jackman have also previously called out bad audience behaviour.
