West End star Amber Davies had an audience member ejected from her Legally Blonde performance in Dublin on Saturday after the woman filmed the entire first act on her phone. The 29-year-old former Strictly Come Dancing finalist, who plays Elle Woods in the UK and Ireland tour, took to Instagram during the interval to condemn the 'selfish actions'.
'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,' Davies said on her Instagram Story. She added that she had asked for the woman to be removed, expressing hope that she would not return for Act Two.
Davies issued a stern warning to other theatregoers, stating: '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 urged audiences to enjoy the live experience without filming, noting that filming is generally prohibited to protect copyright and preserve the atmosphere.
The incident comes after a turbulent period for Davies, who had to take time off earlier this year due to illness. She pulled out of a performance in Milton Keynes halfway through, with Hannah Lowther stepping in. Addressing rumours of a feud with Lowther, Davies insisted there was no rivalry and that she was grateful for the support. She returned to the cast after recovering from a chest infection, telling The Standard she had been 'burnt out'.
Davies is not the first stage star to call out disruptive behaviour. Last month, actress Rosamund Pike scolded an audience member for texting during a performance of the play Inter Alia at Wyndham’s Theatre, saying they had 'broken the bond' between cast and audience.
