Cynthia Erivo interrupted her West End performance of Dracula on Monday night after noticing an audience member appeared to be filming the show. The incident occurred roughly an hour into the one-woman production at the Noël Coward theatre, where Erivo plays all 23 roles.
A representative for the production confirmed the short stop. According to a commenter on the Theatreboard forum who claimed to be in the audience, Erivo looked out and said: 'Are you filming? Is someone filming?' before stopping the show. Another commenter reported attending the following night and noted extra reminders about photography and filming.
Illicit recordings are a growing concern for theatres. Some venues issue stickers to cover phone cameras upon entry, as seen at Romeo and Juliet and Good. In 2023, photos of James Norton in a nude scene from A Little Life were published online. Filming is generally forbidden, except for specific moments like closing medleys.
Curtain call photography has also drawn criticism. Actress Lesley Manville recently condemned the practice on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row, saying: 'Clap or don’t clap, but don’t just stick up your phone in our faces. I find it insulting.' Manville, starring in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre, noted that during previews she gave one audience member 'a bit of a stare' for using their phone.
The Noël Coward theatre is owned by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, whose terms prohibit recording equipment and require mobile phones to be disabled. Dracula, directed by Kip Williams, runs until 30 May and relies on sophisticated onstage camerawork, similar to Williams’ 2024 hit The Picture of Dorian Gray.
