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Strictly Come Dancing finalist and West End performer Amber Davies has issued a stern warning to theatregoers.
The actress and singer, 29, is currently taking the lead as Elle Woods in the Legally Blonde UK and Ireland tour.
Sadly, during Saturday’s show, the ‘selfish actions’ of an audience member became ‘distracting’ for the cast, leaving Amber with no choice but to ask for them to be removed.
Taking to her Instagram Story in the interval, she explained: ‘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.’
‘Hopefully, she’s not back for Act Two,’ Amber added. ‘I’ve asked can she go so we can just enjoy ourselves.’
She then made it known that she has no time for theatregoers breaking the 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.’
‘So, yeah, guys… don’t film. Let’s just enjoy the two and a half hours together! We don’t need to film everything,’ she concluded.
It’s been a tumultuous journey for Amber as part of Legally Blonde, as she had to take time off earlier this year due to illness.
Amber made the sad announcement after she had to pull out of a performance in Milton Keynes halfway through, with musical theatre and TikTok star Hannah Lowther stepping in.
Afterwards, the Great Gatsby performer shared that she had sought medical advice amid a ‘lingering illness’, adding: ‘This is the last thing I want, but there’s no other way. I fear if I keep pushing through, I will be battling with this for longer than I need to be.’
However, while Amber recovered, speculation arose that there was tension between her and cast member Hannah, who previously appeared in Six and Heathers.
Addressing the so-called feud, Amber told her followers that she was not ‘leaving’ the production and there was no rivalry.
‘I’m simply just finishing off a set of antibiotics for a chest infection that’s been lingering for over a month.’
‘What we love and choose to do as a career is so unbelievably taxing on the body, and we are very much not invincible. Sickness happens; we are human,’ she added, calling the rumours ‘disappointing’.
‘I will be back on stage as soon as I possibly can. I love my Legally Blonde company so much, and I’m very grateful to have such a supportive team, especially Hannah Lowther.’
Amber then returned to the cast, telling The Standard that she was ‘burnt out’, saying she’s ‘never had to take time out for sickness before’.
Probed on reports of a falling out with Hannah, she insisted things are ‘all good’ between them.
Alas, while the behind-the-scenes dramas have since been resolved, it seems those attending the shows are still defying theatre protocol to capture the shows on their phones.
Amber isn’t the first stage star to call this out, as Rosamund Pike made headlines for how she scolded a texter last month.
Is filming allowed in the theatre?
For the majority of productions, filming is strictly forbidden unless an audience member has signed a contract in advance.
The prohibition of videoing, audio recording, and flash photography is to protect copyright laws and to preserve the live experience.
Sometimes, as is becoming increasingly common in modern productions, photos and videos can be taken during the curtain call, when the cast returns for their bows or a final song. However, you should check beforehand that this is the case.
After the curtain fell on the final performance of Suzie Miller’s play Inter Alia at Wyndham’s Theatre, in which she played a Crown Court judge, the 47-year-old returned to the stage.
Hands on her hips, the Gone Girl actress berated the individual for ‘breaking the bond’ between the cast and audience.
‘Somebody was texting in this part – you know who you are,’ she said, gesticulating to the venue.
‘Maybe it was very important. Maybe you’re a doctor, and you’re saving someone’s life, and I hope you are.
‘But we do see things – we do feel them, and so when I feel that and see it, it’s hard.’
Speaking to The Times afterwards, a fellow audience member noted that Rosamund ‘seemed genuinely upset’, leaving the rest of the crowd feeling as though they ‘had all let her down’.
Similarly, in April, Cynthia Erivo walked off stage from her one-woman Dracula show after spotting someone filming her.
The Wicked star, 39, halted the performance – which was hailed as ‘outstanding’ by critics – after about an hour for 10 minutes, with a fellow theatregoer writing online: ‘She straight up called the guy out! Put her hand up and said, “Excuse me, are you filming right now?”, And the person said, “Sorry,” and she said, “Did you just say sorry?”. And was immediately surrounded by crew and walked off.’
The attendee was then ‘kicked out’ by security, with people praising Cynthia for her response.