The ongoing debate surrounding theatre audience etiquette has reignited after West End star Amber Davies requested a disruptive audience member be removed midway through a performance of Legally Blonde the Musical.
The incident occurred during the touring production’s stop at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, highlighting a growing frustration among stage actors regarding illicit mobile phone recordings.
What Happened at the Legally Blonde Dublin Performance?
Amber Davies, who stars as the lead role of Elle Woods, took to her Instagram stories during the show’s interval to vent her frustration and issue a stern warning to future theatregoers.
According to Davies, a woman sitting in the front row spent the entirety of Act One recording the performance on her phone. The constant glow and presence of the camera directly in the cast’s line of sight proved to be a major distraction for the actors on stage.
“This is your daily reminder not to film at the theatre,” Davies told her followers. “Unfortunately tonight at the Bord Gáis… there’s just one woman in the front row [who] has been 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.”
Incensed by the disruption, the Strictly Come Dancing finalist and Love Island winner explicitly requested that theatre front-of-house staff escort the individual out of the auditorium before the second act began.
Strict Rules on Theatre Filming and Photography
While theater audiences are routinely permitted—and sometimes encouraged—to film the final curtain call when the cast takes their bows, recording any part of the actual performance is strictly forbidden across the industry.
The prohibition of recording equipment during a live show comes down to two major factors:
Performer Distraction: Flash photography and lit screens break the illusion of the stage, creating dangerous conditions and breaking the concentration of actors executing complex choreography and vocals.
Copyright and Licensing Law: Stage plays and musicals are strictly protected under intellectual property laws. Recording video or audio violates copyright agreements held by the production companies, creatives, and playwrights.
Davies made it clear that she has zero tolerance for phone use during her shows, warning that she will personally locate rule-breakers in the crowd. “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 stated. “Let’s just enjoy the two and a half hours together, we don’t need to film everything.”