Cate Blanchett asks National Theatre audience to stop filming
The Oscar-winning actress made the plea during the curtain call of her show Electra/Persona.
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Cate Blanchett has asked audience members at the National Theatre to stop filming her current production, Electra/Persona. The Oscar-winning actress made the request during the curtain call on Friday, stating that filming "spoils it for the next group of people" who attend the show. The production runs until October 10.
Details of the request
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Blanchett, who is starring in the play at the Lyttelton Theatre, addressed the audience after the performance. "There are few places on this planet where we can simply be together and be present," Blanchett said, as reported by the BBC. "I understand you like filming the curtain call, and it is kind of flattering in a way, but for anyone who is filming the show, please don’t, because it spoils it for the next group of people who come in and are present with us. So thank you very much."
The two-time Oscar winner's comments were met with cheers and applause from the audience. According to an audience member quoted by the BBC, Blanchett also gestured for someone to stop recording during an interval between acts, when latecomers were being admitted and the stage was being prepared for the second half. This audience member noted that filming during this interval is not uncommon and usually goes unaddressed by staff.
The production and its context
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Electra/Persona is a new production written and directed by Benedict Andrews. It combines Sophocles' tragedy Electra with Ingmar Bergman's 1966 film Persona. Blanchett shares the roles of Electra/Elisabeth and Clytemnestra/Alma with co-star Nina Hoss, with the casting determined nightly by a coin toss on stage. The play is scheduled to run until October 10.
Blanchett is not the first performer to address audience behaviour during a show. As reported by The Standard, Rosamund Pike previously called out an audience member for texting during a performance of Inter Alia earlier this year. Pike stated that such actions broke the connection between the cast and the audience. Other actors, including Cynthia Erivo and Andrew Scott, have also interrupted performances to address phone use.
Questions this report answers
+What did Cate Blanchett ask the audience to do?
Cate Blanchett asked audience members to stop filming her show, Electra/Persona, at the National Theatre. She made the request during the curtain call on Friday, explaining that filming spoils the experience for other theatregoers.
+When does Electra/Persona run until?
The production of Electra/Persona, starring Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss, runs at the National Theatre until October 10. The play fuses Sophocles' Electra with Ingmar Bergman's film Persona.
+Has another actress recently addressed audience phone use?
Yes, Rosamund Pike previously addressed an audience member for using their phone during a performance of Inter Alia earlier this year. She stated that such actions disrupted the bond between cast and audience.
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