Amber Davies asks audience member to stop filming Legally Blonde at Bord Gáis
Amber Davies, star of the musical Legally Blonde, has publicly called for an audience member filming the show to be removed from the Bord Gáis Performance Hall in Dublin. Her intervention highlights ongoing tensions around phone use in theatres during live performances.
During a Saturday night performance of Legally Blonde at the Bord Gáis, Amber Davies addressed the issue of an audience member filming the entire first act from the front row. Speaking via Instagram Stories, Davies described how the filming distracted the cast and damaged the morale of the company during what should have been a celebratory show.
Davies said she asked venue staff to have the person removed so the performance could proceed without disruption, adding, “Hopefully she’s not back for act two.” She urged audiences to respect the theatrical experience by not recording the performance, emphasising that the show should be enjoyed in the moment rather than captured on phones.
This incident is part of a broader debate about mobile phone use in theatres, with other actors recently speaking out. Cynthia Erivo requested an audience member’s removal for filming during Dracula in the West End, while Rosamund Pike criticised phone use at her shows, reflecting growing frustration among performers at disruptions.
Legally Blonde, with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and a book by Heather Hach, is based on Amanda Brown’s novel and the popular MGM film. The musical originally premiered on Broadway in 2007 and opened in the West End in 2010, collecting multiple WhatsOnStage and Olivier Awards.
The current production directed by Curve artistic director Nikolai Foster is co-produced by Curve and ROYO theatre companies. This new staging follows a 2022 UK revival at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and is part of an ongoing UK tour reaching various cities.
The issue of phone etiquette in live theatre continues to challenge audiences and performers alike, raising questions about balancing modern technology with preserving the communal and immersive spirit of live shows.
