Overview
- A video posted on Instagram and circulated widely shows Cate Blanchett addressing the crowd at the National Theatre and asking people not to film because it “spoils it for the next group,” with the clip appearing on Saturday.
- Reports differ on timing with some outlets saying she spoke during the performance and others saying she spoke after the curtain call, but all accounts corroborate her quoted appeal.
- The appeal came during the run of Electra/Persona, a Benedict Andrews production that pairs Blanchett with Nina Hoss in roles they alternate nightly by coin toss and which plays at the Lyttelton Theatre through Oct. 10.
- Audience reaction in videos and reports was enthusiastic, and no changes to the production’s phone policy or formal penalties have been announced since the clip circulated.
- The moment revived a common theatre debate about presence versus instant sharing, a tension that could prompt venues or companies to restate phone rules or ask audiences to leave devices out of view.