Many people find the idea of actors breaking the fourth wall while on stage mortifying. As such, they will react to the news that Rosamund Pike, the Olivier award-winning star of the new play Inter Alia, berated an anonymous member of the audience during the curtain call for her show last weekend with skin-crawling embarrassment.
Yet Pike was wholly justified in her actions. During the performance of a play which deals with some hot-button issues of family and sexual abuse, the actress observed someone sending a text in the particularly emotional denouement. After taking her applause, she decided to say something about it. Pike expressed her justified displeasure at the texter’s actions. She said that:
I just wanted to say for anyone going to the theatre, it’s a huge thing that we’re trying to give you. I am trying to tell you a story, and I’m feeling you, and I hope you’re feeling me too.
To cheers and applause, she added:
If actors are competing with someone checking their WhatsApp messages, their work will suffer
