Orlando Bloom stopped his West End performance of “Killer Joe” twice on Thursday because an audience member was holding an iPad.
According to multiple accounts on Twitter, the actor called out a woman for having her gadget out — while he was still in character.
“So at today’s matinee of @KillerJoePlay #OrlandoBloom shut down a lady filming on her iPad TWICE and he maintained character the entire time and that alone was worth a standing ovation,” one fan tweeted. “Also, if Killer Joe told me to put my iPad down he so wouldn’t need to tell me twice.”
London-based theater critic Mark Shenton also tweeted about the incident, citing an eye witness account.
“Eye-witness account from today’s matinee of @KillerJoePlay: #OrlandoBloom made two unscripted interventions: ‘I need YOU to put iPad AWAY NOW!’” he wrote. “Then again a few mins later: ‘PUT that f—ing IPad away now and I will wait.’”
Actor Harry Edwin commented on Shenton’s tweet, writing, “I was sat behind and although it would have looked bad, in her defence [sic] she was only using it for her fan as the auditorium was roasting! #preshowpic.” He also posted a picture in which the iPad is clearly visible.
I was sat behind and although it would have looked bad, in her defence she was only using it for her fan as the auditorium was roasting! #preshowpic pic.twitter.com/TAwSWLRT4b
— Harry Edwin (@harryedwinactor) July 26, 2018
“Killer Joe” is playing at Trafalgar Studios in London from July 27 to Aug. 18. The producers of “Killer Joe” said in a statement to TheWrap: “There was an incident at yesterday’s matinee of ‘Killer Joe’ that was dealt with swiftly and efficiently by the Front of House team. The Trafalgar Studios is a very intimate performance space, which can make the use of electronic devices by any audience member extremely distracting for the Company. The Trafalgar Studios’ team do a great job of making sure everyone at the Theatre can enjoy the live experience.”
See other tweets about the performance below. A spokesperson for Bloom has not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Saw the matinee performance of Killer Joe with Orlando Bloom this afternoon. Brilliant performances all round and well done to Mr Bloom for publicly rebuking the woman in the audience trying to film him on her iPad, and then smoothly continuing with the show @KillerJoePlay
— Philippa Hall (@philippajuul) July 26, 2018
well I wasn’t expecting Orlando Bloom to stop mid show twice to shout at the woman in front of me to put her iPad away
— Orla Daly🌻 (@orladalysm) July 26, 2018