David Tennant was forced to leave the stage during a West End performance of Macbeth after a theatregoer sparked chaos when he was unable to return to his seat following a toilet break.
The incident occurred on Tuesday at the Harold Pinter Theatre when an audience member, returning from the bathroom, caused a disturbance after being told he couldn't return to his seat immediately.
Theatre staff had to intervene when the situation escalated, with reports of multiple audience members becoming involved in the row. The disruptive spectator eventually left the venue 15 minutes later.
A production spokesman said: "We can confirm there was an incident at the theatre last night, which made it necessary for the front of house team to request a show stop.
“This is standard practice, in order to deal with the situation as swiftly and effectively as possible, enabling the remainder of the production to continue with minimum impact to both the audience and company."
The show, which stars Tennant, 53, alongside Cush Jumbo as Lady Macbeth, has been breaking box office records, generating over £2,150,000 in just one day. However, it faced earlier setbacks when three consecutive performances were cancelled in November due to "company illness."
Speaking about the production to The Guardian, Tennant had said: "I thought I knew this play very well and that it was, unlike any other Shakespeare I can remember rehearsing, straightforward. But each time I come to a scene, it goes in a direction I wasn't expecting. It has such muscle to it, it powers along. Plot-wise, it's more front-footed than any Shakespeare play I've done."
The theatre's policy clearly states that audience members leaving during the performance will not be readmitted.
