Stephen Mangan has disclosed that he physically removed an audience member's feet from the stage during a performance, underscoring a rising debate over audience conduct in theatres. The British actor, currently preparing to return to the West End in Florian Zeller's comedy The Truth, recounted the incident while discussing deteriorating audience behaviour.
Mangan's Broadway Incident
In an interview with The Times, Mangan recalled a performance of The Norman Conquests on Broadway in 2009. A front-row audience member placed both feet on the stage. 'You wouldn't walk into your accountant's office and stick your feet on his desk,' the Fortune Hotel star said. 'Anyway, I kicked the feet off the stage. That was the end of that.'
Broader Concerns Over Audience Etiquette
Mangan expressed frustration with modern audience behaviour, noting that phones and whispering are particularly disruptive. 'You sometimes feel as if the audience don't appreciate that they're in the same room. If they pull out a phone and start texting, we're right there. We can see it. If they lean over and whisper something to their friend, we can hear it,' he told The Times.
The issue has gained traction following actress Rosamund Pike's recent confrontation with a texting audience member during her play Inter Alia. Pike stated that the texter 'broke the bond' between cast and audience, making it 'hard' for actors to continue. An audience member at that performance noted, 'She suggested that someone texting in the climax of this devastatingly emotional play broke this bond. She seemed genuinely upset.' The source added that everyone was 'a bit stunned' and felt 'we had all let her down.'
Other Incidents and Industry Trends
Earlier this month, the Royal Shakespeare Company ejected a woman from a performance after her baby's repeated disruptions. Theatregoers complained about hearing 'gurgling and cooing and chirping very loudly throughout.'
Mangan's upcoming play The Truth, a comedy about two unfaithful couples, also stars Janie Dee, Sarah Hadland, and Ardal O'Hanlon. As the debate over audience behaviour continues, actors and theatres are increasingly speaking out against disruptions that undermine the live performance experience.
