Former National Theatre director Sir Peter Hall has apologised to Downton Abbey actress Laura Carmichael after he 'unintentionally disrupted' her West End debut.
Laura Carmichael was heckled by Sir Peter Hall during her performance in Uncle Vanya (Picture: PA)
Carmichael was delivering her lines in the play's closing moments when Hall, a former director at the National Theatre, shouted out his opinion of her performance.
Sir Peter was heard shouting: 'Stop. It is not good enough. I could be at home watching television.'
Hall has denied heckling the 26-year-old – aka Downton's Lady Edith Crawley – during Uncle Vanya at the Vaudeville Theatre.
Sir Peter, 81, said: 'Being rather aged, I dropped off for a moment and on being woken was briefly disorientated.'
He added he enjoyed last Friday's show immensely.
Sir Peter Hall has since apologised to Carmichael following the incident (Picture: PA)
Hall explained: 'I am mortified that I unintentionally disrupted the final scene of Uncle Vanya and I have sent a personal note to Laura Carmichael offering my apologies.
'Remarks made in the resulting conclusion were not in any way related to Uncle Vanya, which I think is a very fine production with a marvellous company of actors.'
Laura Carmichael stars alongside Anna Friel in the Anton Chechov play at the Vaudeville Theatre in London (Picture: PA)
Carmichael plays Lady Edith on Downton Abbey, the final episode of which was aired on Sunday night to 10.7million viewers.
The impressive average ratings figure of 9.7million was a series high for the show, which was nominated for Emmy awards in America this year.
Carmichael plays Lady Edith in the Downton Abbey series (Picture: ITV1)
ITV are yet to confirm whether the drama will return for a fourth series after the Christmas special which will be aired next month.
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment