Kristin Scott Thomas says she 'can't stand' bad theatre etiquette and has to 'really control' herself to avoid challenging disruptive audiences

Kristin Scott Thomas has said that she 'can't stand' bad theatre etiquette and has to 'really control' herself to avoid challenging disruptive audiences.

The Slow Horses actress, 66, is currently starring in a reboot of The Cherry Orchard – Anton Chekhov's great Russian masterpiece from 1904 – at the Harold Pinter Theatre alongside Stephen Mangan.

She is taking on the role of Madame Ranevskaya, a bereaved woman returning to her provincial childhood home, surrounded by the titular orchard on an estate in need of financial support.

While Stephen, 58, plays Lopakhin, a self-made man who was born a peasant but is now offering to bail her out.

Kristin's comments come in the wake of other actors making similar comments about disruptive audiences including Gillian Anderson, Cate Blanchett and Rosamund Pike.

When asked if she would personally interrupt a performance to speak out, Kristin said on Tuesday ahead of her opening night: 'Probably not because that would interrupt what I'm doing. It's really hard sometimes. I can't stand it. I have to really control myself.'

However the actress did praise London audiences for being 'particularly brilliant' during shows.

Kristin Scott Thomas has said that she 'can't stand' bad theatre etiquette and has to 'really control' herself to avoid challenging disruptive audiences

The actress, 66, is currently starring in a reboot of The Cherry Orchard – Anton Chekhov's great Russian masterpiece from 1904 – at the Harold Pinter Theatre alongside Stephen Mangan

She explained: 'They listen. I think it's part of the culture. Theatre going has been such a thing of ours for such a long time that it's a natural thing to go to the theatre, it's not a sort of great big milestone to climb up and get over.

'I've done plays in other places as well but the London audiences are particularly brilliant.' 

On the disruptive audience debate, her co-star Stephen added: 'We're no different from other people. We find it annoying if people aren't paying attention.

'I think the fact that there's been a fuss about it shows that people care about it. Audiences have been great here. So far we haven't had a problem at all so I hope that continues.'

The comments come after earlier this month actress Gillian Anderson asked a group of superfans to 'stop sitting in the front row' because it was distracting her when she spotted them waiting outside the theatre.

The actress, 58, politely spoke to the group of women who had been to see the play '20 times' and made a request for them to stop buying front row seats.

Gillian's comments were made outside the stage door at London's Soho Place theatre, after a performance of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

The Sex Education star recognised several superfans and addressed them while signing autographs for those who had gathered outside.

She told them: 'You guys cannot sit in the front row, you cannot.' In response, one woman can be heard saying: 'You made us cry so much.'

She is taking on the role of Madame Ranevskaya, a bereaved woman returning to her provincial childhood home, surrounded by the titular orchard on an estate in need of financial support

The comments come after earlier this month actress Gillian Anderson asked a group of superfans to 'stop sitting in the front row' because it was distracting her 

Gillian's comments were made outside the stage door at London's Soho Place theatre, after a performance of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 

Gillian laughed, and then said: 'I don't care, you cannot sit in the front row, it's so distracting. You can't come 20 times and sit in the front row, it's driving me mad.' 

Just before that, in September of this year, Cate Blanchett begged the audience at the National Theatre not to film her on stage as it 'spoils it for the next group'.

The actress, 57, was starring in Benedict Andrews' Electra/Persona, which combines the Sophocles tragedy Electra with Ingmar Bergman's 1966 film Persona.

In a video shared on social media at the time, Cate was seen urging theatregoers at London's Lyttelton Theatre to halt the filming of the production as she called for folks to 'be together and be present'.

She told fans: 'There are few places on this planet where we can simply be together and be present.

'I understand you like filming the curtain call – and it is kind of flattering in a way – but for anyone who is filming the show, please don't, because it spoils it for the next group of people who come in and are present with us. So thank you very much.'

Meanwhile, earlier this year, Rosamund Pike berated an audience member for texting during the finale of her 'devastatingly emotional' West End performance.

The actress and producer, 47, who played a Crown Court judge in Inter Alia at the Wyndham's Theatre, returned to the stage after the curtain had fallen.

But instead of soaking in the applause, she hushed the audience and told the texter they had 'broken the bond' between cast and audience.

In footage captured by a theatregoer in June, Rosamund could be seen gesturing to a corner of the room.

She said: 'Somebody was texting in this part – you know who you are. I'm not going to single you out but you know it upsets the performance.

'Maybe it was very important. Maybe you're a doctor and you're saving someone's life and I hope you are.

'But we do see things - we do feel them and so when I feel that and see it it's hard.'

She added: 'I'm trying to tell you a story and I'm feeling you and I hope you're feeling me too.'

Meanwhile in April, Cynthia Erivo brought her latest West End performance in Dracula to a dramatic halt after an audience member was seen filming the production on their mobile phone. 

Just before that, in September of this year, Cate Blanchett begged the audience at the National Theatre not to film her on stage as it 'spoils it for the next group' 

Meanwhile, earlier this year, Rosamund Pike berated an audience member for texting during the finale of her 'devastatingly emotional' West End performance 

Meanwhile in April, Cynthia Erivo brought her latest West End performance in Dracula to a dramatic halt after an audience member was seen filming the production on their mobile phone 

The actress took to the stage earlier this year at London's Noël Coward Theatre in director Kip Williams' contemporary, one-woman adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic novel. 

Cynthia curtailed a performance for close to ten minutes after spotting someone filming from their place in the audience, a direct breach of standard theatre etiquette. 

Footage circulating online captures bemused audience members – many of them unaware of the issue – watching in stunned silence as the curtain drops mid-act.

As nervous laughter ripples across the room, a production assistant can be heard urging ticket-holders to 'remain seated' with the assurance that the production will 'resume shortly'.  

Captioning a brief clip of the incident, one theatregoer wrote: 'Not Cynthia Erivo clocking someone filming in the audience during Dracula and stopping the whole show.' 

According to WhatsOnStage, another told how she 'straight up called the guy out! Put her hand up – said 'excuse me, are you filming right now?!' And the person said 'sorry.'' 

Other notable names, including Amber Davies (Legally Blonde) and Lesley Manville (Les Liaisons Dangereuses) have also lashed out at poor theatre etiquette, admonishing those who use their phone during theatre productions.

Amber revealed in July that she had a theatregoer thrown out of her latest show after catching them filming the performance. 

Taking to Instagram during the interval, Amber shared a video on her Stories urging her followers not to follow suit.

She began: 'This is your daily reminder not to film at the theatre.

'Unfortunately tonight at the Bord Gáis we've got a beautiful audience, but there's just one woman in the front row filming the entirety of Act One has had us all distracted.'

Amber continued: 'It ruined the morale of our wonderful eighth show on a Saturday night from selfish actions.'

Revealing she reported the theatregoer to staff, Amber added: 'Hopefully she's not back for Act Two, I've asked, can she go so we can just enjoy ourselves.

'But there has been a couple of people filming in Ireland this week and I'm the type of person, I will count how many seats away you are from what door and you will be told and asked to leave.

'So yeah guys, don't film. Let's just enjoy the two and a half hours together, we don't need to film everything.

'Okay, right I'm gonna go and do Act Two.'

Lesley, meanwhile, sparked a fierce debate in the theatre world after she blasted theatre-goers who took photos during curtain calls as 'insulting'.

The two-time Olivier Award winner, 70, appeared on stage at the National Theatre opposite Rivals' Aidan Turner in the latest adaptation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

And she recently revealed the production has banned the audience from taking any photos during the show and after, when the cast come out to take their bows.

Speaking on BBC's Radio 4 in April, Lesley lamented the proliferation of the practice, asking why the show attendees couldn't 'let it live in their souls for five minutes?'

The actress insisted that it had only recently begun to happen more on the West End, having trickled in from the US, and urged people to 'preserve theatre' and 'take the digital out of it just for a moment'.

Meanwhile, Heathers: The Musical star Kate Rockwell has previously launched a frustrated tirade at drunken audience members and rowdy superfans. 

Taking to Instagram, the American actress, dancer and singer, 42, raged over the behaviour of viewers and discussed appropriate theatre etiquette. 

The hit musical, based on the 1988 film of the same name, has run off-Broadway since 2014 and Kate joined the cast last year as a temporary replacement for Kerry Butler in the role as teacher Ms Fleming.

This year, she shared a note encouraging young 'incredibly passionate, devoted fans' not to singalong regardless of their love for the show, writing: 'Please, when you're in the audience, let us do the work. That's what you paid for!!'

As well as her message aimed at young fans, she also hit out at drunken hecklers for 'screaming s**t' and 'losing their ability to be decent human beings', writing: 'If you want to talk through something, stay home and watch Netflix.'