Cate Blanchett tells National Theatre audience to stop filming Electra/Persona
Cate Blanchett stayed on stage after the curtain call at the National Theatre and asked the audience to stop filming Electra/Persona.
Footage of the moment was shared on Instagram and reported on 19 September 2026. Blanchett spoke directly from the stage after the cast had taken their bow, the final bow at the end of the show, to address patrons who had recorded the performance Variety.
She told the room that filming spoils the show for the next group of people who come in to be present with the cast WhatsOnStage. The room listened.
The plea came during the run of Electra/Persona in the Lyttelton Theatre, the National Theatre's 890-seat proscenium house on the South Bank in London. The production pairs Sophocles' Greek tragedy Electra with Persona, Ingmar Bergman's 1966 film about identity and silence.
Blanchett stars opposite Nina Hoss, the German actor known for screen and stage work. The two play across a single bill that brings the ancient myth and the modern film into one evening.
The show is booked from 19 August to 10 October 2026, according to the National Theatre National Theatre. Its press performance, the invited night attended by critics, was scheduled for Tuesday 1 September 2026.
What makes this stand out is the directness. Many theatres make the no-filming announcement over speakers. This time it came from the lead actor, after the show, face to face.
