Strictly Come Dancing star Rose Ayling-Ellis has reflected on how she reacted to being heckled on stage.
Former EastEnders actress Rose played Celia for a West End run of As You Like It by William Shakespeare that concluded earlier this year.
Rose told The Times the unwelcome interruption from an audience member came during her final matinee performance in January.
But Rose also expressed her determination that ‘the show should go on’ – even though the disturbance left her shook up.
Strictly star Rose Ayling-Ellis opens up about heckler
As Rose recalls it, her tormentor appeared to be put out by – among other aspects – her signing her lines.
Rose explained: “It was a bit of a shock. I didn’t know it was happening at all at the time, because he was shouting. And of course I couldn’t hear him. Then someone told me he was upset because I was using sign language and he couldn’t understand what was going on.”
Captions were made available for those who could hear during the performance. However, according to reports, Rose was inspired by a young members of the audience to continue.
‘Carrying on was so special’
Rose went on: “I didn’t want him to stop the play. It was my last day. I didn’t want him to ruin it. And then I saw a little girl in the front row whose parents were signing to her and I thought, ‘I’m not going to show you an example of running away. I’m going to carry on.'”
I didn’t want him to stop the play. It was my last day. I didn’t want him to ruin it.
Nonetheless, Rose’s refusal to be cowed by her antagonist was a challenge for her – even though she felt her scenes became “so meaningful”.
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She added: “It was hard, I was trembling. I couldn’t get that man out of my head and whether others felt the same as him. But carrying on was so special because it made every single scene so meaningful and the audience really understood what I was doing.”
Bravo, Rose!
Read more: Rose Ayling-Ellis ‘delighted’ as she lands starring role in ITV’s new drama Code of Silence
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