Actor David Tennant briefly left the stage during a penultimate Macbeth performance in the West End on Friday as the production faced further chaos.
Earlier this week, an audience member who refused to wait for a break to return to his seat disrupted a performance at the Harold Pinter Theatre on Panton Street.
The Doctor Who star, 53, was told to leave the stage for 15 minutes as the objector insisted on getting back to his row and “then lots of people kicked off”, witnesses said.
Several shows were cancelled last month, with one just two hours before the curtain went up, due to “company illness”, leaving ticket holders disappointed.
On Friday night, problems continued as theatregoers were offered face masks and Covid tests as part of a health safety awareness campaign.
But Tennant left the stage for five minutes when Rona Morison, who stars as Lady Macduff, exited mid-show after losing her voice, with understudy Gemma Laurie stepping in.
Fans were frustrated by the last-minute changes and discussed it across social media on Saturday.
One audience member wrote: “Gemma did a great job standing in for Rona mid-performance.
“So second time this week that David was asked to leave the stage.
“She lost her voice at the end of a monologue - the last line came out very faint. So just before her next scene someone came in and told David to walk off stage and announced that Rona had lost her voice, so Gemma would be stepping in as Lady Macduff.”
In response to the ongoing issues, Protect the Heart of the Arts - a grassroots campaign focused on “the long Covid crisis” held an appeal outside the Harold Pinter Theatre.
The event, calling for better safety measures for performers, handed out face masks and lateral flow tests to theatre-goers.
Charles Waltz, co-founder of Protect the Heart of the Arts, said recent cancellations across the industry “could be a combination of factors - seasonal illnesses, occupational strain, or both”.
He added: “Covid-19 infections can have lasting effects on the vocal apparatus, including inflammation and fatigue, which can impair a performer’s ability to meet the demands of a production.
“On-site testing, like PlusLife, would not only help prevent illness cancellations but also support actors’ health, giving productions the ability to manage these challenges proactively.”
The Harold Pinter Theatre has been contacted for comment.
