Keira Knightley was forced to cancel her appearance in stage show Thérèse Raquin on Wednesday after sustaining a minor injury. The 30-year-old, who made her Broadway debut in the play last week, is expected to return to the stage on Thursday.
Announcing the show's cancellation on Wednesday, Roundabout Theatre Company said Keira had a "minor injury" but did not offer any further details about what had happened.
© Photo: Getty ImagesKeira Knightley cancelled her stage show after suffering a minor injury
The setback comes just days after Keira and her co-stars had to halt their opening night performance after an unwanted interruption by an audience member.
Keira, who welcomed daughter Edie in May, was on stage with co-star Gabriel Ebert when the disturbance took place. According to eye-witnesses, a young man in the mezzanine got up from his seat and made his way to the railing, from where he started shouting things at the stage.
Members of the audience were initially confused as to whether he was part of the play – but it soon became clear that his outburst was directed at Keira. The actress remained in character and ignored the man, prompting him to shout: "Five seconds is too long to wait for a response." According to some reports he had been shouting a marriage proposal at the star.
© Photo: Getty ImagesKeira is currently playing the lead role in Thérèse Raquin on Broadway
An usher then walked the man back to his seat and waited with him until security arrived. London-born Keira and Gabriel continued to act their parts – and it was not until security approached the man that the actors broke character.
As the man was being escorted out, he picked up a bouquet of flowers and threw them on to the stage, where they landed just a few feet from the actors. After a moment of silence, Gabriel, who plays Keira's husband Camille, walked over and kicked them into the wings, to applause from the audience.The play is a stage adaptation of the French novel of the same name by Émile Zola. It tells the story of a young woman locked in a loveless marriage, who begins a passionate affair. Thérèse Raquin officially opens on Broadway at Studio 54 on Thursday 29 October.
