Two leading British stage stars have claimed that theatre audiences are less intelligent than they used to be.

Dame Janet Suzman and Patricia Hodge point to the number of musicals packing out the West End, while arguing that contemporary playwrights have had to rewrite their plays because the jokes and references are going over the heads of the audience.

On today’s Right Hook, the Friday panel will offer their take, and you can find out whether George is theatre-luvvie, or if he prefers to watch musicals on DVD.

Tune in live at 3.20pm: http://www.newstalk.com/player/

This would be the first time that actors have had a problem with their audiences, so here are four cases the theatre’s fourth wall being broken for the wrong reasons...

1. Helen Mirren versus drums: During a performance as Queen Elizabeth II in London’s Gielgud Theatre in 2013, the Oscar-winning Dame’s concentration was broken by loud drumming outside. Bursting outside during the interval and royally telling them to F*** off, Mirren made global headlines for not acting much like the woman she was playing – though the reviews were uniformly outstanding.
2. Shia LaBeouf has a Cabaret, old chum: The troubled actor would later blame Jameson whiskey for his antics at a Broadway production of the classic musical. While the audience isn’t typically expected to join the cast, LaBeouf started belting out the numbers in a drunken haze, as well as smacking British actor Alan Cumming on his rear end, before being forcibly removed and arrested.
3. Ralph Fiennes closes the Gate: In 2006, the British actor was in Dublin appearing in the Brian Friel play Faith Healer, in a production that would later go to Broadway. When an audience member’s phone started ringing, he shouted at her in no uncertain terms to shut it off. And then won the audience back with a quick-witted “I’ll cure you later.”
4. Al Pacino would like you to call back later: The American actor was appearing in the Eugene O’Neill play Hughie, also in 2006, when the curse of the mobile phone struck. When the ringing failed to stop, Pacino marched off the stage, into the stunned audience, pulled the phone from its owner and answered it. “"This is Al Pacino. I'm trying to do a show here! Call back later."