Get your phones out, theatregoers told (but only to film the finale)

THEATREGOERS have been told that they can film the finale of many West End musicals on their mobile phones in a major break with tradition.

- John Dunne

Front-of-house staff are usually tasked with preventing the filming of shows, with pre-show announcements and prominent signage.

West End stars have also broken character to condemn surreptitious filming, saying it puts them off their performances.

But Kevin Wilson, who has been a publicist for more than 30 years, said that "almost every musical" now allowed audiences to film the finale.

Audiences at the Sister Act musical at the Dominion Theatre are being encouraged to get out their cameras and film the last song of the show.

A message, broadcast at the start of the show, states that while filming the rest of the show is prohibited, people are allowed to record the finale.