The Show Must Go On ... After The Penalties: James Corden Delays Play To Let Audience Watch England Win

For a few minutes on Saturday evening, the country held its breath as England's finest footballers lined up for a penalty shootout against Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals in Düsseldorf.

- Harriet Sherwood

It was no exception at London's Old Vic theatre. As audience members hunched over their phone screens moments before The Constituent, a political drama, was due to begin, its stars were also in a quandary. They came to an unusual decision.

The play's opening scene was put on hold so performers, production team and audience could watch the tense penalty shootout.

The Constituent's three-strong cast James Corden, Anna Maxwell Martin and Zachary Hart had been watching the match on a rigged-up screen in the theatre's rehearsal room.

Corden told the Guardian: "When it got to extra time, we put on our costumes. The extra time finished about three minutes before the play was due to begin. We thought: 'Oh man, this is tough but we've got to start'.

"Then we heard a 'Yessss' from the audience, and we looked at each other and said: "They're all watching it'. We looked out and there were loads of little lit-up phones in the audience.

"It wasn't the time to start a serious play about serious issues. So me and Anna and Zach went out on stage with an iPad and were commentating [on the shootout].