He was in character, but was Neil Patrick Harris serious about his anger during a Thursday performance of Hedwig and the Angry Inch? It seems that way after a female audience member took pictures of the star during the show.
Photos are strictly prohibited during any Broadway performance by Actors’ Equity, the union for stage actors. According to Page Six, the show became slightly uncomfortable about 45 minutes into the 90-minute show.
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A source told the New York periodical that Harris, dressed as his transgender character, “leaned down into the audience and asked a woman, ‘Are you drunk?’ She waved her arms in the air and everyone assumed it was part of the act. Neil then berated her for taking photos, telling the audience she was sitting in seat 3A. He then sniffed, ‘I hate you,’ and turned on his high heels.”
In the musical show, there is a moment that his character spits water at the audience. It sprays over a few rows of seats close to the front of the stage. However, the Tony Award winner took a different approach on this night. The audience member shared that “he spat the water straight at the woman.”
It was a pretty dramatic moment described by the insider who said, “It was all a bit frosty and awkward. His anger was spectacular, especially the ‘I hate you’ bit. The audience went into a stunned silence. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife!”
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A rep for the show dismissed any anger on Harris’ behalf. They told Page Six, “There is always an element of audience interaction in each show, and it is all in character.”
Even NPH himself acknowledged that “spit happens” during the show regularly.
He retweeted a fan:
“@jessecflores: Apologies for comin' late to the 3pm show. Lesson learned: Be on time for an NPH performance or else spit” Spit happens.
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) July 14, 2014
Just bring your raincoats if you are in the front row.
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