Cate Blanchett asked audiences at London’s National Theatre to put away their phones during performances of Electra/Persona. She said theatre offers a rare opportunity to “be together and be present”, while filming the production could spoil the experience for future audiences.

The play, written and directed by Benedict Andrews, combines Sophocles’ Electra with Ingmar Bergman’s Persona. Blanchett and Nina Hoss alternate the two central pairings through a nightly coin toss, portraying characters whose identities and roles gradually blur; Blanchett has also supported campaigns opposing the unauthorised use of copyrighted work to develop artificial intelligence.