This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

She's had some practice in issuing commands to her subjects as a queen, but it still came as a surprise to a group of drummers when Dame Helen Mirren yelled at them to be quiet while dressed in her full Queen Elizabeth II costume on Saturday night.

The 67-year-old, whose performance in The Audience won her an Olivier Award last week, left London's Gielgud Theatre to confront the troupe of performers, whose noise was disturbing the play.

As One in the Park, who were promoting their festival for gay and transgender people due to take place in east London this month, said Mirren was dressed in pearls and a tiara when she demanded the noise stop.

A statement from the festival read: "Clearly angered she shrieked 'Quiet! I'm trying to do a play in here! People have paid a lot of money for tickets'."

Rufus Wright, who plays the prime minister, David Cameron, in the production, also told the musicians to be quiet.

On Twitter, he wrote: "Just fulfilled a lifelong ambition by bellowing at 25 drummers to shut the fuck up. West End theatres got thin walls."

He added: "You should have seen Helen. She came out in full Queen costume and shouted at the drummers too. Honestly. It was breathtaking."

The parade, which had paused outside a bar on Rupert Street for a drum crescendo, were quiet after their telling-off from Mirren.

Mark Williams from festival organisers Orange Nation said: "Obviously we are terribly upset if we caused her any distress. If she'd like to let her hair down and attend the festival she'd be more than welcome."

According to the Daily Telegraph, the noise from the parade became increasingly difficult to ignore towards the end of the first act and during the interval, audience members discovered a band of drummers outside the theatre.

Ben Scotchbrook, a television news presenter who was watching the play, told the Telegraph he could not find a police officer to intervene and was unable to move on the group himself.

But after Scotchbrook returned inside, Mirren appeared from the stage door and was more successful in quietening the incessant noise.

On Twitter, Scotchbrook wrote: "Long may she reign … Helen Mirren, dressed as the Queen, leaves Gielgud Theatre at interval to move on deafening drummers spoiling the show."

In the play, written by Peter Morgan, Mirren returns to her Oscar-winning performance as the Queen. The Audience depicts the Queen in conversation with the many prime ministers who have served throughout her reign.

Mirren's spokesman and the Gielgud Theatre did not respond to requests for comment.