Jodie Comer forced to stop Broadway show due to bad air

Jodie Comer left the stage ten minutes into a Broadway show saying she was struggling to breathe in the smog engulfing New York.

Ten minutes into her performance Jodie Comer said she couldn't breathe and left the stage (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

New York’s unsafe air stopped a Broadway show on Wednesday.

Jodie Comer dramatically left the stage of the John Golden Theatre several minutes into the matinee of her one-woman Broadway play, “Prima Facie,” after struggling to breathe.

A spokesperson for the production confirmed to the New York Post that the British actress’ left the stage because she was in discomfort.

“Today’s matinee of ‘Prima Facie’ was halted approximately 10 minutes into the performance after Jodie Comer had difficulty breathing due to the poor air quality in New York City because of smoke from the Canadian wildfires,” they said in a statement.

Ten minutes into her performance Jodie Comer said she couldn't breathe and left the stage (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

An audience member told Deadline that soon after the performance began, Comer coughed and then said, “I can’t breathe in this air.”

After Comer, 30, walked off, the performance was delayed for about 45 minutes and then resumed from the top with understudy Dani Arlington playing the lead.

Jodie Comer was 5 minutes into a monolgue and suddenly looked down and said "I'm sorry guys, I can't breathe in this air." She walked off stage with a stage hand.#primafacie#Broadway#smoke#NYCpic.twitter.com/nveZihsXiZ

— Kenton Gewecke (@KentonGewecke) June 7, 2023

Audience members at other Broadway theatres reported witnessing haze and smelling the burning scent that’s blanketing the city, but no Broadway shows have been cancelled yet.

The chaos comes just four days before the Tony Awards, where Comer is nominated for Best Actress in a Play.

This article first appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Jodie Comer forced to stop Broadway show due to bad air