THE physios had to be called in at half time on Saturday afternoon when an injured player prompted an emergency at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
The whistle was blown on the matinee performance of The Marriage of Figaro after only the first half when actor Nick Dunning hobbled off stage with a torn Achilles tendon.
However, the play's director, Brian Brady, turned super sub when he stepped into the breach to take over the crucial role of the Count de la Varenne in time for the evening show just three hours later. Fortunately, the costume fitted perfectly.
Mr Dunning was visiting a sports phsyiotherapist yesterday, to assess his chances of continuing in the play's run.
"It was in act two and my wife was telling me that she had a man in the cupboard with no clothes on. I was just reacting to this when my leg went," he said. "At the moment I'm drugged on pain killers and have had injections. I'm going for some prognosis tomorrow."
Mr Brady said the role of the count, who spends his time trying to bed the maid, was central to the play and a replacement would be sought immediately.
He praised the audience for their enthusiasm for the show on Saturday evening, during which he acted the part with a script.
"I have acted in the past at college, but never at this level and I don't regard myself as an actor. I got the phone call about the injury at about 4.30 p.m. and some. time after 5 p.m. we were able to confirm that he would not be able to go on.
"I had to remind myself of all the moves and fortunately the costume fitted," he said.
The Marriage of Figaro, Michael West's version of the play by Beaumarchais, runs at the Abbey Theatre until January 4th.