Mirren silences noisy drummers

Liam Emerson of the Batala London drumming group has explained what it was like when Dame Helen Mirren confronted them outside the Gielgud Theatre. The group were doing a performance to promote the As One In The Park Festival in Victoria Park later this month.

Dame Helen Mirren's confrontation with street drummers who were disrupting her play in Soho may have been praised by theatregoers. But one local resident has questioned whether she was right to interrupt their performance. Rags Martel reports.

Westminster Council have said they are checking but it is unlikely that they would have given permission for the drummers to perform in Soho on Saturday evening. The council is responsible for enforcing noise limits in the area.

The drummers who disrupted Helen Mirren's performance on Saturday at the Gielgud Theatre have said they had permission from Westminster Council to perform in the street.

The Batala London group was performing in Soho to promote a festival in East London, before they were cut short by Dame Helen's intervention.

This video shows Dame Helen Mirren, dressed in her costume as the Queen, confronting the drummers outside the Gielgud theatre in London.

The footage was filmed by comedian Chris Dangerfield who lives in Soho.

The actor Rufus Wright who plays David Cameron in 'The Audience' joined Dame Helen when she went to confront the drummers.

Helen Mirren surprised a group of drummers who were performing in the street outside the Gielgud Theatre on Saturday by yelling at them to stop because they were spoiling her play. The Olivier Award-winning actress was playing the Queen in 'The Audience' but got fed up with the sound of the drums.

During the interval, she marched outside in her costume and angrily demanded that the drummers stop. The group, who were promoting a festival in east London, immediately halted and have apologised.