Sword Strikes Playgoer During ‘Richard III’ in Berlin

On Thursday evening, during the final scene of “Richard III” at the Schaubühne theater in Berlin, a sword slipped from Lars Eidinger’s hand and struck an audience member in the head. The woman was hit by the sword’s grip rather than its blade; she sustained a light injury, was treated on site by the theater’s doctor and walked out after receiving care.

The Berlin Zeitung was the first to report the accident; Eidinger immediately interrupted the performance, apologized and asked for the house lights to be turned on. Johanna Lühr, a spokeswoman for the theater, said no ambulance was needed and that Eidinger phoned the woman on Friday to check on her.

She added that the scene had been designed with a stunt coordinator, was practiced regularly and that the theater planned to continue its regular schedule of shows.

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