The Associated Press reports that Hoevels, whose character Mortimer commits suicide late in the play following a failed assassination attempt on the Scottish Queen, gashed himself with a blade that had been switched with the blunt prop used in previous performances. The original prop had been damaged, and instructions to blunt the replacement had been "carelessly" disregarded, according to Thalia. The 30 year-old actor collapsed on stage following the injury, which reportedly earned applause from unknowing theatre patrons who initially mistook the bleeding for special effects.
Hoevels was treated for his injuries and resumed performances in Mary Stuart the following evening. Austrian police are currently investigating the incident and confirm that the weapon, which still had its original price tag, was purchased at a local shop.
Hamburg's Thalia Theater Company presented Frank Wedekind's Lulu at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2007.
