Actress Walks Backstage and Dies After Performing in Live Play

Josephine Melville, a respected British actress and director, collapsed and died backstage after appearing in a production in Nottingham. She was 61.

Melville died Thursday night at the Nottingham Playhouse after appearing as Aunt Maggie in “Nine Night,” the venue said in a statement.

She received immediate assistance from staff and a member of the audience before paramedics arrived, but she died at the scene. No cause was immediately released.

“The entire company, and staff at both theatres are in a state of shock. Josephine was a truly wonderful and well-loved person, a revered and deeply respected performer, director, producer, archivist and writer, and a tremendous Auntie Maggie in ‘Nine Night,’” the statement said.

All performances of the play were canceled after Melville’s death.

Melville appeared in eight episodes of the long-running British soap opera “EastEnders” in 1986. She reappeared in the BBC soap in 2005.

Born in Essex, her other acting credits include roles in “The Bill,” “Prime Suspect” and “Casualty.” She produced and directed last year’s short thriller “Assistance.”

“We send our love and condolences to Jo’s family and friends. On a deeply tragic and extremely difficult evening we want to pay tribute to the company of ‘Nine Night’ and to the whole Nottingham Playhouse team who managed the situation with empathy and professionalism,” said Stephanie Sirr, chief executive of Nottingham Playhouse.

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