Little Women actor injured during Margaret River performance

Sarah Rushton, who played the endearing Meg March character, ignored heavy bleeding from a cut above her eye as she played out her scene, lifting a shawl to conceal her blood-stained face.

The medieval combat sword – blunt but heavy – had struck Ms Rushton’s nose and lacerated her upper eyelid.

But Ms Rushton’s personal drama did not end there. Unable to see through the blood as she left stage, she fell on a set of stairs, spraining her ankle.

With almost half the show to go and Ms Rushton emerging backstage looking “like a scene from a horror movie”, director Nicky Nolan said the cast and crew flew into support mode.

“I’ve never seen people come together so quickly as a team and I am just so proud of each and every one of them,” Ms Nolan said.

“We had to make some very quick decisions to strike that balance between making sure Sarah was ok and letting the show go on. I was able to administer first aid while we grabbed the make-up artist - who is an ambulance officer - and the production manager’s Mum, a nurse, who was in the audience.”

Cast members then flawlessly changed their lines and positions to ensure the injured performer could be supported on the arm of her on-stage husband Craig Jenkins.

Ms Rushton overcame her pain and shock to finish the show with no visible sign of distress. She was then taken immediately to Margaret River Hospital for emergency treatment.

“Sarah was just so incredibly brave and professional,” Ms Nolan said.

“No one in the audience knew anything had gone wrong – some said they’d thought for a second that the blood was real but concluded there was just so much, it had to be fake!”.

Ms Rushton is recovering well.

The super-charged night wrapped up the season for “Little Women”, the debut production for Margaret River’s new professional theatre company Schmick Entertainment.

Its success has prompted plans to tour the show throughout the South West later this year.