Amanda Abbington broke down in tears after receiving a standing ovation from the audience for her performance in a new stage play.

The 50-year-old was making her debut performance for When It Happens To You at the Park Theatre in London on Wednesday (July 31).

The theatrical memoir by New York Times best-selling author Tawni O'Dell is based on her lived experience of holding her family together after a life-changing event.

It follows the shockwaves of trauma following her daughter's brutal rape by a stranger who broke into her home, The Mirror reports.

Audience gives standing ovation to Amanda Abbington

Abbington plays the lead role of Tara who blames herself for not protecting her daughter, Esme and turns her shame and anger on her loved ones.

Discussing being part of the production, the actress recently said: "When Jez (Park Theatre's Artistic Director) sent me When It Happens to You, I immediately read it in one sitting – I couldn't put it down.

"The story is important and necessary, and the characters are nuanced, complex and completely relatable.

"The Mother character of Tara is a gift of a role for any actor, and I'm thrilled to be working with Jez Bond who I know will direct the piece with the care and sensitivity it deserves."

The Mirror reports that Abbington's performance on the first night of the month-long run saw the audience give her a standing ovation.

She broke down in tears at this reaction with audiences praising her for her "emotive performance".

Abbington's return to the stage comes not long after a groundbreaking interview with Channel 4 where she claimed she had to deal with “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean” behaviour from her dance partner on Strictly Come Dancing, Giovanni Pernice.

She dropped out after week five of the 2023 series, and later lodged a formal complaint about Pernice's behaviour, sparking further allegations about the show.

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Pernice has denied these claims and the BBC is undertaking an internal investigation on the matter.

Abbington was also interviewed by Lorraine Kelly and said she would like a direct apology from the BBC.

"And I'd like this not to happen to people working in that corporation again. I'd like women to be listened to and heard and taken seriously," she said.