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Several people were injured when parts of a ceiling collapsed during a Piccadilly Theatre show in London’s West End.

The venue in Denman Street was packed on Wednesday for a performance of the Arthur Miller play Death of a Salesman, starring US actor Wendell Pierce.

Audience members “heard dripping sounds indicating water was coming through the ceiling,” according to the theatre production company.

More than 1,000 people were evacuated.

Four people were taken to hospital after three men and two women were treated at the scene by paramedics.

“We are ascertaining the extent of the situation, and will be providing an update on future performances as soon as possible,” the Ambassador Theatre Group said.

The group said Thursday’s showing would be cancelled.

Wendell Pierce, who plays Willy Loman in the show which opened on Monday, apologised for having to stop the performance and evacuate the theatre.

A video shared on social media shows the US actor outside the venue asking the crowd to come back and see the play another time.

“We’re so honoured that you came tonight. We are so sorry that this happened,” he said.

BBC journalist Iain Haddow, who was in the audience, said the collapse happened about 20 minutes into the show.

He said that before the ceiling caved in there had been a steady drop of water “which turned progressively into a stream” – although it was not raining at the time – and said there was some panic when the ceiling fell in.

He said that outside the theatre there was scaffolding and building work going on.

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In December 2013, 76 people were injured, seven seriously, when part of a ceiling at London’s Apollo Theatre collapsed during a show, while 1,200 people had to leave the Queen’s Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue, following a small fire during a matinee performance of Les Miserables.