The BBC tells of a strange security incident in the Vienna theater, when a weapon prop turned out to be the real thing. An actor cut his own throat on stage:

The audience is said to have applauded what they thought was a stunning special effect, and only realised something was wrong when the actor staggered off stage to receive treatment.

Austrian police launched an investigation and have not ruled out the possibility of foul play, Austrian media reported.

They were told that the knife had been bought at a local shop.

“The knife even still had the price tag on it,” one officer said.

There are advantages to using props that are not very realistic, one of which is reducing the risk of using a real one by accident.