An actor portraying Winston Churchill in a new play puts out the great Brit's famous cigar in order to comply with Scotland's new anti-smoking laws.

Officials threatened to shut down the production if Mel Smith lit up the cigar during the play, called "Allegiance."

Scotland passed tough anti-smoking laws in March, in an effort to reduce heavy drinking and smoking.

Smith had said he did not want to succumb to political correctness and did light a cigar during a photocall for the play, which is showing at the Edinburgh Fringe arts festival.

Artistic director William Bourdett-Coutts said the actor discussed disobeying the ban, but decided not to because he didn't want the theater to be closed down.

He tells Reuters, "When it is so much about a historical character and it is integral to the script, (the law) is somewhat foolish... This is the biggest and oldest festival in the world and the fact that one can't do something like this is crazy."