I’ve written about this before but it seems my pleas are being flatly ignored. Etiquette needs to be followed with theatre. It’s really just common sense. As a functioning adult there are some stuff that one should just know are wrong like answering a call in the middle of a theatre production. Which in case you still don’t see why that would be a problem, causes distraction on all ends.
Put your phone on flight mode for goodness sake. What is so important that you cannot ignore your phone and enjoy a beautiful story on stage for at least an hour? If you’re so important and have all these important stuff to attend to…reject the call with a text message directing whoever it is to either to text or that you’ll call them back. You don’t have to answer every single call! Especially when you’re in a theatre play. It’s downright disrespectful to the actors and to everyone else in attendance.
I still believe alcohol should not be sold at theatre productions. People tend to forget etiquette after a couple of beers and is most likely to cause mayhem. People are people. Some can handle their liquor…others can’t. Do we really want to leave it to chance? I say NO! to alcohol at productions.
Other people have the tendency of walking in and out of a production. Do I really have to explain why this can irks the living abercrombie out of the next person? Especially people who wear shoes that make a heck of a noise like heels. Why would you want to wear heels to a production? Wear a sneaker or pumps and just relax and enjoy the show. If it comes to visiting the loo, you do it quietly without making a heck of a noise with your shoes.
If you are accustomed to a cinematic environment, everything I mentioned can still be tolerated. Cinematic experience comes with incredible sound and well beamed images. Theatre does not have that. With theatre you need to rely on the bare voices of the actors. If you do not focus, you would’ve missed crucial parts in the story. Not only that, you would’ve spoilt it for the next person who has to fight to grasp everything on stage because of your deurmerkaarness.
Again, you’re an adult. It’s common sense. Respect theatre.
Until the next loop, we say “GMTM”!
NSK is a professional MC. For bookings, email naobebsekind@gmail.com
@naobebsekind (twitter)