67 replies to this topic

[Paul]

Practical example:-

Some trains have "quiet" carriages, where people do not talk on phones. Most of the people in those carriages still carry phones/pages, but have them on silent or some other subtle-alert. If needed, they leave the carriage. The train operators don't ban signals to enforce the rules, they just move people who cannot keep to them!

[armadillo]

I don't understand why so few shows have a reminder announcment at the start. It seems to be the choice of the director - why don't they all do it. I understand that occasionally it might spoil the mood in a production where there is stuff going on onstage while the audience come in or music being played but the announcement can often be integrated into the piece with a little imagination as happens in Spamalot or the recent revival of See How they Run

[Ian]

I don't understand why so few shows have a reminder announcment at the start. It seems to be the choice of the director - why don't they all do it. I understand that occasionally it might spoil the mood in a production where there is stuff going on onstage while the audience come in or music being played but the announcement can often be integrated into the piece with a little imagination as happens in Spamalot or the recent revival of See How they Run

The best ones I ever heard were at the Royal Exchange in Manchester. Each was tailored to the production, and delivered by a member of the cast in a humorous and entertaining way! And people got the point.

Even on silent, or vibrate mode, the reading of texts or looking to see who is calling, is disruptive to others as screens on these devices get ever larger and brighter. Some of them even advertise that you can use them as a torch in the dark!

[dan]

Well since you mention it - I  have to agree with you. In this thread you are a bad person.

No-one has said that you are not allowed an opinion, YOU are just getting the hump because most people disagree with your reasons for using a mobile in a theatre (on silent or not). And as for being prissy - take a look at some of your own comments. I know this will depend on your viewpoint on this subject, but you are, in this forum, in a minority on the use of a mobile in the theatre and are getting petty in your defence of the practice.

I neither have the hump nor expect anyone to agree with me. I have found the voracity with which people condemn the use of mobiles in theatres totally disproportionate to real life. As I think back I don't think my phone has ever gone off in the theatre, but the fact that I have it on reassures me. Do I stop replying? Is the fact that I defend myself petty?

[Gavin]

I love the way mary poppins do it, they play very loud ring tones before the show starts over the PA system and then an announcement is made about turning them off,it gets peoples attention.

[Ian]

I neither have the hump nor expect anyone to agree with me. I have found the voracity with which people condemn the use of mobiles in theatres totally disproportionate to real life. As I think back I don't think my phone has ever gone off in the theatre, but the fact that I have it on reassures me. Do I stop replying? Is the fact that I defend myself petty?

We clearly hold opposing views on this subject, lets just leave it at that, and avoid falling out.  

[Backdrifter]

The issue isn't that signals should be blocked, more that people should be responsible & trustworthy enough not to disturb the people around them! Rather than affect the great majority of 'innocent' audience members, why not just warn/eject the minority - the people who insist on making/receiving calls, talking all through a performance, kneeing people in the back, kicking chairs, arriving late, going to the toilet every 5 mins....

Some trains have "quiet" carriages, where people do not talk on phones. Most of the people in those carriages still carry phones/pages, but have them on silent or some other subtle-alert. If needed, they leave the carriage. The train operators don't ban signals to enforce the rules, they just move people who cannot keep to them!

You've either got a hell of a lot more faith in human nature than I do, or you're just very lucky in always encountering considerate people. It'd be wonderful to think that people would just, as you say, be more responsible, but the fact is too many aren't. They know they're supposed to switch their phones off, and if for some reason they don't, many productions feature requests to do so before the show starts, and have stewards asking for phones to be switched off as the audience enter. But even after that, they still leave them on and use them The reasons given by you and dan are completely unconvincing. And (sorry to stray off-topic) as for your comments about behaviour in supposedly 'quiet' carriages, please tell me which line you use as it's clearly populated by the most considerate, polite commuters ever.  Not only have I never travelled in one of these carriages without seeing people using phones and personal stereos, I've even seen arguments break out when they're politely asked to stop. Just once have I seen a member of staff ask someone to stop using their phone.

I agree, I'd love to see mid-show talkers, seat-kickers etc thrown out. If you can't sit quietly during a show without disturbing anyone around you, you shouldn't be in that audience. It's as simple as that, and that includes if you feel you can't sit for an hour without your phone being on.

[Trev]

OK, Mr Patronising here. Dan, my initial response may have been a tad over the top but I genuinely feel that in this case the needs of the majority considerbably outweigh the needs of the minority. OK you are a parent. So are the majority of most audiences for professional shows (musical theatre excepted!). I continue to regard your attitude as shelfishness in the extreme. The need for a more radical approach in preventing mobile phone use in theatres is exactly because people like you have no respect for others. The convenience for you to be contactable is IN-convenient for everybody else in the auditorium and generations of folks have managed without. The average time you would be out of contact in a theatre production would be 90 minutes!

[Reich]

A friend who is Psychiatrist, is often on call and when he is then he isn't at the theatre. If you are on call then perhaps get an alise seat right on the back row and put your phone on vibrate ...

When I sore SITPWG at the Leicester Haymarket during Marie's death scene a mobile phone went off bang in the middle of the front row of the stalls. The lady female got up, asked everyone to move (stand up or bend the knee's?) then skipped out the auditoruim speaking the caller. That is my all time audience member from hell  

I am in favour of something said at the time. But have we really come to that? Do we need prompting to respect other people? Also a lot of theatre's don't help the situation by selling all kind of crap that can pee of Joe public

[JWC]

The worst example I ever saw was in the last revival of Shaffer's Black Comedy in London. There is a climatic moment for one of the characters (played in this instance by Nichola MacAuliffe) who launches into a tirade about the evils of modern living. Right at the height of her diatribe a mobile phone went off and the owner preceded to have a (quite loud) converstaion as he inched his way from the centre of Row C and slowly out of the auditorium. Ms MacAuliffe was, literally, speechless although one wit in the audience pointed out that that was another evil we could well do without (got a round of applause) The moment was entirley lost and the rest of the performance suffered as a result - especially when Mr Insesitive made his way back to his seat rather than do the decent thing and go into hiding and then proceeded to tell his companion in a loud stage whisper who had been on the phone and what they wanted. Several of the audience (self included) tackled him at the end but he was completely unrepentant. Such is the rise of the "me, me, me" mentality. As you'll gather I am NOT in favour of mobile phones in theatres.

As an interesting aside - ever noticed how many people in an audience dive for their pockets/handbags when a mobile goes off as part of the action on stage?