16 replies to this topic

[Trev]

I attended the theatre last night and found myself surrounded by pools of light emanating from various gadgets most of whose purpose I am sure is beyond me. The play was preceded by an announcement to switch of all mobile phones and pagers. Can I ask whether other punters are as distracted as I am by the selfish use such gadgets emitting light DURING performances? The reason I ask, is that when I tapped the shoulder of the gentleman (I shall call him this but I don't know why) who was busy texting he seemed extremely taken aback as though I was the one being selfish in disturbing HIS concentration. The person next to me thanked me for making it an issue but if I am not alone and there are at least two of us, is it not possible for front of house to include this is their general warnings about anti-social behaviour. It wouldn't take a moment to add "distracting lights" into any announcement, or perhaps these texters could all arrange to sit in the back row?

[Weez]

Some pre-show announcements do now mention the light from the screens. People are surprisingly selfish and dumb really, aren't they?

[Kathryn2]

People just don't seem to realise how distracting a bright light in a darkened room is - it happens frequently in the cinema and I swear people think that because they're not making noise they're not distracting anyone, whereas it's actually the opposite. A certain amount of noise you can tune out when you're concentrating on the film (especially a film with a thumping soundtrack), but bright light in the audience is lethal.

Funnily enough I think that it's less of a problem in the theatre - possible because of the seat layout, the rake isn't as extreme as the cinema so the light is less noticeable unless you're sitting very near the person, or looking down on them from above. I've certainly more often been disturbed by people's noise than their lit-up gadgets. Mind you, it must be very distracting for the cast when a bright light appears in the middle of the dark audeince.

[MrsDoyle]

Funnily enough I think that it's less of a problem in the theatre - possible because of the seat layout, the rake isn't as extreme as the cinema so the light is less noticeable unless you're sitting very near the person, or looking down on them from above. I've certainly more often been disturbed by people's noise than their lit-up gadgets. Mind you, it must be very distracting for the cast when a bright light appears in the middle of the dark audeince.

Basically it's just damn rude. Rude to the actors as it shows you don't have any interest in what they are doing on stage and rude to the rest of the audience as you can't care less if their enjoyment and concentration is distracted.
Apart from a doctor on call (who shouldn't be at the theatre anyway) what is so important that it can't wait until the interval or end of play. It's not many years ago since you went out for the evening and (short of the police coming on stage to make an announcement!) it would be impossible to be contacted by anybody!!

[Matthew Winn]

Funnily enough I think that it's less of a problem in the theatre - possible because of the seat layout, the rake isn't as extreme as the cinema so the light is less noticeable unless you're sitting very near the person, or looking down on them from above.

I beg to differ. When I saw Lord of the Rings there were a couple of people near me using their phones, and the twin lights bouncing off the underside of the level above lit up the area almost as much as the house lights had done.

[Kathryn2]

I beg to differ. When I saw Lord of the Rings there were a couple of people near me using their phones, and the twin lights bouncing off the underside of the level above lit up the area almost as much as the house lights had done.

Maybe I've just been fortunate enough not to experience so many gadget-users at the theatre as I do at the cinema, then. Though I guess it would depend a lot on where the offender is sitting.

Of course I'm now guaranteed to be sitting very close to someone using one next time I go to the theatre!

[Helbrown]

I was sitting behind Trevor Nunn at ALNM at the Menier, and he was tapping notes into his Palm all through the show!.

[GarethG]

I find this is becoming more and more of a problem.  It's really bad in the cinema and getting worse in the theatre.  I've even seen it happening at classical music concerts recently.  I took my mum to a concert at the Wigmore Hall and a girl next to her kept texting with flashing lights during the performance - my mum asked her politely to stop in a break and in the interval the girl gave my mum a torrent of abuse and told her to mind her own business.  It's sad.

[Lynette]

Blimey - that's sad. Maybe you should ask the management to print something in the programme or put up a notice. If I were your mum I'd be up for violent assault by now.

[Trev]

Blimey - that's sad. Maybe you should ask the management to print something in the programme or put up a notice. If I were your mum I'd be up for violent assault by now.

The Wigmore has a huge sign on the stage on an A frame with a very large picture of a mobile phone with a red line through it which is removed just before the performance, maybe this inconsiderate, rude, b****** came in late and missed it?