To Think That Benedict Cumberbatch........

[LavenderRain]

Is a bit of a nob?
I get that actors don't want to be filmed and think its bad when people use mobiles in live theatre.
But its hardly 'mortifying' as he told his 'fans'
He wants to live in the real world, he may then understand the true meaning of mortifying.

Refreshing to see on the Same news item that a Beatles tribute band actively encourage people to film their show.

caprinhahaha - well done and it should have been

I agree with him. It IS mortifying.
Both to the people doing it and to him the Actor (and the other Actors and Actresses on stage with him).
I certainly wouldn't be happy if I'd paid good money to see a Play and I only got a glimpse of it through people's mobile phones up in the air.
Yes he should be able to ignore it as a professional but at the same time why should he?
As he said. Enjoy it live!
After all isn't that what you've paid for?

Also I suspect the theatre has used him as a sounding board so they'd listen. Because obviously not many have listened to the theatre staff so far or they'd be no need for him to make a request.

I was mortified when DD, big fan of BC, showed me the ticket sale page for Hamlet, saying, "Look mum. Quick. They have just released the tickets. Let's go.." And I said that I'd have to check the calendar later. Of course later was too late and she's not really forgiven me.

I have actually tried to make amends by saying let's book tickets for Stratford or the Globe.

Mind you DD did get to see him doing the Letters show twice at the Hay festival last year when I was quicker with the buy now button. I went and Rob Bryden was extraordinary reading a letter Richard Burton wrote to Elizabeth Taylor.

Lavender, I think we all enjoyed the thread - don't apologise!

It must be an incredibly hard job to do sometimes. Kudos and to you.

Not only should those who film be escorted out, it should be a criminal offence and those convicted be banned from any paid for theatre for a period of time. Also have their phone contract cancelled.

Theatre should not be a live event not a filmed one.

Thanks pearhead

Chilly, I know it's not remotely the same but your DD does know it will be at the cinema?

I was sceptical about the whole filmed play thing. Then I saw 'a view from the bridge' at the cinema and it was so mesmerising, so exciting - at the end I stood up to clap!
Really recommend seeing stuff at cinema if you can't get to the play.

Sooner they turf people out for recording the better. It's a theatre and a visual experience not a film set. Prince will flounce off if he see's phones being held up - can't say I blame him. No cameras/phones etc

Really recommend seeing stuff at cinema if you can't get to the play.

+1. Cheaper. More convenient. And accessible .

Me and dd2 go to theatre live in the cinema she loves old footface but im not sure i could stand him for 3+hours

I'm late to this thread. So the OP harangues BC because he doesn't live in the real world and understand the real meaning if the word 'mortifying', after which it emerges she's a HCP who thinks 'mortifying' is a synonym for 'grief-stricken' and works in an environment where the word is regularly applied to the 'mortified' parents of seriously ill children???

Crumbs.

PS I was there one of the nights when Richard Griffiths got stuck into an audience member whose mobile rang. It was blood-curdling. When I've happened to see that scene from the History Boys film on TV, I still expect RG to step out of character and harangue.

Not only should those who film be escorted out, it should be a criminal offence and those convicted be banned from any paid for theatre for a period of time. Also have their phone contract cancelled.

I totally agree with this. And it should be the same for those who use phones/talk in the cinema too. Zero tolerance. How fucking hard is it to shut up and watch/listen for a couple of hours?

Snipers in the Upper Circle would make people think twice.

Really recommend seeing stuff at cinema if you can't get to the play.

O the irony!

It probably is really embarrassing for the actors with mad fans. I was really excited to get a ticket for a Q&A performance of Richard II at the Barbican, where the assistant director and all the cast members (some amazing actors including Oliver Ford Davies and Michael Pennington as well as David Tennant) were onstage willing to answer audience questions for half an hour. But rather than ask about the performances, or creative decisions etc so many of the audience questions were 'Do you want to come for a drink with me David?'/'Can I buy you dinner David?' and most oddly 'I'm a singer songwriter doctor who fan, I've written you a theme song etc etc.'. He was very polite to them all, but frankly I was embarrassed for them!

Snipers! Genius. I reckon I could be one

If you can't get to the cinema, have a look on YouTube. You never know!

I have a ticket for the 5th and if anyone in front of me is waving a lit up screen around I will NOT be impressed. It's bad enough sitting through nativity plays and being able to see nothing but PTA owned tablets/smartphone screens blocking the view from the front row, but in an actual theatre I would be livid.

Interestingly, there was a thread not so long ago talking about phone use in the cinema (texting, checking phones etc) and the unanimous feeling was that it was totally unacceptable because it's so distracting for the rest of the audience. It's doubly so in the theatre as it affects the audience and actors.

Theatres and cinemas used to kick you out if you took recordings or photos. Do they really not do that any more? If not, then they should.

Fans who record performances are stealing from their idols.

I'd keep an eye on Sky Arts - they show loads of theatre performances, mainly from The Globe Theatre but it's always worth looking. It used to be the 8pm performance on Sky Arts 1 but they've buggered around with the channels again.
(If you can catch The Tempest it's bloody brilliant - Roger Allam, Stephen Fry & Colin Morgan are in it)