Actor stopped because of emailer in audience

[ChangeNameLikeIChangeSocks]

I just read about this in the guardian, I'll put a picture of the heading of the article.

He says he "thought" the audience member was sending emails on his laptop. I wonder how he knew that, presumably he couldn't see the screen, and signal in theatres is dreadful. I would take a punt that he was in fact playing minesweeper.

I'm going off topic. The reason I wanted to post this is because it leapt out as me as a parallel to typical behaviour in many of the (Good!) schools I've taught in. Low level disruption. Except it's not one audience (class) member, it's most of them.

So I had to smile wryly to myself that this made the national news.

Either the audience member had very good reason, or this is a natural follow on from the deterioration of respect and good behaviour in schools.

Oh actors, come teach the dear children!

I think using a laptop for anything during a performance is terrible. Why do some people bother going to shows if they can't pay attention to them?

But in this case they ABVVU for not watching Andrew Scott and his beautiful neck.

Happens at my work all the time now. Everyone doing other things while in meetings, responding to emails, updating spreadsheets, sending private messages... Just not giving full attention. I'm in the minority for thinking it's rude though.

I won't have a word said against the gorgeous Andrew Scott 😘 The light emitted from a laptop can be incredibly distracting. I mean why bother going to the show at all if you're going to sit there on your laptop? Bizarre.

Why would you go to the theatre and use your laptop?

So disrespectful to the actors and other audience members.

If this happened 7 years ago why are we reading about it now?

Good for Andrew Scott. How unbelievably rude and entitled to be on any device when you’re at the theatre.

Regardless of what he was doing or whether it was a phone, laptop, whatever, it was downright poor manners and showed a total lack of regard to everyone nearby.

Good for him. Why should he put up with that rudeness? Why should other audience members, who have paid good money and want to enjoy the performance, put up with it?

this is a natural follow on from the deterioration of respect and good behaviour in schools

I'm not sure about this. I think there has been a deterioration in accepted levels of behaviour in public places generally. Yes, there has been a decline in behaviour in schools but I also see a lot more adults behaving in a rude and inconsiderate way in public post covid. It's like people have forgotten how to behave after being shut inside for so long. Adults having full blown conversations in the cinema, watching films on the train or conducting Zoom meetings in cafes without bothering to use headphones etc are all more common. I think as a society in general we've become more selfish.

Audiences are just rude now in general! I went to a carol service before Christmas and in my small corner of the church there was;

• a family with two teens lying on the floor scrolling
• a family with a dog that could not keep quiet (why does a dog need to be at a carol service)
• a woman who made a phone call! And I don’t mean ducked out to take an important call, I mean rang someone and spoke for about 3 minutes while still sitting at her pew

shocking

this is a natural follow on from the deterioration of respect and good behaviour in schools
Nice try at blaming schools for every social ill, @ChangeNameLikeIChangeSocks , but young people learn most of their behaviour from their parents. Teachers can't fix social problems, their job is to provide an education.

I give training courses and if somebody has a phone out while I am talking I stop and say ‘I will carry on when you have finished, it must be very urgent and wouldn’t want to distract you’. Yes, it as patronizing as heck and not all like it, but many agree with me and it’s one of my standards.

This made me love Andrew Scott even more. I love the confidence he had, just standing there on stage, everyone waiting for him to begin the speech, stagehands hissing at him from the wings, tension building, until it finally clicked and the emailer put his laptop away.

If the person has a very good reason for using his computer during a theatre production, they should have vacated the theatre! Phones are annoying enough.

@Mariposistaa Brill - I’ll remember this if I’m ever in this situation, or anything similar. (unlikely as I never give training courses).

I think discreetly checking your phone on a training course is v different though. It's not distracting for others in the same way that a bright screen and the sound of tapping in a theatre is. If it's in working hours it's reasonable for people to keep half an eye on email imho.

@Riverlee I do it with family and friends too. They know it's ‘my thing’. I loath phones being out when you are trying to have a conversation, particularly in restaurants.

Device behaviour is quite poor from all age groups and in various settings, last time I visited a cathedral, a man who looked to be 70+ was watching football with no headphones in a quiet chapel area.

I get frustrated when people suggest this is a generational thing. There is something about devices that makes some people just zone out, I think, and not consider the humans around them. Prime example being the MP/tractors episode.

Why would you post a screenshot instead of a link, OP?

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/jan/02/andrew-scott-halted-hamlet-performance-after-theatregoer-opened-laptop

He spoke about it as part of an interview he gave. Several papers have picked it up. And have mentioned similar interruptions other actors faced.

Love it, I would do the same, problem is some of these twats might take it seriously as they clearly think the world revolves around them.

Eeek, it’s bad enough people leaving their phones on nevermind actually using any electronic device during a performance 😔

this is a natural follow on from the deterioration of respect and good behaviour in schools.

Strange leap you are making OP.

Two separate issues. Lack of engagement in school can be dealt with - not that makes it an easy situation. If they are on an unauthorised device, you confiscate it I assume (my DC are in an iPad school and any unpermitted usage is sanctioned).

Rudeness in theatres has unfortunately always existed, but has got worse as more technology has become available - so in addition to talking, eating food noisy or arriving late, you now have phones ringing, people taking photos (the article on this in the Times references an issue Benedict Cumberbatch has had with this) and using their devices during a performance.

It's an entirely different scenario.

I don’t agree. If you are on a course you are on a course and should put your OOO on.

I had this at a training day the other week. Person next to me used their laptop throughout the training. I mean either give them your attention or leave!

I agree with this. DH once went to see Dave Brubeck in concert many years ago before I met him. He was shocked that people were behaving as though they were in a piano lounge rather than a concert and talking and chatting amongst themselves!

I'd give you fairly short shrift if you did that to me, as an adult.

Absolutely, professional behaviour should be expected on a work-related course. My role means I may have to take a call or check a message, while at a course. Of course the phone will be on silent, and I'll apologise & step out; and checking a message would be quickly some & discreet.

The idea of another adult patronising a course attendee like that is ridiculous.

And not at all comparable to someone on a device in the theatre.

(And for context, I have a university teaching role. Students are often on phones, it probably means they miss some content but it doesn't bother me. The way to minimise it is by making classes interactive so there'll be tasks / engagement required. I'd never call them out directly.)

Again it depends on the training. But I'll often have my laptop open, taking notes (not doing other work) - I'll check with the facilitator first of course but it's perfectly normal in my work place and at my grade.