Turn off your F-ing phone in the cinema!

[Forwardthinkingturtle]

I went to see Wicked today. Lots of kids in the cinema; they were beautifully behaved and was a lovely atmosphere. However, at least three grown adults repeatedly got their phones out on full brightness to have a little scroll and a text conversation.

It’s rare to go to the cinema and this NOT happen these days. Is nowhere sacred?! We have a real problem if the general public cannot go a couple of hours without checking their device…sets a real example to the kids too. The worst one was a couple of years ago at a Star Wars film and a woman was sat next to me playing a game on her phone(!). I politely asked her to stop and was met with abuse. She did stop when a member of staff came over but then muttered about me under her breath for the next half hour!

LolaLemony · Today 10:49

10 minutes later the girl returned without Rufus and stood in front of us telling mum Rufus was asking for mummy, cue another conversation about what to do.
All at completely loud levels of conversation.
Oh my fucking God.

I feel your pain!

We went to see Wicked yesterday and surprisingly, I saw no phone use. As it's a long film, there were plenty of kids going out for the loo, but no bad behaviour.

I tell people to turn them off of leave! I told a woman at a very expensive west end show to stop messing with her phone. She said she thought she'd left a candle burning at home and had to tell someone. I told her to leave the theatre if she needed to use her phone! All during the interval. Drives me MAD.

I mean I told her during the interval but she was using her phone during the performance.

The girl next to us text someone during the performance and my partner asked her s as boyfriend it. She said she was so excited??!!

I do not understand why people are paying crazy money not to pay full attention to the film/performance as spending half the fucking time on their phones.

I simply wouldn’t have been capable of not reacting to that.

Yes, I suspect I would have cracked and said something, too.

At the last concert I went to, Conan Gray, people were encouraged to get their phones out with their torches on & wave them around which was lovely. The rest of the time a lot of people were holding their phoned up high to record it. That was annoying. My friend kept getting her phone out once in the cinema & I was cringing

I absolutely hate this. Once had a woman recording bits of a film on her phone! I politely requested that she turn it off. She glared at me but carried on. I went out to get a member of staff (none ever nearby) and by the time we came back, she’d put the phone away.
The staff member apologised… to her!!
DD was a bit embarrassed but we got 2 free tickets for our next visit and a lovely email from customer services!

We saw the Eagles at the new Coop Arena. I was so pleased that the staff were watching and as soon as someone had a phone out they told them to put it away. Same with people standing. I haven't paid a small fortune to watch your phone/ look at your back for a couple of hours.

That’s beyond annoying @LolaLemony
Surprised the audience didn’t shout out en masse “sit the f down”!!!!!!

I was in the cinema watching Wicked. Most people were well behaved, no one sang (thank god, I love musicals and know the songs like the back of my hand but wanted to listen to Cynthia and Ariana thank you very much!) but there was one girl in front who was on her phone a LOT. I wanted to chuck popcorn at her! You can't help but see the phone light in your peripheral vision and it's annoying.

On another note - how fucking amazing is the film?!? It was everything I was hoping for and more. Definitely a new favourite! I can't wait for the second one. As it was so good, phone girl wasn't too distracting as my eyes were so glued to the screen. Still terrible manners though!

When travelling recently in mainland Europe, we stayed in a small hotel run by a lovely elderly gentleman. He had a hatred of mobile phone use in his dining room. He actually told one guest, who was sitting at the table having breakfast, to stop scrolling on her phone and talk to her friend! Sounds a bit Basil Fawlty, but it really wasn't, and I think he made a good point. Mobile phones are taking over peoples' lives and not always in a good way.

That’s going a bit far. I like reading the news on my mobile over breakfast, & on holiday it can also be a good way to avoid having to strike up conversation with anyone if there are shared tables - I don’t feel at all sociable until I’ve had my coffee.

This pisses me off too. The last time I went to the cinema (mid-morning weekday showing, so very quiet), one chap went to the loo/bought more drinks/food multiple times. Each time, using the torch on his phone on full brightness, waving it around so we were all blinded. Fucking idiot.

And the people who video themselves singing along, rather than the artist. What a self absorbed society we’ve become.

I dont get this either!! If you want to be on your phone constantly- thats fine, do it at home, noone is forcing you to go to the cinema!

If you cant bear to not look at your phone for 2 hours then sit on your arse on the sofa at home and watch films there where it isnt affecting anyone else.

I just knew there would be a queue of people explaining why they are special and need to have exceptions to normal social rules to accommodate them.

Agree. The light from a phone is just bloody annoying. Have been known to ask them to switch off or shut up when it happens.

Went to Gladiator II yesterday. I always sit nearish the front to lessen the distraction of people in front of me so I've no idea whether anyone used their phones but it was a miserable experience as two couples talked through the whole thing, in spite of my death stares! We get free tickets so I'd like to go to the cinema but it infuriates me so much it's just not enjoyable anymore.

Exact reason why I hardly ever go to the cinema or theatre this morning. Even the anticipation of people getting their bright dazzling screens out is enough to put me off. Totally ruins the experience.

This morning?? I meant anymore!

Had a couple have a little conversation during Quiet Place. They had to be to be quiet so many times. Not even trying to whisperer and especially as the film is so silent! Not that good in any film but in one with hardly any dialogue

My ex boss went to a theatre show and was most put out that she was asked not to record it, even though it was on the booking conditions.
Just one of the reasons why I didn't like her.

What was so important that you had to answer the message in the cinema? Couldn’t it have waited?
YOU are part if the problem

I think phones should be on silent/vibrate and only used if necessary. If they were banned completely then I simply wouldn't go to the cinema, as when me and DW go together one of us might need to answer the phone to the school/babysitter if there's an emergency.
That said, we'd see who was calling and leave to take the call. It would annoy the crap out of me if someone was texting/scrolling/gaming during the film. Surely it's cheaper to stay home to do that?

I think that if people know they might need to leave the cinema to take a call, they should make sure they sit somewhere that they’re going to cause as little disruption as possible if they do that - ideally on the end of a row near an exit - and if there is a call, not answer until they’re actually out of the screen.