Phones at the theatre

[SecondStarOnTheRight]

When there's multiple signs at the theatre and an announcement prior to a show starting, why do people leave their phones switched on and on loud?

Five times yesterday, including after an interval, someone's phone rang duringa performance. A couple of times it was someone close to where we sat meaning we couldn't quite hear the dialogue well. It was a small theatre so one phone rings and everyone can hear it.

Its a few hours. Why is it so hard?

I saw that show too. It was a bit of an extreme reaction but typical of Steve and Reece!

Yes we'd gone to Of Mice and Men, quite wordy too as theres limited options for scenery. Someone near me got their phone out right at the ending where a characters killed so they missed that!

We were in the theatre the other day and someone's phone rang loudly for ages. They finally stopped it ringing but obviously didn't switch it off or even to silent as it rang again about 5 minutes later!! Why would you not be mortified and switch it off after the first time???

I saw that show too. It was a bit of an extreme reaction but typical of Steve and Reece!'

Extreme, but totally understandable! 😁

There's no excuse for treating the whole world as if it's your own living room. Some people just have no idea how to behave in public

Pouches?

They leave them switched on because they want to film and photograph the show. Even though they have been told numerous times that filming and photography is not allowed. Then they are rude to the ushers who politely point this out.
They don't care about all the hard work of the artists.

Please, people, put your phone away and just enjoy the show - the best "pictures" and memories are the ones inside your head.

A couple of students were whispering behind me at the theatre the other day; the woman next to me turned round to tell them to stop at the exact same moment I did and I think they were quite taken aback to be hissed at in tandem. They didn't say another word!

I think younger people who have grown up with phones everywhere all the time do have less etiquette around noise and distraction. I wish venues set out etiquette expectations more firmly at the start, more than a quick 'please keep your phones on silent'. I went to one performance where at the start we all put our phones in sealed pouches and couldn't access them til the end. I loved it. I liked knowing I couldn't even check it in the interval and I was totally switched off from the outside world. It enables you to be immersed in the present in a way that even a silent phone in your handbag doesn't. I think losing yourself in an experience is a real gift, honestly.

But everyone is so used to the 'second screen viewing' ie watching something at home on tv and scrolling simultaneously and it just overflows into cinemas and theatres. I can't understand why anyone would pay so much for tickets and then let it be disrupted by their phone. It's so rude and so wasteful and ruins it for everyone.

It’s a generalised sneering st social protocol. You can see on this board right now people belligerently saying a thong is suitable for a kids swimming lesson and leggings are fine for a funeral.. it’s a slippery slope on which protocol of modesty, decency, not drawing attention to yourself, having consideration for others, is being eroded. Selfishness and low standards are rigorously defended by these people, and watching the dross that ensues is divisive : there are those with serenity and respect and then are the vehemently twatty with their phones on in the theatre. “Why should I turn it off?” …..sigh.

Well said, @BarneyRonson

People used to aspire to be refined; now so many seem to wallow in being as defiantly crass and shitty as possible.

I went to the theatre this week and in the second half a child kept kicking the seats and then her and her mum were chatting. The mum ended up looking really frustrated that I am the woman next me kept asking them to stop but eventually it worked!

I hope I never sit near you

Absolutely typical! It was so funny, and totally justified I’d say. There should be a theatre bylaw that allows it.

Drives me up the wall. It's the sense of entitlement that I find jaw-dropping. I've had people glare at me and whisper to each other and point at me when we're all leaving at the end after I've asked them to put their phones away/stop talking. And a woman who I asked to put her phone away during a film in the cinema turned round and started full on shrieking at me. Luckily, it was in my lovely local, which is an old-fashioned cinema with actual ushers, and one stepped in and shut her up. Of course she shouldn't have had to do so in the first place.

Good job the other posters don’t know what we’re talking about. 😂😂

Or people that put their feet up (sometimes sans shoes) on the seat back in front of them. As if they were in their own living room.
Honestly, some people are dragged up, not brought up.

If you do this, sorry, but I judge you.

Yes, phones and people stuffing themselves and making rustling and slurping noises. They are so important that they cannot even turn their phone off for an hour. Quite honestly it’s never a serious incident that they are being informed about otherwise people would be rushing out.

Pathetic behaviour and shame on them. Why spend over £100 in the West End to then talk to your friend or take calls and texts on your damm phone.

It’s called a Yondr pouch. It locks and you can’t open it during the performance.

I've just posted similar, before I saw your post.
There's a big downside to mobile phones.
Man on whatts app in theatre next to me.

Something that really bugs me though is why would you spend all that money on an event to miss half of it for whatever reason?

I went to a rugby game a few weeks ago, we got the cheapest tickets at £70 each. Someone a few rows in front of me was drunk and I think arguing with someone else and they got escorted out, just 15 minutes into the game.

People getting drunk and fighting at concerts after spending £100 on a ticket. Others getting up to go queue at the bar half way through and missing a chunk of the concert/game/performance.

I just don't understand! Phone off, drinks down, enjoy the moment... otherwise just watch it on TV, at least you can pause that.

Indeed 🤫

Works a treat though doesn’t it! In the few times I’ve been, not a phone to be seen. And you could hear a pin drop in all the silent bits. Perfect.

There's no consequences. Ushers never ask them to leave, they allow people to chat throughout shows that cost £80. They sell chewy sweets and crisps, enabling constant rustling and sucking. It's stupid.

No @EmpressaurusKitty they shouldn’t be there! The light is distracting to others. Even if in the back. If you can’t go an hour and a half without looking at your phone don’t go!!

We wouldn't ask to leave after one incident where we've warned them, a second one or belligerent and a manager comes up. Third time and security comes up. But them being escorted out is FAR more distracting than the phone, especially if they kick off and start screaming. So it's a judgment call. Often might be dealt with in the interval instead

Sometimes we also can't see or don't know there's a phone. The flash of light off glasses/drinks bottles/seat numbers, smart watches lighting up (seriously, turn them off!) etc can all be possible phones too and it's hard to judge, especially in the middle of a row. Speak to the ushers!

Trust me, we hate it too. We wish there was more we could do. We can't even "flash" them with torches because it's distracting and they are usually the ones who manage not to "see" it until people around them tap their shoulder etc.

I always tell ushers about ppl texting and talking continuously.
They NEVER have the balls to do anything about it.

Maybe the theatre you've been to
We definitely do

BTW it's not about "not having the balls"

People have literally attacked ushers, there's one theatre in Manchester I think where they had a run of people attacking the staff.