Why would you text at the theatre?

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Unless you're an idiot?
Rosamund Pike calls out audience member for texting during show

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0723zgdp0eo

Given how many posters there are here, there must be those who think it's reasonable behaviour to text or film during performances.

We watched RP in this play (Inter Alia) and it's an incredibly intense experience. I just can't understand the mentality of someone who would pull out their phone and text during a performance.

I honestly do think theatres need to start handing out etiquette guides with the tickets, no texting, no taking photos, no chatting, if you’re going to need to leave during the performance to go to the loo book an aisle seat, if you’re going to have a 10 minute coughing fit during the ‘to be or not to be’ bit in Hamlet get up and leave the auditorium and get a drink before the usher has to come and manhandle you out…

@liveforsummera pony! 😂 Presumably emergency vets exist? That’s the best excuse yet!

People seem to think it’s a legal right to be able to go to the theatre and then do as they please. It is not. A lot of people can’t even afford to go or don’t live near one etc. Not everything in life is available to everyone and no one’s life is significantly worse because they can’t go to the theatre.

Great then you don’t have to text at the theatre. Text before. Wait an hour until intermission. Text again. Wait an hour until the end. Text again. Problem solved.

Is there not a phenomenon that the only people who read/take notice of signs or instructions are the ones who wouldnt have considered that behaviour anyway?
Probably the people who have an allegedemergency that required scrolling or texting wouldnt think the rules applied to them in that particular set of circumstances!

Silly (and very disrespectful to the cast) to go to the theatre under such circs then. If you'd never have gone in pre-mobile phone days, don’t do it now.

So is Miss Pike psychic?

Right, no diabetic attended theatres before the 1990s

No, the device has an app on it and the app can monitor your levels and alert you to issues, but in general it’s monitoring you so yes, needs to be switched on and within reach. Nobody would suggest you’re not allowed in to a play because you have a medical app on your phone, but most people would suggest you don’t just sit scrolling or texting during the play on that same device. Two very different ways you can use a smartphone at the theatre.

If you need to vape or a smoke during a play, you have to leave the auditorium, but it wasn’t always like that and nowadays everyone waits for the interval. That’s what we need bringing in- you have to pop outside or go to a designated ‘phone use zone’ if you wish to scroll use your phone whilst on performance premises, so it would include before the show and interval too. Would be interesting to see how many people are dealing with real emergencies not just an addiction to their phone, if their only choice is to disrupt an entire row to leave during a performance, to stand outside in the cold to have a pointless scroll deal with it.

I’m a type one diabetic, I have to test two hours befote driving and at least every two hours during my journey. I have a cgm so this is easier than it was for me a few years ago. I have quite bad hayfever at the moment so my levels are all over the place, so I currently can’t drive until my hayfever improves as I’m not currently stable enough to do a thirty minute journey. Any form of illness, stress or tiredness causes my diabetes to be very unstable so during those periods I can’t drive unless its extremely short journeys like five minutes to a shop.

You do realise not having a CGM and a pen would require an actual torch to read your glucose monitor as the screens are shit, and you may have to do it several times in a two hour period depending on the weather, how much you’ve drank, the time of day, what you’ve eaten, have you had a mild illness like a cold or hayfever in the last few weeks. Where as with a CGM my watch taps me and I can then either look at the number on my watch or phone. Ignore it if suitable, or eat something and then twenty minutes later look at the number on my watch or phone again if my watch doesn’t tap me.

I genuinely didn't think you'd get anyone admitting to using a phone in a theatre, let alone justifying it. I am far too naive.
Thankfully the audience at the tiny theatre I go to seem to manage without their phones.

Why did you think they’d be scared of the braying mumsnetters desperate to attack them? 😂

they’re not bothered by 200 people IN THE THEATRE telling them off so why would they give a shit about you?

Worse than texting, I saw a woman spend an entire stand up comedy show scrolling through videos on her phone. She seemed to be enjoying the show, laughing and even clapping in parts so it wasn’t that she was there against her will. Thoroughly addicted, very sad.

People do it constantly now. I work treating patients and the amount of them that pick their phone up and look at videos during a brief 30 second break is insane. It’s a half hour appointment and people need their phone in their hand. Every break they do something. Check emails/texts, open Facebook/Instagram, scroll through videos for a few seconds. It’s actually crazy when you see how automatic it is for some to just open Instagram and scroll when there’s a 30 second opportunity.

Good point. 😂 I just find it hard to believe people can't appreciate actually respecting the situation.

I was really pleasantly surprised to find the reading room in the Manchester library absolutely quiet when I visited it recently. It's so unusual these days to not be overstimulated all the time. I speak as one with horrific phone addiction that I need to stop.

Having a chronic illness does not mean people are entitled to do what the heck they like ( I say this as someone with multiple). I have a bladder pacemaker controlled by a phone and while I'm allowed to use it in shows to change the settings I try not to as even with it on the lowest brightness it still has a bit of a light. Also, I don't think phones have a place during a theatre show .

Some peoples phone screens are so bright it's really distracting even if you're a couple of rows away. And don't start me on the subject of the muppets who hold their phones up. Completely stupid.

We were at the theatre last week and I was tempted to get my phone out. I didn't! DH would have glared at me and it would have been too disruptive but the temptation was definitely there. I was a bit bored and that was why in my instance. We'd seen the production before several yrs ago and it was better then.

People should not be allowed to come in late, or buy a drink but I have to say if someone was going to the loo, I'd thought they would be more embarrassed than anything but had no choice.

I have notice lights, far too often, it's infuriating.

If people want to be in a more relaxed environment and stay on their phone, they should go to Pantos.

If your children are in such a problematic position, whatever it is, that you must check your phone like that, you are a terrible parent and you should be with them!

If you are happy to leave them for a few hours and are confident they are safe, absolutely no need to be on your phone during a play! Before, during the interval and after is more than enough

Don't pick a Play that goes on for 7 hours, most of them aren't that long 😂

What I’m getting from this is a lot of chat as to why it was perfectly okay for you but others may also have a long backstory as to why it’s okay for them - but you aren’t aware of it. it’s the fundamental attribution error, where you judge others more harshly (by their actions) but make allowances for yourself (because you judge yourself by your intentions, not your behaviour).

It's rude, I took a friend to a show last year and she spent the entrie night texting, it really ruined it for me as I was constantly aware that she was somewhere else entirely.

People are ignorant fuckers put as simply as possible. I don't think it's an age thing either.
I went to the Royal Alber Hall to see someone a few weeks ago. Paid a fortune for seats as it's likely to be the last time they play ( in their 80s!) A really special thing. Bloke on front of me was checking his emails, one next to me was on a whats app thread.

So what!!

Are people these days really so incapable of handling short periods of boredom?

Over the years I must have sat through a fair number of tedious events where I was longing for the end. But you just sit quietly in your seat, don't fidget and, where appropriate, plaster a polite and interested expression on your face. After all, it's probably only a couple of hours out of your life. I wonder if the rise of phone culture is responsible for people apparently finding this more difficult.