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’m bothered.

If a play isn’t holding your attention just leave. I’m pretty sure no one is holding you there. I’d rather be disrupted briefly while the person left the auditorium permanently than have them constantly scrolling on Facebook throughout the show.

the person sitting next to me took a photo at the ballet last week, it distracted me and i nudged her.
she didnt care, so selfish

I’m struggling to believe anyone is bothered by the light from a phone.

Well the actor was bothered. Do you not believe her?

I suppose the point is they don’t care what you or any of the theatre goers would rather

She wasn’t bothered by the light she was bothered by the texting

That's ridiculous; you check in at the interval - not in the final emotional scene of the play! Same thing for all the scenarios posited by @thisbirdonthatroof - either check at the interval or don't go to the theatre, it isn't compulsory. If you aren't willing or able to switch off and immerse yourself in a story then why did you pay for a ticket and why do you think your circumstances are more important than the enjoyment of everyone else who paid to be there? Watching a play or a film is an immersive experience; the fact that people have such fractured attention spans that they can't concentrate for a couple of hours is a really terrible indictment on where we've come to as a species. I feel about a million years old, but I remember when we didn't have mobiles and when you were at the theatre you were uncontactable. It was absolutely fine! I miss the days when people's work didn't encroach on all of their leisure time and people were capable of losing themselves in an experience without the compulsive urge to look at a screen every few seconds.

I once had the person in front of me scrolling on their phone for practically the whole show, the light really draws your attention. Given the person they were with wasn’t much better I don’t get why they didn’t just leave, as they clearly weren’t enjoying the show.

It's really very simple. TURN YOUR PHONE OFF.

A theatre is a place where phones should be turned off completely. If you can't manage an hour/90 mins without it then you shouldn't go.

Not the theatre but I was at the cinema a couple of weeks ago and the two young girls (estimate 18-20ish) two rows in front of us didn’t have volume on but did keep taking selfies of each other in their seats (no idea why) and it was very distracting for those behind them as the screen was illuminated

Both are a problem. The light is really distracting in a dark auditorium. It breaks the spell. As does someone visibly disengaged tapping away on their phone. I think some people are so massively self absorbed they have no idea that their bad phone habits are genuinely annoying to others. It's such bad manners to get your phone out in a theatre or cinema and really does impinge on other people's enjoyment.

A couple of years ago I took my DD to the lion king which is really quite special, behaviour wise. The woman in front of me was eating an M&S sushi platter 😭 barely anyone stayed in the seats. A light from a phone wouldn’t have touched the sides

Where did rosamund pike say she was bothered by the light?!

do you have any idea how many lights she’s standing under?!
its not the light.

I was going to say because people are absolute twats and there was no excuse, but you have given the ONE possible valid reason 😂

light is still an absolute nuisance for everybody else who paid for their tickets though

And this is what is wrong with society these days. No one gives a shit if they disturb anyone else. I find it so strange.
Why bother to have any “rules” anywhere I guess? Go to the ballet and sit where you want. Ignore what’s on your ticket. Bring a few bottles of wine. Bring in a Macdonalds. Play music out loud during the show. Watch a film on an iPad. Call up aunt Betty for a chat on FaceTime. Who cares what everyone else thinks right?

The other audience members are bothered by the light from the phone. The actors and the audience are bothered by the texting. It's antisocial all round and rude to both the other paying customers and the performers.

I also took my kids to see The Lion King in the West End a couple of years ago and didn't see any bad behaviour. It's a shame your experience was spoiled by people with no idea of theatre etiquette, but it's all the more reason to enforce polite and considerate behaviour across the board. People should know how to act in the theatre which means no moving around, no noise and no phones! I wish theatres were able to be zero tolerance on all of it.

Really?? I go to the theatre many times a year and people’s behaviour is often disgraceful. Especially in musicals, getting pissed, having to use the toilets numerous times, singing along very badly, talking, rustling it just never stops.

What do you think happened in the extremely recent past when people went to the theatre?

“The other audience members are bothered by the light from the phone. The actors and the audience are bothered by the texting.”

how on earth would you know who was bothered by what?!?

btw- I think lion king is a special case for disruption because it’s well, you know, cheesy touristy and v low brow

Same as people text while driving

You check your phone in the interval and at the end. It’s not that hard. What did people do in the days before mobile phones - apart from have better manners overall? Honestly, the excuses on here are mad… diabetes? My friend is Type 1 and managed to come to Hamlet with me and didn’t check their phone once during the performance.

There obv was a distraction tho else RP wouldn't have noticed to mention it! Sorry, but if you've got stuff going in at home where you cannot last an hour or so (between intervals) then you either need to be say out of the way or you need to cancel. Let's face it, you're not actually able to fully enjoy it whilst you're checking your phone and responding

For a lot of people phones are life saving medical devices

None of these are valid reasons.

It's 60-90 minutes, it's distracting to other people, it's disrespectful to the performers, it's fucking ignorant and selfish no matter what reason anyone gives.

If your life is at a crunch point where you are waiting to hear if your loved one's life support is about to be turned off, or if you're going to be sacked for not replying to something, sorry but that is not the time to be at the theatre.

Yes you do go out. Lucky you if you think otherwise. I changed into evening dress in a hospital and went back after.