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.

Id say they were probably bored with the play.

What is it with locking people away nowadays?

She’s right to call them out but I would have thought the actors would have had a laser focus on their acting scenes. Although the phone light would be quite noticeable in the dark.

I think the issue is most people just can’t concentrate anymore. We are in the era of YouTube shorts and TikToks. Having to give the stage your undivided attention is becoming increasingly difficult for people.

I would never be so rude as these people but I do find my hand itching to forward some scenes when watching a new movie at home. People just can’t concentrate as they used to do.

You've already explained that you text in a way completely undetectable by anyone else in the theatre, so it really doesn't apply to you. The problem is people who are texting or using phones openly and disruptively to cast and audience. If that's not you, then no one is telling you to stay home.

Perhaps they’re bored out of their brains? Texting here is not something I would ever do. My other half likes the opera but I loathe it. He wants me to go along with him and I do once a year, not moanIng, putting on a brave face, but Christ it’s terrible. Sat in an uncomfortable chair, often with an obscured view, amongst lots of insufferably pretentious snobs listening to singing that is often in a foreign language but even if not is indecipherable. It’s so intolerable. If someone needs a play on their phone then I’m not going to stop them.

Boredom is survivable. You don't need to cure it by disrupting a play for everyone else who isn't bored.

Oh my Inter Alia is the most intense , clever and heart breaking play I've ever seen - it's truely amazing what Rosalind delivers in the 90 mins - it's on another level. Someone texting that she can see would break the magic beyond belief- it's not a large show it's her and two other characters - it's intimate clever and so so moving, astonishing

I'd love to know how posters who believe that they have to be on call all the time managed 2 decades ago. Not just in the theatres, but leaving the house at all, when you only had a phone at home.
It's not that long ago, but you could only be reached at home.
Did the world collapse? No. So it won't collapse if you turn off your phone for an hour.

I’m struggling to believe anyone is bothered by the light from a phone. As explained here, many of us are. I am occasionally part of the Broadway audience and find a "You are seriously reducing my enjoyment of the production" in a very British voice, succeeds in my neighbour quickly shoving their phone away.
Those of us who need constant monitoring of devices for medical purposes usually select appropriately discrete seats (end of row/box etc.)
Has anyone else noticed that people with genuinely important job roles do manage time off from phones? They have the necessary support.
Incidentally I have been told it is acceptable to take a photo of the curtain call. Does everyone agree with that? I still feel guilty.

They locked themselves in more and it did nobody any good

There is a huge grey space between narcissism and wanting peoples attention. Actors aren’t shy, retiring types, as a rule. They are trained in getting the attention of an audience.

I think any dogmatic sort of view is problematic. The insistence that looking at a phone is always the height of rudeness and therefore if you absolutely must you need to stand up and walk past numerous people and then back again is just daft. Glancing at a phone and sending a quick message is harmless. It only bothers people who want to be bothered by it.

double post: apologies

It was a Saturday night and the play was relatively short with no interval. So I think it is not really unreasonable to expect the phone to be tucked away.

I guess those people like me who can’t tolerate endless noise/disruption will just need to lock ourselves away instead now.

Important work and supported working conditions are not the same.
See also: well paid and valuable.

What is it with locking people away nowadays?
Really? So getting a seat on the back row is akin to being locked up?

Oh people are definitely bothered by it. Mine lit up at the cinema once by mistake and Ii got told off by a woman. I apologised.

I text whoever is minding my children whenever I'm out without them to check if they're ok and if Rosamund Pike takes issue with that then she can get fucked.

You also agreed with the 'should never go to the theatre' bit ^^

Equally you could be chucked out for persistently bothering people.

That's patently untrue. It's extremely bad manners and very disruptive to others, especially if lots of people were to decide a quick text doesn't matter.

The world didn't collapse no but things were not as great as they could have been if people were more easily contactable.

My DF missed me being born as he had just set off on a 3 hr journey to a work meeting had he had a mobile phone he could have turned back and been on time.

My friends DM is still heartbroken that she was out walking the dog so missed a call from her brother, she was the last person he tried to call before killing himself.

So you are right the world managed fine without people being constantly contactable but sometimes being contactable is better.

Why would you pick the big emotional scene at the end of the play to send a text asking if the kids are ok rather than doing that in the interval or at the end? Wouldn't you want to pay attention to the show you've paid to see?

You think if they weren’t ok the person looking after them wouldn’t bother telling you? I’d find someone better to leave them with.

Similar to the recent past when DC went to school and their parents went out and did not have a phone, or any of the other life situations before we had mobiles. They coped.
No one would suggest we all do without and be out of reach now though, just because it was normal then.

I’d agree people need to learn to detox enough to manage a theatre trip, but can imagine circumstances when they’d perhaps be tempted. If they suddenly remembered they hadn’t paid for parking yet through the app, for example!