I have mentioned it before and I am going to talk about it again – Theatre Etiquette.
I know theatres do what they can before shows starts, announcing not to use phones, cameras etc. asking people not to open sweet wrappers and in some shows not to sing along. However, no one ever really mentions talking and it has become a real issue.
The last show I went to was a play. I had people talking to each other, as if they were at home watching TV, sat next to me and behind me. One woman left the auditorium soon after the play started, she was almost on the far right of the row but in order to not have her family move and miss the play, she had more than 3/4 of the row move, as she came out on the left. When she returned, they wouldn’t let her into her seat but the staff member talked to her at the side of my husband and didn’t leave the theatre to talk to her. The whole situation mean the play was lost on me really.
A few weeks ago we went to The Devil Wears Prada and we were seated in a wheelchair box, with two other people. The other two talked throughout the show and louder during the loud music. I was sat a distance from them but it was affecting my enjoyment. The theatre’s answer was to book to see the show again, but who is to say it won’t happen again??
It is bad for all theatre attendees but when you are a wheelchair user, it is worse, as you cannot move seats. You normally have a wheelchair space or area and can’t move, so you are really stuck with the noise.
I personally would never challenge someone, having done so about 18 months ago and then virtually having been attacked, having to dash out of the theatre and into the first available taxi, speaking to someone is a no-no for me – so what can be done?
