So many people have an utter lack of
theatre etiquette, and it is one of my big pet peeves.
I ALWAYS put my
cell on "vibrate all", and if I have a cough and need cough-candies, I unwrap them before the show!!! The only reason I don't turn my
cell off is because it is possible I could get an urgent
call, which before answering I would LEAVE THE
THEATRE!
(I'm #2 on the
call list from the fire and security monitoring company, for the
community theatre I volunteer at. I've actually gotten a
call that the fire alarm
system was going off when I was watching a show elsewhere. I quietly left the audience, answered the
call and took off. Turns out water from the roof was leaking onto a heat-detector... By the time I replaced it, the show I was watching was over.)
People's lack of consideration for others in an audience can really bother me. I remember once when I was in college as a follow-spot operator seeing people all the time on
cell phones. One night one guy would not get off his
cell and the
House Manager could not be reached by the
Stage Manager... So the SM told me to shine my lazer at the guy. So I did it... I think he got the message when the follow spot was pointed directly at his
face and I gave him the look of "if you don't turn that off, I'll light you up!"...
Another thing that bothers me is people who come to the
theatre after BATHING in perfume. My girlfriend is allergic, and we've had to ask for different seats before. Even hospitals and schools are declaring "Scent free zones", and for good reason. A touch of perfume can be delightful, but many people dump far too much on and it disturbs the people around them.
For one show we posted a list of the "ten commandments for the attendance of
theatre", now I don't remember them but they were to the tune of:
I Thou shalt not unwrap candies during the performance
II Thou shalt turn of they cellular phone or anything else that goes beep in the night
III Thou shalt not wear large amount of perfume, as others in the
house have to breathe as well
IV Thou shalt not talk during the performance, you are there to watch and listen to the show, not your own voice.
or something thereabouts.