Theatre Etiquette

[Guest]

At the end of the show, one of the boys next me to said to him, "You ruined this for me."

 

 

Did you try to get one of the ushers to assist you? If a patron continues to act in a disturbing manner after being asked not to, I ask the ushers to intervene. If they refuse, I simply won't go to that venue again (and may ask for a refund). In the local movie theaters where I live, there is a warning that anyone caught using a cell phone or texting during a performance will be asked to leave. The idea of a cell phone signal is tempting, although quite illegal by federal law in the U.S.. But I have thought of buying one in Europe and smuggling it into the United States. Are they expensive?

[Epigonos]

The truth is that patron behavior in restaurants, even VERY nice restaurants, is often worse than it is in the theatre. I number of years ago I was having dinner in Valentino’s, a very upscale Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, when the telephone of a woman sitting next to my table rank. She proceeded to answer the call and carry on a conversation so loudly that the entire room could clearly hear. She finished her call and hung up but within a minute or two the telephone rang again. No sooner had she started to speak than a “gentleman” at another table loudly exclaimed “lady get off the f---king telephone NOW”. I damn near collapsed with laughter when the entire room broke out into applause. The facial expression on the woman was one of sheer shock – she just didn't get it.