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Phones Ring On: Performers vs. Audience Etiquette
19 Jul
Summary
- Performers at live shows are forced to interrupt performances to ask for silent phones.
- Audience members ignore repeated requests to silence their mobile devices.
- Lack of consideration for performers and fellow audience members is a growing issue.
Performers are finding themselves needing to act as prefects, directly asking audience members to silence their phones during live shows. Comedians, including Chirag Punjwani, and actors like those in Shweta Tripathi's play, have publicly requested the audience to turn off their devices. Despite these clear instructions, phones continue to ring, indicating a significant disregard for shared etiquette.
This inconsiderate behavior, prevalent in cinemas for years with loud callers and distracting screen usage, has now spread to live comedy and theatre. A performer's concentration and the audience's immersion are broken by unexpected ringtones, disrupting the artistic flow. The core problem appears to be a widespread lack of empathy for others, enabled by the technology of smartphones.
Venues are urged to adopt stricter measures, moving beyond polite requests. Suggestions include publicly shaming offenders, perhaps by spotlighting them, to address the decline in courtesy. The current approach of gentle reminders is clearly ineffective, and a more direct confrontation may be necessary to restore respect for live performances.
