Do's
- Enjoy yourself- it seems silly to say, but if you are at the theatre, enjoy yourself. But, if you are not enjoying yourself (which is fine, everyone's allowed their own opinions), try to look as though you are enjoying yourself or wait until an appropriate moment (i.e the interval) to leave.
- Join In- if the show is of an interactive nature, join in! Don't do what I did when I was asked a question during a performance and freeze. I had to be told what to say by my parents as I had no clue. If the show is funny, laugh along with everyone. Clap when the show ends. Again, it seems silly to say, but joining in with a show can make it funnier as actors can pick up on what members of the audience do.
- Bring something to drink- sometimes, plays or musicals can be very long and you get thirsty, so make sure you bring something to drink. Most theatres have a bar where you can buy a drink or you can bring your own. There is nothing worse than having a coughing fit and not being able to stop because you didn't bring something to drink (I've done this before and I know it can be annoying).
- It is okay to cough- I know some people get funny about people coughing and sneezing during a performance, but if you are ill, then it is fine. What I try and do is make sure I have something to cough into (a handkerchief) or I try and time my coughs for scene changes. This doesn't always work, but at the end of the day, if you are ill there's not much you can do.
Don'ts
- Phones- It is never acceptable to have your phone out during a performance. The light from the screen is distracting to members of the audience and is disrespectful to the actors. I recently was at the theatre and the woman in front of me got her phone out to check the plot of the play halfway through. The interval was about 20 minutes later.
- Photos- In a similar vein, taking photos or videos is also a no go. The light from the screen is annoying and it is disrespectful to the actors. Enjoy it in the moment and don't look at it through a screen. Going to the theatre is expensive at the best of times, so why look at it through a screen?
- Sleep- Falling asleep during a play is annoying but it's something we've all done. It's dark, you've had a meal before coming to the theatre and it's warm, so naturally, you nod off. But if you do fall asleep, make it look discreet. A friend told me that when she went to the theatre, some people she knew put coats over their faces during to show. They were on the front row. Imagine if you were in that situation and someone just put a coat over their head in front of you?
- Eating- If you are one to snack during a show, then take something that isn't noisy. What I used to do is buy some sweets before the show (not chocolate based ones as they would melt), take them out of the packaging and put them in a non-rustly container. That way, I could eat, but not make any noise. At one theatre I went to, they gave out paper cups so you could put your sweets in them to prevent noise.
- Talking- It seems obvious to point out, but you shouldn't talk during a performance. But if you have to, keep it to a minimum. I know that as a child I would ask questions about the play, and my parents would whisper quick answers to me. I don't mind children talking as they are young and yet to learn, but adults should know better.
Carenza x
