Communicating Culture

I took myself to a theatre show last night. Seated to my left were two friends who regularly attend shows together. We had a nice chat before the performance began. Just as the show was about to start another couple took the two seats to my right.

This couple were talking to each other a bit during act one. It seemed to mostly be the woman asking her partner what just happened or "what did he say?" then him responding to her question. Mid way through the act they excused themselves to go to the bathroom, and returned a few minutes later.

When I returned to my seat after the interval, the ladies to my left asked how I was enjoying the show. We had a short discussion about what we'd seen and compared notes on other shows we'd seen in the past.

The couple to my right returned with fresh drinks. He may have bought two for himself because during one of the quieter moments of Act 2 I heard him transfer the remainder of his drink and ice from the first cup into another. He and his companion were speaking louder and more frequently as the night went on. I noticed other audience members looking around to find the source of the distraction, but the couple seemed less interested in the show than their drinks and not so private conversation.

I wanted to offer them the benefit of the doubt but I grew more uncomfortable as I realised that their behaviour was causing a minor radiation blast of annoyance to ripple throughout our section of the audience. I considered having a word with them but when I weighed the disruption I might add to what was already happening and the likely benefit of my contributions, I decided against it.

At the conclusion of the show, the ladies and I reflected on the parts of the show we enjoyed most and how nice it was to have met before we headed off in our own directions. It's no surprise which couple I most enjoyed sharing the evening with.

Maybe this particular incident can be written off to the number of drinks they'd consumed. But as I reflect on the situation I wonder what the incident has to say about theatre etiquette and the broader theme of how we establish and communicate cultural behaviour or expectations.

I grew up going to and then working in the theatre. I can't recall how I learned what I understand to be "theatre behaviour" but to my mind there are a few basic rules that really centre around making the experience of watching a live performance with other people an enjoyable activity not a disruptive, disrespectful or hostile one. My enjoyment of a performance shouldn't be at the expense of yours. For two or three hours I should consider how my actions might impact the people around me.

Of course today we spend more time than ever engaging in private entertainment experiences. Where in previous eras much more of our entertainment was consumed in community - we experienced music in church or in concert, stories were brought to life on stages in theatres, and we watched filmed entertainment in cinemas. Today a large percentage of the entertainment consumed is on a personal device like a phone, blocking out most of what is going on around us. Watching a show or movie on your home tv is likely accompanied by scrolling a second screen, and if you choose you can have a conversation while the show is still playing.

If our combined expectation of appropriate behaviour at a shared performance is different to that you'd expect in the privacy of your home - how can we communicate that in a generous way that invites people into the theatre-loving community rather than alienate them?

Here's the thing - if someone hasn't grown up going to live performances as much as me, how can I ask them to contribute to a culture that hasn't been communicated to them?

It's the responsibility of us in the theatre to establish, communicate and maintain theatre etiquette rather than leave it up to the audience. An audience that is there to enjoy the performance together leads to a better experience for everyone involved, and a ticket-buyer who has a great experience is much more likely to book to see another in the future.

By all reports, Shakespeare's audiences at The Globe were mostly standing and were rowdier than the audiences that tend to see a production of Hamlet by a modern theatre company. Is sitting quietly in the dark integral to the experience of theatre, or is it just calcified convention?

I'm thrilled that you're here. Live theatre needs an audience in order to exist and it means a lot that you gave up all the easier (and less expensive) options available to you tonight in order to be here. I want you to have fun - hopefully so much fun that you'll both agree "we should do that again soon" on your way home. There are other people here too who booked and paid for tickets, made their way to the theatre, paid for parking and babysitters and are hoping to have a good time too. My request is that we give everyone in the theatre the freedom and opportunity to enjoy the performance for themselves. Where possible, I'd like to let the people around me experience the show for themselves.