By the third song, Mr. Henry had had enough. So he reached into the seats, deftly grabbed the phone out of the man’s hand, wagged it disapprovingly, and tossed it under a riser — all mid-song, without skipping a beat. “I knew I had to do something,” he explained later.
8 comments:
I like that performers are taking a stand for getting people to be more engaged in the moment. I don't think it needs to be chalked up to "rule of law" or all of that because WE ALL (don't tell me you haven't) recorded something that we weren't supposed to. Yes, I think that we all could use a little more time spent in the moment and that's a beautiful part of live entertainment. I dislike the idea of allowing or even encouraging people to use their phone during a show because we have all the time in the world to be on our phones, can people not live without it for a show??? I think that theater etiquette should be left for each show. If a production hopes to create a new theater experience that allows phones. Emphasizes a new experience is great and that would probably be very interesting but in a world already filled with technology 24/7 maybe lose twitter for 2 hours and experience something different.
Another good article about a castmate interrupting a show to stop someone from using their phone. The way that Joshua Henry took the man’s phone was very elegant and hardly interrupted the flow of the show. The video which captured the occurrence shows Henry not even miss a single beat when he steps up to the audience member, grabs his phone, and tosses it under the stands. I was pleasantly surprised how he managed to keep the show going instead of stopping the entire show as Anne Mutter had just a week or two ago. However, I understand Mutter’s frustration and how this can be a distraction when performing a whole concerto, and she really had no other way to rectify her issue. I was also introduced to a product called Yondr in this article, which is a locking pouch which will physically prevent audience members from using phones during shows, and honestly, I think this is a very practical solution to this seemingly endless problem. I’m honestly surprised that I haven’t heard of this product prior to this, seeing as it is so practical and has been around since 2014.
Wow, there are so many great arguments to unpack here! I am a believer that phones are a big no-no during shows. I don't care that this is the digital era and times are a-changin'; it is distracting. Very distracting. When the house lights are out and it's dark, seeing someone's phone on a couple rows down from me is just a couple notches short of blinding. I'm not a performer, but I assume that performers have a whole lot going through their minds when they see someone on their phones too.
A couple parts of this article that stood out to me in particular:
1. The Hamilton lyric change was just absolutely hilarious and a very creative approach to calling someone out when there's a proscenium blocking you from reaching over to grab their phone and slide it underneath risers.
2. "But others are trying to embrace the digitally tethered..." This right here is very interesting! I have experienced some theatre that is experimenting with this idea. When I saw KIng Kong on Broadway, to discourage the audience from taking videos of the arguably legendary puppet during the show, they gave us explicit permission at the beginning of the show to record him during bows. You can bet that the whole audience was on its feet with phones out at the end. It's definitely an interesting approach!
3. This quote kind of stuck out to me: "Some observers suggest that the restrictions on audience behavior are snobbish, elitist, or even manifestations of white privilege." The article kind of lost me here, not going to lie. The white privilege thing feels like such a reach that it almost made me completely lose interest in the arguments being made. I mean, come on. There are so many things in this world that are actually manifestations of white privilege that are seriously so problematic, but I think that not having your phone out in theatre is definitely not one of them.
All in all, I appreciate this article's in-depth look at both sides of this debate. I think that though I am vehemently against phone usage during shows as a given/default, I can appreciate when shows explicitly state to you that recording is allowed. I just think that as a general rule of theatre etiquette, audiences should always expect to turn off their phones, put them away, and try and live in the present moment.
I really agree with Alexa that we should definitely not be encouraging people to use their phones. To me, a theater environment that wants to facilitate the use of technology should explicitly say so before the experience or production starts, and otherwise audience members should assume that the use of technology isn't appropriate during the performance. The point of live theater to me is that you have the chance to be engaged and that you are following a story in real time. My opinion, though it may seem harsh, is that if you can't be present enough in a performance to not be staring at a screen for a few hours, stay home and let someone else have that opportunity. Even if you are just holding your phone up while you watch, some fraction of your focus and energy is going towards that action. Though you may want to have some way to remember an especially moving show or a family member performing, the significance of that moment will be stronger as a clear image in your mind than through the recording on your tiny screen.
A generation ago, filming the show was considered to be an absolutely criminal act in any circumstance that violates several rights, including the person’s right to the use of their likeness. However, as smartphones and other mobile devices rapidly spread through the market, some artists and organizations began to change their minds. I went to Hugh Jackman’s concert this Wednesday and he told the audience to film and post as much as they want and help him advertise the world tour. Just like Hugh Jackman, many artists use the audience’s smartphone addiction for their sales promotion. The same can be said for museums that encourage visitors to take photos and share on SNS. Although it is obvious for us, who have been visiting theatres a lot throughout life, I think this trend might be loosening the discretion of some audiences to decide on whether filming is appropriate for the show or not.
Personally, I am against cell phone usage during a performance, whether it is a film, a concert, or live theatre. However, this article brought up some points that make me reconsider but only for venues where cell phone usage is specifically allowed. First of all, ringers and volume should always be off. Phones going off in the middle of a performance is one of the most irksome things I've come to experience. There is no reason to have a phone ringer be on during any performance. Second, I maintain non-usage in dark performance venues such as the theater because the annoyance of a bright screen in the dark is tantamount to a phone going off. Occasions where phone use may be allowed include concerts with augmented reality, or, as the article stated, concerts with guided music appreciation. In any case, I think phone use during performances is extremely disrespectful, and I will never understand those who use them, especially after being told not to.
The reactions to using phones in the theater by cast members have been really interesting to read about. I do think they are warranted. People should not be filming with their phones during Broadway shows. I do wonder how the actors feel, however, about taking someone's phone during the production. Is it returned to them? I would hope so, because at least the person would not be filming now that their phone has been taken away. I don't think that the lock bags are a great solution either, because, while smart phones are a great distraction, they can also be used in the case of emergency. But that is not the use case for most people using their phones in the theater. It is fascinating to know that celebrities use their phones during the productions and the varying responses that people involved with the production have. I did not know about Lin-Manuel declining to meet Madonna because she had texted during Hamilton, but his response is commendable.
It’s one thing for an artist to tell the audience to film the show and post it all over social media. It’s entirely different in the world of the play. There are so many people and things to consider when it comes to filming. Concerts sell out, and sometimes musicials are such a hit that it takes the world by storm and tickets are hard to come by, but none of that gives a patron a right to film a show and then post it online later. Designers. Actors. Those whose work will be seen by all of the youtube world. Don’t they get a say in the use of their designs or images or likeness? I disagree that the world is different now than it was before smartphones as it applies to patrons of the theatre. There is a difference, it’s called respect. There is a generation of people now who do not have the same respect for the world of the play that existed 20 years ago. They are glued to their smart devices, facebook, twitter, and instagram. They would rather snapchat than sit through another Shakespear tragedy. It’s simple. Turn off your phone and forget about the real world for a bit. Instagram and Twitter will still be there when you leave the theatre. The missed experience that you would have had is gone forever.
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