Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

#1

Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:30pm

At this afternoons performance of The History Boys, 3 separate cell phones rang during the pivotal scenes in Act 1. Richard Griffiths stopped the show, saying "The Stage Manager told you before the show that the usage of a cell phone is illegal in the theater, etc." He then restarted the scene, saying that if another phone rang, they'd quit the performance.

Bravo, Mr. Griffiths.

And for those who are wondering, since my encounter at Caine Mutiny, it wasn't me.

Updated On: 6/1/06 at 08:30 PM

#2

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:33pm

YAY!

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#3

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:34pm

*bows respectfully before Mr. Griffiths*

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"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

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#4

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:35pm

omfg that's fabulous!

#5

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:37pm

Fun-tastic. It's really a shame for people who act irresponsibly when they have been reminded repeatedly about these things.

Got an emergency? Skip the show, call me to see it for you. I'll be glad to take your tickets.

#6

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:53pm

Some people are so rude. They just can't turn off a cell phone. I have been to mass where they have the cell phones on and are ringing. What a total show of disrespect.

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"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by moments that take our breath away." "Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain."

#7

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:55pm

i know right?! essentially, that woman just paid $110 (or however much she paid) to talk on the phone from her friend.

what an expensive phone call!

#8

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:57pm

WHY is it even necessary to bring a cell phone to the theatre? What is so important that it can't wait until you get home?

Use voicemail and check it at intermission or after the performance.

Can't theatres put in something to BLOCK all cell calls?

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Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

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#9

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:57pm

Good for him! It's great to see that actors are not simply ignoring this problem. People think for some reason that the actors cannot sense what they are doing or hear what they are saying. Broadway is not a movie theatre. The audience and the actors combine energy to produce a great show.

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"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck

#10

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 8:59pm

YAY! I wish this happened at all shows where the show was stopped until the a-hole left the theater after ruining it for everyone. Only though, if the scene is restarted would I want that to happen because I would need to get back into it.
What an awesome actor.

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#11

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:03pm

Brava!!

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#12

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:06pm

Wow, that's crazy!

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"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird

#13

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:17pm

I don't agree. I don't think the person should have been ejected from the theater. Who knows, maybe they put their phone on silent, but while watching the show, bumped it back on or something. I mean **** happens. It's live theater, stuff is going to happen.

#14

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:18pm

frontrowcentre2 - I believe there is a law of some sort prohibiting the blockage of cell phone networks. It has to do with safety... if someone (like a doctor) needed to get a message in an emergency, they should be able to.

But that doesn't mean they couldn't put their phone/beeper on silent!!

#15

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:23pm

I don't agree. I don't think the person should have been ejected from the theater. Who knows, maybe they put their phone on silent, but while watching the show, bumped it back on or something. I mean **** happens. It's live theater, stuff is going to happen.


I don't understand why people can't just turn the phone off instead of silent. And it isn't that easy to bump a phone off from silent, you have to physically hold down the button for a certain amount of time on most phones...

#16

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:24pm

Fantastic. Bravo!

#17

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:26pm

Make sure you e-mail Michael Riedel, too.

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"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#18

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:27pm

AS muuch as I commend him, breaking character and breaking the fourth wall for something as miniscule as a phone call, no matter how annoying it may be, seems unprofessional. As an actor and as one who views theatre, of course I would be annoyed by a ringing phone, but stopping the show....hm.

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...What happened next, was stranger still, a woman breathless and afraid, appeared out of the night, completely dressed in white. She had a secret she would tell, of one who had mistreated her. Her face and frightened gaze, my mind cannot erase...But then she ran from view. She looked so much like you...

#19

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:30pm

Laura, I argued the same thing when Patti told someone to do it, but they didn't restart the scene or anything and if I saw that performance I would not have liked that she did that in the middle of the action.
To restart is more classy and better for the audience I think so we don't miss out on anything

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#20

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:31pm

I wish more actors took the Griffith's approach.

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"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#21

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:33pm

All_For_Laura. Totally Agree!

That would probably ruin the expierience for me.

Breaking Character is outrageous in a high school production.

On Broadway it is unexecptable.

***JUST MY OPINION***

Updated On: 5/31/06 at 09:33 PM

#22

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:36pm

Did they have cell phones in the time period of the play? If not, then in order for him to remain in character, he would have to improv dialogue to the affect of "aliens are landing!!!"

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

Updated On: 5/31/06 at 09:36 PM

#23

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:37pm

i think they did, Capin but they were huge and they came in a bag.

#24

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:37pm

Time period of the play has nothing to do with it.

It's not as if he's breaking character constantly to zone off or fool around. I applaud him, he did the right thing. If only every performer started doing that, then this debacle would come to an eventual end.

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"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#25

re: Cell Phone Rings at History Boys - Griffiths Stops The Show

Posted: 5/31/06 at 9:40pm

It's actually pretty easy for some phones to switch from silent to "on." Especially if it was a girl, she might have put the cell phone in her purse and then she might have taken the purse with her to the bathroom and it might have rumbled around and switched to on. I'm just saying that it's live theater and stuff happens. He can't expect every single audience member to be perfect. Most of them are tourists and do not know proper ettiquette, etc. And even though the stage manager said it, I doubt half the people even did it.