Cell phones at The History Boys tonight

[JakeB]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 7:15pm

Just got back from the UK tour of The History Boys - no less than three interruptions from phones in Act 1, the most I have ever heard in the theatre. The third was shortly followed by the person's exit tone too.. Quite ironic as my friend and I were discussing the recent front page article about mobile phones in The Stage newspaper just before it started.

[alliez92092]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 8:40pm

Ugh, I hate that.

[coolphantom919]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 8:51pm

When I saw WICKED in Chicago for the 2nd time, The Were Really Strict About Cell Phones!

[sunflower12063]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 9:01pm

coolphantom919, I'm interested to know what you mean about the theatre being strict. Besides the alert at the begining of a performance, did they do anything else?

[Lori2]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 9:03pm

Uggh, I had when that happens! People don't listen!!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 11:50pm

If I owned a theatre, I would have a fun announcement. Here's a fun one from the Williamstown Theatre Festival:

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Williamstown Theatre Festival. In the unlikely event of an emergency, please take notice of the exits to the left and right of the theatre, and in the rear where you came in. Please also take this time to turn off all cellular phones and noise-making devices. According to new company policy, if at any time a cell phone goes off during the performance, rabid squirrels will be unleashed to your seat and have you removed from the theatre. And we do hope a cell phone does go off, it was awfully expensive to train those squirrels. Thank you for supporting live theatre."

Or something to that effect.

[GreenCamel101]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 12:22am

In Spamalot, don't they say something like "You can use your cell phone but remember that there are knights on stage and you will be impaled"?
Apologies if it's not exactly correct, I saw the show some time ago but it was a very funny line!
Updated On: 9/20/06 at 12:22 AM

[kec]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 2:21am

Greencamel, I think it was something about knights on stage with long swords...

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 2:31am

I had a cell phone go off during act 1 of History Boys. Got an apology and it didn't happen for act 2.

[noloversfool]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 9:21am

My director did the best announcements before our shows.

"Please be aware that your seat cushion will not become a floatation device. If your cell phone goes off, the whole production will stop and everyone will laugh at you."

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 10:28am

The worst (best) is at Manhattan Theater Club. They have the sound of a phone ringing (it rings about 6 times) just before the show starts. And everyone's looking around getting all pissy, "Whose phone is that?". Then the announcement to turn off all cell phones and noise making devices.

Updated On: 9/20/06 at 10:28 AM

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 10:36am

I actually think these cutesy things do not work. It needs to be taken more seriously like the no-smoking ban. Isn't it illegal now in NYC to use cellphones in theatres or something? I think there should be a standard statement played before every movie and show by the same voice TELLING not ASKING to turn off phones. They should be turned-off, even vibrate is loud. Until this is standard and across the board, then it will never be stopped. Right now it is just a joke.

[kyle.]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 10:42am

Was it at Threepenny Opera that right before the show started they just blaired a few cell phone rings that scared the **** out of everyone? I think that approch is probably very effective.

[joshy]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 4:57pm

There are a bunch of theatres here that play loud cell phone rings from different areas of the theatre at the beginning of the announcement. I always find it entertaining to see the people looking around and scowling as they think that people's cell phones really are going off from all corners of the auditorium.

[Chenofan #1]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 5:50pm

I am guilty of looking around.

I was watching a show and the woman next me had her cell go off, and it was the super loud kind that don't stop. She leaned over to me and said, "Ooh! I think I should get that!".

I didn't really know what to say, but I was thinking something mean!!!

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 6:33pm

Didn't I read an article about Richard Griffiths (star of the History Boys) telling someone off in the audience when their cell phone rang?

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 6:56pm

I have a story to top everything.

I'm ushering on doors for the Shaw Festival's prodcuction of CRUCIBLE. If you've seen the proudction or show, you know how intense it and quiet the show is. So this woman and her husband are seeing the show and she has her cell phone on vibrate. She answers and talks on the cell phone a reported six times because "my son in Indiana has cancer." Now, it's beyond me how an usher didn't pick it out but the surrounding people were getting pissed off at her. Finally, this guy takes the initiative to knock the damn thing out of her hand while she's talking. He hits her in the face. She starts screaming at the top of her lungs and the husband grabs the guy by the kneck. Note, this is the final act of the show and EVERYONE (actors included) could hear everything. They eventually filtered into the lobby with about four witnesses and thus began five minutes of cursing, pushing, arguing, and accusing. It was one of those things you had to see to believe, and even then it was unreal.

Best. Story. Ever.

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 7:29pm

WOW.

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 10:10pm

For some reason, a vibrating cellphone is almost MORE annoying to me than a ringing one. At least with a ringing cellphone, the person usually scrambles to turn it off (unless they're a complete jackass and decide to, um... answer it or something), but no one ever goes to silence a vibrating cellphone and there's just this entirely awkward minute where everyone in the surrounding area hears it and tries to ignore it. And if you're me, you totally can't and you just sit there biting your lip and waiting for the awkwardness to end so that you can pay attention to the show...

So, uh... yeah. They shouldn't even be on vibrate. They should be silent or OFF.

[folkyboy]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 10:58pm

i always treat theatre like i'm going to church. even when i drop a Playbill i refuse to pick it up until intermission. i can't imagine how people can be so inconsiderate.

don't get me wrong, i've cussed out many a-person for not turning their contraptions off, and once i asked an old lady in "Annie" if she was REALLY that hungry. but i don't think i could knock it out of their hands (no matter how much i'd love to)