Dame Judi : Trigger Warnings

Agree with her 100 per cent.
Don’t go.


Don’t go to the theatre, Dame Judi Dench has told “sensitive” fans, in her response to pre-performance trigger warnings.

The warnings, which inform audiences about potentially distressing content, including abuse, violence and loud noises, have become a point of contention in the industry in the last few years.

“Do they do that?” Dench said in an interview with the Radio Times. “My God, it must be a pretty long trigger warning before King Lear or Titus Andronicus!”

The Oscar-winning actor, 89, added: “I can see why they exist, but if you’re that sensitive, don’t go to the theatre, because you could be very shocked. Where is the surprise of seeing and understanding it in your own way?”

Her comments come after Gregory Doran, the former artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare company also warned anxious audience members to avoid plays so that they would not be upset by distressing content.

So with some theaters closing or struggling to survive, they want people to stay home? Interesting.


As someone with a PTSD when it comes to guns, I personally appreciate warnings about when loud blanks will be fired in a relatively small space. I attended a production a while back when a character without warning fired a gun near us and our ears rang the next day. There was absolutely no reason for it to be so freaking loud. The play: Merry Wives of Windsor. I kid you not.


When I see the gun warning I ask someone on staff to tell me when it happens. And I am able to feel more comfortable at the play I, you know, spent money to see as a result. Dame Judi and Sir Ian may think this is ridiculous, but their alternative (staying home instead) is even more so. When it comes to loud gunshots, I believe theaters should use recorded sound effects.

Whatever she said, Dame Dench get an eternal pass.

In her answer, it's clear that she had absolutely zero context about trigger warnings or how they are applied. So without context I can understand why someone would be confused about the whole thing. But they can be useful for a wider percentage of the population than one would think.

The most prime example is with autism friendly performances. Many theater companies have been broadening the scope of these offerings, retitling them to sensory friendly. Because it turns out there is an enormous demand for this beyond people who specifically have autism. Including a heads up for content (at these specific performances, it can often include a physical signal when a loud noise is about to occur) and creating a welcoming space has opened up the theatergoing experience to a whole new population that previously could not or would not partake. There is no downside to expanding access to theater.

But trigger warnings, separate from a sensory friendly performance, aren't just plastered on the theater walls and programs. Which is perhaps what Dame Judi envisioned when hearing about them for the first time without a proper explanation of how they are implemented. They are generally located on a specific part of the theaters website, or offered upon request by staff. Again, I really don't see a downside here. If someone has PTSD, sensory needs, or a medical condition that makes them sensitive to strobes or smoke...why not provide them the relevant details if they need it?? If you don't need trigger warnings, it literally doesn't affect you.

What I do know is that simply telling people to not come to the theater, that it isn't a place for them, should not be our response. Not in a post pandemic world where sales are struggling, commercial productions have zero advance, attendance has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels, non-profits are struggling to fundraise and enacting massive cuts to programming and staff as a result, and audiences already seem plenty content to stay home and binge watch TV. Tell folks to stay home if you dare, but be careful: they will listen.

Updated On: 5/15/24 at 10:02 AM

I think having them behind spoiler tags online would be one way. Especially for new productions won't no easily accessible history that you can look up.

But the thing is, you can't protect everyone and predict every scenario. I get triggered by random things, and it isn't consistent what does it and I'd never expect others to go out of their way for my issues. I've learnt to live with it and mitigate as much as I can.

Also some of these trigger warns are going beyond things like gun shots, sexual assault etc. Now you have warnings about classic books and old films etc. I'm sorry, but if you're watching or reading something from a long time ago, and you can't comprehend that there might be out dated situations, then it's you with the issue.

If people don’t have a problem with strobe light and theatrical fog warnings posted in lobbies to warn people who may be effected physically, then I’m not sure why it’s problematic to issue similar warning for people who may be effected mentally. The theatre should be a welcome, comfortable, accessible place for all. I’m glad we’re evolving into a society that recognizes the legitimacy of mental health.

Broadway61004 said: "pmensky said: "If people don’t have a problem with strobe light and theatrical fog warnings posted in lobbies to warn people who may be effected physically, then I’m not sure why it’s problematic to issue similar warning for people who may be effected mentally. The theatre should be a welcome, comfortable, accessible place for all. I’m glad we’re evolving into a society that recognizes the legitimacy of mental health."

The difference is that knowing that a show contains strobe lights or fog doesn't ruin key parts of the story. Having a statement that says "this play contains suicide, sexual assault, etc." may ruin key plot points.

So I agree that information should be accessible for folks who are bothered by it and feel the need to know, it should also be hidden from those who want to be surprised. So listing it on the productions website right as you're clicking the link to buy tickets to it (as shows often do anymore) is where the problem is. Perhaps as others have suggested, have all that info in a spoilers section or a separate link."

The very trigger warnings you listed are often listed at the beginning of films and TV shows (“the following contains….”), and no one seems to be complaining about that.

It’s not like these warnings are actually giving away “spoilers.” No warning says, “caution: Cornwall gouges out Gloucester’s eyes in Act III.” It would warn about violent content, as MPAA ratings have been doing for decades as another poster mentioned.

They let people know what kind of content there is so they can make an informed decision. My wife lost a family member to suicide and she always appreciates a warning, whether to make a decision to see something else or to prepare herself ahead of time so it’s not a shock to her system. If it’s not a major inconvenience to someone, I don’t see why it matters.

Sounds like we might need trigger warnings for the trigger warnings.

I don't think I've ever attended a performance where trauma trigger warnings were included in the pre-show speech, typically they're just on the website in their own section, often with the details hidden behind a drop-down interface. Obviously lots of people have very esoteric triggers that can't be reasonably included but a general inclusion of common triggers can't hurt. It's one thing to "be shocked, to be arrested out of ourselves" as Dench puts it, and another to have a panic attack in the middle of a crowded theatre because you weren't expecting a scene of violent rape that mirrors the time you yourself were violently raped.

Restaurant menus include ingredients and note common allergens or dietary restrictions. This benefits everybody, from people who have debilitating or life-threatening allergies to the people who just don't like cilantro and prefer not to eat it to the people who just want to know what they're getting and want a reasonable idea of whether they'd like it.

I view trigger warnings as much the same way- they benefit people who truly need to avoid seeing certain things to people who just want to avoid certain things if possible. It harms nobody and benefits many.

Updated On: 5/15/24 at 06:09 PM

I do not care one iota what some 89 year old bitty has to say about content warnings on media. Something that are almost as old as her. Get over yourself.

It says a lot about people when they get so irritated about something that doesn’t affect them one bit, but actually helps others. Here’s a tip, if nothing triggers you, don’t read the text below the sign that says, ‘trigger warnings.’ It works, I promise.