Long response, as stuff like this is so interesting!
Bringing in hot food to the auditorium is not on, it offends other people. If the food is cold/lukewarm, sealed up, doesn’t smell and is out of sight, that is fine (why would it be offensive? You can’t see or smell it).
I go to the theatre in London most nights, so I very occasional due to strained circumstances have a sandwich and/or apple in my briefcase for the interval. If I’m with friends, I might even bring something sweet (chocolate) for the interval. Having a picnic in a theatre is not on, but discreetly eating non-smelly food at the interval (out of the auditorium) is fine.
On theatre food and drink, I simply never buy it; it is far too expensive, often to the extent that it is a disgraceful rip off. I have the willpower to resist a glass of inferior wine for a few hours, which so many people find impossible (although I think the financial position of those going to the theatre for an occasional treat is vastly different to those of us who go regularly).
Generally any activity during the show is not acceptable for me, that includes eating, unwrapping sweets, drinking (other than water, though try not to be ostentatious), talking, checking phones (I have seen people take calls!), rooting around noisily in handbags, basically anything that is not watching the show.
Agree, going to a restaurant 1 hour before curtain is somewhat silly!
Also agree that those who think food is ‘bad’ after two hours in a theatre is going over the top. I often have half a sandwich at lunchtime and have the rest before the evening show. Let’s have a little bit more resilience people!
I sometimes have to go grocery shopping before the theatre (packaged cold stuff, like a tin of soup for the next day), so I might have a couple of items in my briefcase. I think if a theatre here tried to stop me taking my tin of beans to the theatre (not to eat them!) in my briefcase, I would not be very happy.
Also some people talk about allowing food into the theatre being some kind of slippery slope (people will eat it!). Well, I have a knife in my kitchen, but I’m not going to stab anyone! There are social rules and norms that people should abide by, not eating at the theatre is one of them (common sense and common decency), allowing food to be taken into the auditorium (like my tin of beans) is absolutely not giving permission for that food to be consumed. This is a very interesting point actually, we seem to be too scared to enforce rules like this (I would tell people in no uncertain terms to desist eating!), so prohibiting things that might possibly lead to social rule infringement becomes a more popular option. To me this is a restrictive viewpoint; I think prohibiting people carrying guns or combat knives on their person in a city is a good idea for example, there is a different level of risk and public safety there. But stopping someone bringing in leftovers, secured and wrapped up, not smelling and out of plain view (i.e you don’t have to see cold lasagne) is slightly over the top, JUST in case people decide to eat them. Tell the ushers who presumably search the bags (and bag searches are not universal here in London anymore, it changes) to tell the patrons no to eat their food. Throw them out/tell them off if they do!
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Updated On: 5/19/08 at 08:30 PM
