Sssh!! Russia's oldest theater hushes cell phones

03-02-2007
Reuters
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's oldest theater has installed equipment to block cell phone signals in a desperate attempt to force patrons to stop taking calls during performances, Itar-Tass news agency reported on Thursday.

Plays, operas, ballets and films in Russia are routinely punctuated by the trilling of cell phones and many patrons are unashamed about chatting in defiance of terse warnings to turn phones off at the start of the evening.

"Although the technology is rather expensive, our theater accepted the costs in order to protect the artists from unpleasant surprises," said Alexander Chepurov of St Petersburg's Alexandrinsky theater, which was founded in 1756.

He said one actor had been forced to deal with "noises off" the only way he could, declaiming: "Turn off that stupid phone and let me finish my soliloquy!"

It's not uncommon for Russian audiences to talk during a performance. And they don't even consider it rude. Perhaps times are at least changing.

Yeah, it'd be amazing if that would happen here *sigh* Now they should find a way to muffle the rustling of snacks many of the audience consume during performances. hmmm.

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A doctor does not need a cell phone to be turned on during the performance - my partner is a doctor and he has a pager that he keeps on vibrate. Now I assume that whatever the technology is that jams the signal for a cell phone also jams the signal for a pager, which could cause a problem in a medical emergency. However, none of this would be necessary if people had a little less inflated sense of self-importance and used a little common sense by either turning their phones off or putting them on vibrate, and then waiting for intermission or after the show to return the call. But I guess that's just too much to ask, isn't it?

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It's easy to forget, but there was theater before cell phones, and doctors attended performances. You leave your pager/phone/whatever with the staff, along with your name and seat number in case there's an emergency. So if your pager goes off, an usher can go and summon you.