What Gives You The Right To Turn On Your Phone During The Show

Saw Fiddler for my 21st time tonight, But this post is not about that. In the second act, this jerk lights up her phone right before a heart wrenching scene where Golde tells Tevye that their daughter, Khave, has married a Russian. I’ve been really good lately with phones and talking and crinkling wrappers in the theatre but when I saw that this jerk was going to peruse her phone, I leaned over and quietly but forcibly said, “will you please turn that off!” She was scared and quickly shut her phone off. It remained off for the rest of this amazing production. I think Patti would have been proud of me.

Maybe it was the creepy nudie snapper from Frankie & Johnny hoping Jackie Hoffman would have a wardrobe malfunction!

Updated On: 7/24/19 at 11:51 PM

What gives me the right??? I am Zeus, all powerful and all knowing. I am the Lord.

Seriously, someone turned on their phone. Shame on them. You told them to turn it off. They did, Good for you. Everyone should do that. I've done this dozens of times. Really not that big of a deal.

I think we can also try and be understanding. At Moulin Rouge the other night I had to look at my phone to quickly respond to emergency work texts. I was in the middle of the row and would have made a bigger fuss by leaving. The patron next to me was clearly perturbed. At intermission I apologized to him and explained the situation. He seemed to be grateful for the apology. We’re all human.

Updated On: 7/24/19 at 09:05 AM

uncageg said: "Kudos to you.

I have read on the other threads where people complain but do nothing about it. If it is happening next to or near me, I address it. I have even gone to staff at intermission and pointed people out.

It just amazes my why people don't say anything but we live in a world where people just seem to ignore it or can't handle the confrontation. JMO"

I avoid confrontation, but also, complaining to someone about cellphone usage will also bother more audience members as you’ll have to talk during the performance... also, some people don’t quietly put their phones away, some people even in the wrong feel the need to talk back or justify their actions, making the whole thing even worse...

Updated On: 7/24/19 at 09:45 AM

Pashacar said: "theatregoer3 said: "I think we can also try and be understanding. At Moulin Rouge the other night I had to look at my phone to quickly respond to emergency work texts. I was in the middle of the row and would have made a bigger fuss by leaving. The patron next to me was clearly perturbed. At intermission I apologized to him and explained the situation. He seemed to be grateful for the apology. We’re all human."

Sorry, but no. If you knew you had to answer an email or text that couldn't wait the 60-90 minutes until intermission, you should not have entered that theatre. Simple as that."



And forgo the hundreds of dollars they paid? I don't think they should've taken their phone out either, but they explained and apologized after which was appropriate. Also people have last minute emergencies they can't help. If anything happens in my life where id need my phone possibly, should I just avoid that entire event?

CT2NYC said: "Mike Barrett said: "If anything happens in my life where id need my phone possibly, should I just avoid that entire event?"

If it infringes on others, yes."

Fair. But if an emergency happens last minute, when I've pre paid for this ticket months in advance, should I just not go then? Its one thing if you're expecting a phone call, and I agree he shouldn't have brought his phone out as I said, but they seemed to do so quickly without disturbing and apologized immediately after when it was appropriate. Idk I don't think this one is a huge issue especially compared to others.

Mike Barrett said: "CT2NYC said: "Mike Barrett said: "If anything happens in my life where id need my phone possibly, should I just avoid that entire event?"

If it infringes on others, yes."

Fair. But if an emergency happens last minute, when I've pre paid for this ticket months in advance, should I just not go then?"

If something happens in your life, and you still go to the theatre, then it's not an emergency, and there's no reason to need your phone. If it's a true emergency, then no, you shouldn't go, regardless of how long ago you bought the ticket, or how much you spent. I don't think this is difficult to understand, since it's just common sense. For example, if a family member is in the hospital, and you go to the theatre anyway, being rude to the strangers around you by checking your phone for updates, then you're just a terrible person. If it's important enough to need your phone, then it's important enough to skip the show.

Updated On: 7/24/19 at 01:27 PM

CT2NYC said: "Mike Barrett said: "CT2NYC said: "Mike Barrett said: "If anything happens in my life where id need my phone possibly, should I just avoid that entire event?"

If it infringes on others, yes."

Fair. But if an emergency happens last minute, when I've pre paid for this ticket months in advance, should I just not go then?"

If something happens in your life, and you still go to the theatre, then it's not an emergency, and there's no reason to need your phone. If it's a true emergency, then no, you shouldn't go, regardless of how long ago you bought the ticket, or how much you spent. I don't think this is difficult to understand, since it's just common sense."

A work emergency can come up last minute, and id assume the poster wants to keep his job. Not many people have the $ to go to more than a Broadway show or two a year, if that. This situation sounds totally harmless. You can't exchange tickets normally, so thats not an option for people. Nor do they have another date they can go. The poster apologized and clearly recognized their wrongdoing here, so I don't think we need to stomp on him for it. It is rude, and selfish, and they apologized. The annoyed patron accepted and acknowledged their apology. Whats so awful?

But EVERYONE thinks THEIR reason is a good one. It's not. Again: his phone was supposed to be OFF, if he felt there was no way the call/text could be avoided - he shouldn't have taken his seat and stood in the back so as not to disturb anyone else.

Honestly, forgetting to turn your phone off is a better "excuse" then knowingly accepting/answering a text mid-performance.



A reason is NOT the same thing as an excuse.

I agree phone should have never been brought out, however I think this poster handled this well and the best way he could if he was going to use a phone. I think there are far worse examples of phones being brought out during a show to rag on.

EllieRose2 said: "You can't exchange tickets normally, so thats not an option for people. Nor do they have another date they can go.

None of that is accurate in my experience. On my way to After Midnight,I got an emergency call from work. I went directly to work, called the theater and they were more than happy to exchange my ticket. You have no idea if people can go another time or date. You don't seem to get it, but luckily everyone here is telling you all the right stuff, so you will get that it's never okay to do anything like that. Have an emergency? Don't attend. It's a very easy decision if you are a decent person in the world."

This is Moulin Rouge, and not After Midnight. Moulin Rouge is a big ticket sold out hit, where After Midnight was not. No disrespect to After Midnight or anything, but with a show like Moulin Rouge I don't believe exchanges are easy or viable at all. Even if so, the amount of availability is lessened. Also I understand that, and everyone seems to ignore my comment where I've said he shouldn't have taken his phone out in the first place but thats fine.