I
have to say I agree with Imelda Staunton's call for a ban on eating and
drinking in theatres during performances.
After
all, there's usually an interval, which is the ideal time to seek refreshments
if required, but I do appreciate that this is also the occasion when many women
spend the entire time queuing for the loo (or is that just me?)
It
appears to be a widespread problem, and not just with noisy snacks either. One actor said he'd seen a person in the
front row of a theatre in which he was performing produce a full fish supper,
complete with mushy peas, which was then consumed with gusto during the
play. This did distract him,
particularly as the smell of the food wafted towards the stage.
This
won't be popular, but I would also like to see noisy junk food banned in
cinemas. I wouldn't ban popcorn,
although I did nearly choke on a kernel once while watching a film but did it
so quietly that husband didn't even realise until I informed him afterwards.
But
is there anything worse when watching a film than having a critical moment in
the plot ruined by the ear-shatteringly loud rustling of a crisp packet, family
size Minstrels bag or similar? Or the
slurp of the end of the slushy cup just to make sure it's empty?
Please
don't get me started on people who use their phones during performances either!
I
went to watch Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them on the day it was
released - very good, highly recommended, bit dark in places so not appropriate
for very young children - and lo and behold, at several times during the film
there was the glow of a mobile. Not just
a quick glance to check the time or to see if there'd been an emergency either,
people were just sitting there staring at their screens.
Can't
we please just engage in one activity and spend a couple of hours watching a
play or film without eating, drinking or looking at our phones?
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