Picture this: you are at the theatre, a beautiful gilt and red velvet one no less; you are watching an amazing ballet with music that makes you want to weep; you are with someone you love, or at least like a lot presumably if you are on an evening out with them. How lovely.
Why then, as soon as the curtains go down and the lights go up, do you whip out your phone? WHY!?
The other day at work, I looked down over the auditorium and half the audience were lit up by their phones, ipads etc. A couple right beside me were both scrolling blank faced through their Facebook feeds and not talking to each other. I don't understand. If they like each other enough to spend an evening at the theatre together, why aren't they talking? Or should I say, why aren't they talking to each other, as it's likely they were both in communication with the rest of the world.
Perhaps they weren't together. I assumed they were because they were having a snog in the back row at the end. But maybe they were strangers who got so caught up in the romance of Romeo and Juliet that they just got carried away. That would be a nice story.
Two days before I had to tell someone off for using their mobile during the first act of Parsifal. Yes, ok, it is really really really long, but you obviously want to see it or why would you have bought a ticket? Wagner is expensive: too expensive to ignore.
Basically that's just rude. It's so annoying to have the person next to you burst your otherworldly bubble by shining the light of the internet in your face when you had managed to forget they were there for a moment despite the fact they have the sniffles.
But if you don't care about other people's enjoyment then think of the performers. Those people on the stage, they have been singing not just for hours this evening, but for months in rehearsal. Why is it ok to act like they aren't worthy of your attention? That they are less worthy of your attention than Gus, someone you vaguely remember from school, who has posted a funny picture of his dog in a shark costume. You couldn't possibly miss that.
It just makes me sad, you know, that these phone people never seem to be happy where they are. That they can't just be with who they're with, but have to hang on to the connection with the rest of the world.
Don't you think that maybe, by always being plugged in, you miss something. The world looks so much better through your eyes than on the screen of whatever device you have now.
And that's another thing. Why so people film stuff...shows I mean. To remember it? If you are filming, you aren't seeing it properly so what are you remembering? A grainy dark image and the concentration of holding the camera straight whilst hiding it from ushers.
Or are you filming to put it online and tell the world how much you are enjoying your life?
Hmmm...
Just stop it. Instead, why not watch, and listen, and see the person next to you.
Here's a little video because this is what you look like:
