A lesson in theatre etiquette.

Theatre practitioners often hope that respect naturally manifests during a production. Unfortunately, it rarely does. Respect is the most crucial, yet often unspoken, rule in theatre. Even when an audience disrespects an actor or disrupts a scene, no one explicitly calls them out.

Theatre is a carefully crafted experience, designed for the audience. By purchasing a ticket, the audience enters into an unspoken contract: "Whatever the actors present, whatever the content, even if it falls short of expectations, I will sit quietly, watch the performance, and reserve my comments and judgments for later."

There are times when the audience might not enjoy the experience designed for them. Should they bite their lips and remain in their seats? Yes. Why? Because that is how you show respect for the actors and their craft.

What you should never do is abruptly stand up and walk out in the middle of a performance. Whatever reason you might have for doing so, it is unacceptable and shows complete disrespect for the actors and the production as a whole.

If you have experienced trauma and cannot endure certain content, it is your responsibility to research the theatre production beforehand. Do not purchase tickets or participate in any performance that might trigger your trauma. It is your duty to protect yourself, not for the production to endure your disrespect due to your trauma.

The same principle applies to those who take phone calls during a performance. If you are expecting an important call, do not attend the show. If you think it's acceptable to leave your seat repeatedly to answer calls, completely disregarding the actors on stage, you are being profoundly disrespectful.

I have attended theatres in Singapore and London where it is rare for audience members to behave poorly. In these places, theatre has become a cultural norm, and both the spoken and unspoken rules of theatre etiquette are widely respected. Unfortunately, here, it is rare to attend a production where the audience behaves appropriately.

What’s even worse is when audience members fail to recognise their own inappropriate behaviour, so ignorant of the disrespect they’re showing.

Personally, I believe there are only three types of audience members who can be forgiven for their mistakes in the theatre: (1) those who rarely attend and are unaware of proper theatre etiquette, (2) senior members who may forget to make necessary preparations before the show (like silencing their phones), and (3) those who experience a health emergency, such as a sudden coughing fit.

When these situations arise, the burden often falls on the production team or other audience members to offer assistance or a gentle reminder in a respectful manner.

I am not writing this to criticise anyone. But if we truly love theatre, we must learn to respect it. Whatever disrespect has occurred, let it be the last time. Let us ensure that there will be no second or third occurrence.