Audience needs a course in theatre etiquette

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">Cell phones ringing incessantly, people munching away loudly on crisps, children stomping their feet or yelling in a bid for some attention, individuals chatting with each other amicably... no it isn''t the park! For we seem to be stuck in the middle of a nightmarish experience that would actually be called theatre, had these sounds not waged a war against the vocal prowess of the artists performing on stage.<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Chandigarh Times</span> makes an effort to understand why denizens behave the way they do.<br /><br />Attitude is the culprit... Plays by big sponsors who bring in theatre groups from outside attract city goers like bees to honey. "Theatre here is more of a social activity rather than appreciation of art. It''s a question of being seen rather than seeing what the stage has to offer," theatreperson Neelam Mansingh Choudhry is of the opinion. The difference in theatre audiences in bigger cities and Chandigarh lies in their profiles.<br /><br />"Watching a play in Mumbai means spending a considerable effort on commuting. Here plans are made on the spur of the moment," she explains. KK Raina, recently in the city for staging of Jameela Bai Kalaali, is in agreement. "Many audiences lack the sensitivity that a play requires. At the heart of the problem is a need for discipline," he avers.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">Respect is a requisite... to enter the auditorium itself! CT''s case in point refers to a supposed play enthusiast who goes out on a limb to obtain a pass, but instead of watching the play spends her entire time trying to find a place to sit beside a friend or acquaintance. She manages to disturb countless aficionados in the process and has no idea what is transpiring on stage. On the other hand, you have a girl quietly translating the entire goings-on of the stage to an American who doesn''t understand the language, without so much as a peep. The former could definitely learn a thing or two about respect from this one.<br /><br />Discipline the only solution... is what most theatrepersons insist on. "Since the city has no tradition of theatre, it will take some time for people to learn its ethics. But they need to be receptive to our requests too," states Sahib Singh, president of city based Adakar Manch. Neelam on the other hand, feels that one has to get militant for people to accept change.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal">"Discipline has to be internalised from the very beginning. For change is a silent revolution and discipline an important part of that. It also has a lot to do with respect," she avers. However, Atul Khanna of the Durga Das Foundation insists that most audiences at plays that they bring to the city are disciplined.<br /><br />"Sometimes the phone does ring but we''re trying to prevent that from happening," he says. Responsibility of theatrepersons... "It is important for theatre people to take up the responsibility of enforcing theatre etiquette. Ushers should be trained and stationed at strategic positions in the hall so that they can stop anyone causing disturbance.<br /><br />Better yet tell them to leave the auditorium," noted theatre person Prof Mohan Maharishi affirms. "For courtesy is not only given to the actors on stage but to fellow spectators as well," he adds.</div> </div>