By | Shital Kakkar Mehra | Executive Presence Coach for CEOs I Business Communication Expert I Best-selling Author I Co-Founder Katalyst, NGO
How often have we seen the person seated next to us in the movie theatre, speaking non-stop on his/her cell phone or one patron explaining in great detail to another, the intricacies of the theatre performance or people arriving late and falling over us trying to get to their seat? With operas, orchestras, music concerts and Bollywood forming a growing part of urban entertainment in Indian cities, there is a need to understand our responsibilities as an audience.
Attire: In operas & classical music performances, one gets to see the entire spectrum from tuxedos/ gowns to jeans/sneakers! As a simple rule, for outdoor events/ movies, “dress down” and for events like opera, classical music performances & ballet, go formally attired.
Be on time: Arrive early to spot your friends, family and of course your seat! Resist the urge to be seen and to network till the last minute. Be seated a few minutes before the start of the performance.
Tickets: Keep them handy and retain stubs till the end of the performance. If you have invited friends who are running late, leave their tickets with the doorman.
Taking Your Seats: Allow ushers to guide you. Facing the stage, move down the aisle to your seat, saying a polite “excuse me” and “thank you” to the patrons already seated. Sit on your own seat and not the one you wished for, disrupting proceedings when the person shows up! During the performance, if you need to step out, do not return to your seat till there is a break. If seated in the premium box in an opera, adjust your seats to make sure that everyone gets a good view.
Audience Behavior: No talking, rattling, slurping and eating crunchy snacks. Control the urge to cough, keeping cough drops handy. Get a seat near the aisle if you wish to exit several times. If you are allowed to take video footage/ camera, do so unobtrusively in the aisles. Turn off cell phones. Share the arm rests. If accompanied by “little patrons”, brief them on the expected behavior. At classical music performances, if the conductor raises his/her baton, stop clapping and resume clapping at the end of the piece. At the end of the performance, the conductor will bow and point to all the members of the orchestra – this is a good time to clap, maybe even a standing ovation.
Intermission: Great time to refresh and network but find your way back to your seat a few minutes before the start of the show.
Exiting: Exiting a few minutes before the end of the performance to reach the car park first, is upsetting for the performing artistes. Avoid stampedes and blocking the aisles by chatting about the concluded show.
Republished with permission and originally published at Shital Kakkar Mehra’s LinkedIn
