Wall Street Journal critic Terry Teachout examines some issues surrounding text messaging during performances.

Wall Street Journal

What do you think?

Interesting article.

In my humble opinion , why on earth would you actually encourage people, especially young people, to text during a performance? Have marketing and PR tactics really gotten to that stage for the performing arts? What information are you possibly going to extract during a show that you would not be able to get after the show? Would it really be less effective to call or text a friend after a performance or the next day and say, "hey I just saw the most amazing show and you have to go see it"?

For me, the theater is an intimate experience and if some idiot is near me in the audience texting, tweeting, or whatever on a cell phone it distracts me and just makes me so angry, especially if it is a good performance. I tell ya what though.... When performers are allowed to text onstage, then and ONLY then can audience members be allowed to text during a performance. HA!

A couple of weeks ago I went to see Strictly Come Dancing Live (known as Dancing with the Stars elsewhere) at the Liverpool Arena. We were encouraged to have our phones on to text votes. 10p of the cost of each text goes to the Sport Aid charity. A worthwhile cause but it still felt bizarre!

So you actually paid money to send a text during a performance?

I voted for the celebrity dancing with my favourite pro - it didn't do any good because they still didn't win! Still it was for a good cause.

I first experienced the texting phenomenon at a performance in Manchester a couple of years ago. It was the Schauffus Company performing Diana The Princess - A Celebration. I hope I don't come over as elitist because it's not my intention but the audience was not my experience of a usual theatre crowd and a lot of them had their phones on and were texting during the performance.

Last week I saw Akram Khan's company perform Bahok at the Lowry. I did ask the young man in front of me to turn off his phone about 10 minutes into the performance.

About two years ago, during rehearsals for a show I was lighting, I was puzzled as to why one of the followspots was shaky and erratic...which question was answered when I went up to the balcony and discovered the 16-year-old operator simultaneously running his cues and texting.