The Stage

Chit chat - The ring cycle

Published Friday 7 April 2006 at 16:50

News reaches Tabard’s ears that Irish theatre managements have decided to declare war on mobiles that ring during performances, following recent incidents at Dublin’s Gate and Abbey Theatres.

At the Gate, Ralph Fiennes was delivering the final, crucial monologue in the sell-out production of Brian Friel’s Faith Healer when a mobile went off. Its owner, seated in the front row, felt the actor would see her if she reached into her handbag to switch it off. So she let it ring… and ring.

Finally, amid growing consternation among the audience and stage staff, Fiennes pointed to her and said: “Turn that fucking thing off.” When she did so, he smiled and joked: “I’ll heal you later.” Then, in the true style of an Oscar nominee, he carried on with the monologue.

At the Abbey, a few nights later, the same thing happened. A mobile phone rang in the opening minutes of a new production of The Bacchae of Baghdad, written and directed by Conal Morrison. This time no one intervened and ringing went on and on, much to the annoyance of cast and audience.

In a bid to avoid such disruption the front of house manager at the Gate, Vincent Brightling, has launched his own initiative, carrying a sign around the auditorium to remind theatre goers to have their phones switched off.

But mobiles have now become such a problem that some theatres, including the Gate, are investigating whether they can legally install technology that would prevent them from ringing while they are being carried on the premises. I’m sure Richard Griffiths, who suffered a similar incident in London’s West End, would also be pleased.