Frustrating phones (From The Oxford Times)

Frustrating phones

8:00am Thursday 9th August 2012 in Letters

Sir – I am writing regarding a concert I attended at the Sheldonian Theatre on August 2, where I was sitting in the upper gallery. At the beginning of the concert we were told that mobile phones should be turned off, and not just to ‘silent’.

As soon as the concert started, four people in front of me immediately got out their mobile phones, and kept them on for the entire first half of the concert.

Two of those people proceeded to play computer games on their phones continually, with the inevitable interaction between them that games involve. They had no interest in listening to the concert, and blatantly ignored the request by the theatre for everyone to ensure their mobile phones were turned off. This was a constant distraction (as they were in my vision all the time), and considerably detracted from the performance of the concert for me (and perhaps others). It is extremely disappointing that some people have such blatant disregard for the rules of the theatre and enjoyment of those around them. I left at the interval because I was so frustrated by the behaviour of the people in front of me, as it was difficult to enjoy the concert in such an environment. I did complain to a steward at the interval, but of course by then, the piece of music I specifically wanted to listen to (Rachmaninov’s No 3 piano concerto) had finished.

Kevin Henderson Witney