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Awesome Etiquette: Hush Up Back There

Enlist the help of the theater manager when other audience members are a little too loud.
Helen Tosh
/
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Enlist the help of the theater manager when other audience members are a little too loud.

You've got season tickets to the theater, the seats are perfect, and you're looking forward to all of the performances. What's not to love? The new, noisy couple sitting behind you who also has season tickets, that's what.

A listener shared that he and his wife have recently found themselves sitting in front of two individuals who make sonorous comments during shows at their favorite performing arts center. Being season ticket holders with reserved seats, they are unsure how to address the problem. As tempting as it has been, they've refrained from giving the loud-mouths a dirty look or waving a finger to shush them, but feel the need to make their frustration known.

Fortunately, there is a course of action that can be taken. Alerting management of the problem is the way to go. Since this is not a one-off performance, the theater should have a record of where audience members are sitting and can then send an usher to alert the couple in question to keep their voices down.

But if it's not possible for management to intervene, you can always try the "turnaround." Simply glance back at the couple, without a glare or a look of disdain, to acknowledge that you can hear them.

If you have an etiquette question for us, send it to:  awesomeetiquette@emilypost.com

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