Overview
- During an early June matinee of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s sell-out production of The Tempest, a baby made persistent noises through the first act that audience members said disrupted concentration.
- At the interval dozens of patrons queued to complain and some requested refunds after they felt the disturbance had ruined their experience.
- Front of house staff asked the mother and baby not to re-enter for the second half and offered the family the option to watch on TV monitors in the theatre café.
- The RSC pointed to its online ‘babes in arms’ guidance that allows infants to attend but says disruptive children may be asked to watch from an external screen, and the company declined further comment.
- Reporters and commentators have placed the incident alongside recent problems such as phone use in theatres, prompting renewed discussion about enforcing etiquette while keeping performances accessible for parents and disabled patrons who rely on clear sound.