BEING AN ACTOR is not easy especially when you’re acting on stage and people are being incredibly distracting and rude. Well that is what happened to Wicklow actor Niall Sheehy who is currently starring in the critically acclaimed ‘Titanic: The Musical’.
On Tuesday night, he was performing in Nottingham and it seems that himself and his fellow actors became distracted by two women who were watching the penalty shootout between England and Colombia on their phones instead of the play.
Niall took to Twitter to vent his frustration at the situation.
To the two women in the front row tonight who not only followed the penalty shootout on their phone, but also said “yesss” on each goal scored, you are the most ignorant audience members I have ever had the misfortune to perform in front of.
— Niall Sheehy (@niallsheehy) July 3, 2018
According to Niall, the women wouldn’t put away their phone even after being signalled to do so by a cast member which enraged Niall even further.
And when a cast member signalled “put your phone away” during the bows and you smiled, gave a thumbs up and replied “I know - we won!!”, I think you may have let us all know you are the stupidest woman on the planet. Please avoid attending any future theatrical productions.
— Niall Sheehy (@niallsheehy) July 3, 2018
In fairness if you’re at a play, you shouldn’t be on your phone and even if your country is in a penalty shootout, you shouldn’t then watch a livestream of it and distract the actors. It’s rude and it’s disrespectful.
Other actors in the production also vented their anger at what unfolded.
Dumbfounded. 2 ladies, 1 older 1 middle aged, slap bang front row clearly watching football on phones during the most poignant moment of lifeboats scene, cheering & giggling like stupid schoolgirls. To say I’m raging is an understatement! They should be marched out in disgrace!😡
— Kieran Brown (@Kierbro) July 3, 2018
If you come to theatre to see the show do not...I say do not... sit there on your phone to watch the World Cup!!! Stay at home!! it’s so disrespectful!!especially if you are sat in the front row!!!! #manners 😡😡😡 #GoHome
— Stephen webb (@stephenwebb1983) July 3, 2018
Some people were trying to defend the behaviour as it was the first time England had won a penalty shoot out in donkey’s years but of course, they could have tried to swap their tickets or just not gone at all.
As Niall himself said, it’s more the fact that other audience members couldn’t concentrate on what was happening.
Thanks for the support (and massive amounts of hate lol).
— Niall Sheehy (@niallsheehy) July 5, 2018
To be clear; we aren’t telling ourselves this story, so it doesn’t upset US that we can’t concentrate - it’s the rest of the audience that we would like to be able to listen to what they paid to see.
And if anyone says ‘But football’s coming home!’to try and justify this behaviour, I will personally ensure that THAT Maroon 5 ad will follow you around until the end of your days.
