I pity the fool who bring a phone on stage!
One of many highlights of our recent Oslo Impro Festival was meeting a fellow improviser who shared the same pet peeve as me: Cell phones. And the improvisers who perform with them in their front or back pocket.
Here’s why I don’t care much for this thing (it is very much a thing):
- We can see it. That bulge in your pocket tells me, as an audience member, that whatever you’re creating on stage is less important to you than being available to the world outside the one you’ve just made. If you don’t care, why should I?
- We can hear it. Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzz. That’s the sound of you taking yourself, your partner and the audience out of the moment. Oh, you set yours to quiet mode? See next point.
- We can see it even more. Every time you get a call or alert the screen lights up through your pants. I’m drawn to it like a moth to a flame and it distracts me from your scene.
- We worry it might break. Worrying makes an audience uncertain while our job as improvisers is to make them feel safe.
- You should worry it might break. Phones are expensive and we’re not doing this for that big improv paycheck.
- You don’t need it. If you need a phone on stage do object work.
The only exception I can think of is when you’re expecting a very, very important phone call. If so, I’m guessing your mind’s already elsewhere and you’re not in the moment. Maybe sit this one out?
The super simple fix
Before you take the stage: Please take your phone out of your pocket. Then, leave it backstage.
Or… every time you watch your friend perform with a phone in their pocket you call them. Through the whole show. On second thought, please don’t. Share this post instead.
tl;dr the phone in your pocket takes us all out of the moment. Please leave it backstage.
Thank you for reading!
