Andrew Dubber     

I went to see 8 sixteen 32 at the Birmingham Rep Theatre with Bobbie and her mum, who is staying with us on her way back to New Zealand. It was an amazing performance – four Grime artists trying to make it to the big time.

We were there because my friend and former business partner Mark de Clive-Lowe was their Musical Director and Producer, and he had raved about how great these guys were. And he was right to do so. They were just amazing.

Before the performance, as usually happens, there was announcement. No flash photography, no unauthorised filming, and please turn your cellphones off.

“Oh cool,” I thought. “You can take non-flash photos.”

And so I did. But apparently, that was the wrong conclusion to draw.

Now, I should say that I’m a perpetual tourist. I have a little compact camera I take with me everywhere. Anything I go to I think is interesting, I take photos, unless expressly forbidden to do so.

But on the way out of the theatre, a fellow audience member took to me to task.

In fact, that’s not a strong enough way of putting it. He really had a go at me. There was shouting.

At one point I thought he was going to punch me in the face and take my camera. The gist was – How dare I take photos during a performance?! Didn’t I know it was rude, offputting and absolutely against all rules of theatre?

And, of course, I totally get it. In fact, the whole time he was telling me off (more than 5 long minutes) all I could say was “you’re absolutely right – I’m really sorry…” Because, in retrospect, I don’t think I’d have taken photos (even the unobtrusive non-flash ones) in a traditional theatre performance.

But had it been a music gig – even a seated one like, say, in a theatre – I wouldn’t have hesitated. And while it bridged the barriers, my photographer’s brain thought “this is like a gig” while my fellow audience member’s brain thought “this is a play”.

It didn’t help matters that the man shouting at me was also an actor, who takes extraordinary offense at the likes of me in his own performances. And I totally understand his point of view.

I have some really great pictures of the night. And of course now I feel really bad about that fact. Especially if what I did was in any way offputting or distracting to the actors or the other members of the audience.

But I don’t think I was quite as offputting as the man a few rows back who shouted abuse, and had to be silenced by the people around him, a sound engineer and a steward. He nearly kicked off a fight at the end of the performance.

And while I’m not trying to downplay the gravity of my transgression, I really think the steward had other things on her mind while my accuser was pulling on her sleeve shouting “This man took photos!”

So, not to put too fine a point on it – I learned my lesson. I will never take photographs of any kind – no matter how stealthily – inside a theatre. I unreservedly apologise for any edge I took off the enjoyment of the performance for anyone – because it really was quite a remarkable show.

Worst of all – it kind of took the edge off it for me. I’m really not a fan of confrontation at all, and so while it had been a really incredibly enjoyable evening, my lasting impression of it is one of discomfort and embarrassment.

Rightly so, I guess – but such a shame.

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Tagged: Birmingham, Music, Performing Arts, Photography, Theatre