Most of the time, when audience members enter a theatre to see a Broadway show, security checks their bags and they are required to walk through metal detectors, as a safety precaution.
Despite those typical protocols, one woman allegedly snuck a can of tuna into the theatre — and then had the audacity to open it in the middle of a show to eat it.
Alyssa Naka Silver, briefly shared her experience with the tuna eater on TikTok. In the video, the content creator is mugging at the camera with overlay text reading, “Me turning to the woman who opened a can of tuna and ate it during the second act of Cabaret last night.”
That scenario is a head-scratcher, for sure. People in the video’s comment section were just as appalled as Silver.
“A can of tuna is allowed in a theater but God forbid I bring in an electrolyte drink for my medical condition,” one person asked.
“Like WHY do you need your can of tuna in the middle of a cabaret? That is an at-home activity,” another commenter asked.
“But also, forgetting etiquette for a second. The second act of Cabaret runs for about 45 minutes. Could you not wait until you at least leave the theatre?” a great point, one commenter wrote.
Speaking of how to behave appropriately in a theatre, etiquette expert Lisa Mirza Grotts told the Daily Mail, “Your seat is not your living room. Show respect for those in the spotlight: actors, musicians, dancers, and fellow patrons.”
That means not eating random foods or scrolling on your phone in the middle of a performance.
“The only spotlight should be on the stage, not your phone. A glowing screen is disruptive to everyone. Power down and tune in,” Grotts told the outlet.
Although it may be tempting to rip open that bag of chips halfway through the show, Grotts said to save it for afterward.
“If it makes noise, it doesn’t belong until intermission,” the expert said.
“The general idea is that you are not at home. You’re in public and other people are around, so not bothering them is key,” said host of the etiquette podcast “Were You Raised By Wolves?” Nick Leighton, according to the Daily Mail.
“This includes bothering them with your noise and with your smells.”
And everyone knows a can of tuna is definitely smelly.
