The Royal Court’s decision to ban theatregoers from bringing in single-use plastic bottles is utterly ludicrous suggests Matthew Steeples
The Royal Court Theatre on Sloane Square is a venerable institution. It is a place where Alec Guinness and Laurence Olivier have performed and it has hosted productions directed by Sam Mendes and Tony Richardson.
Now, however, this theatre – which decided to display a ‘Stop Trump’ banner on its frontage during the 2018 visit by the 45th President of the United States of America – has “gone too far in banning theatregoers from bringing in single-use water bottles” according to Ann Treneman of The Times.
Of the move, speaking to the Evening Standard, the theatre’s artistic director, Vicky Featherstone, stated: “[Single-use water bottles will] be banned and I think it’s really important that it is banned… [It’s not about] nannying people. It is really important that people have to think about how they come in to the space and what it means.”
Whilst all this “going net zero carbon” is all very well, the theatre’s decision to force people to “surrender” their plastic bottles “at the stalls door smacks of airport security, not a night out,” continues Treneman. I’d go further and add that this policy is utterly ludicrous. The Royal Court Theatre should keep it’s beak out of what people consume and stick to what it does best – producing the very best plays.
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Carrying single use plastic bottles around is a disgusting habit. If you have to carry a water bottle get a proper one or better still a Negroni bottle
I agree with you about a Negroni bottle being preferential of course, but a theatre should stick to selling tickets to their plays and not telling people what to drink or drink out of.
A standing ovation for the Royal Court Theatre for taking a stand on this.Those who are unable to utilise a large metal flask of Negroni should be using re-usable water bottles. The planet is not going to save itself from the environmental damage that we are inflicting upon it, and compared to the cost of a theatre ticket taking away someone’s plastic water bottle is a negligible expense and may make people think more about the harm that we are all inflicting upon the planet
Well I for one don’t wish to listen to crackling sweet wrappers and noisy slurping full stop in the theatre. People should wait till the interval. More vulgar habits sending the country down the drain.
I am a pensioner and I need to make sure I have enough liquid in me when I sit through a production. So I won’t be going to that theatre again. The £10 Monday night ticket was a good deal — but I will not surrender my water bottle to anyone.
No wonder nobody goes to the theatre these days. Netflix and chill.