Sweet dreams are now my theatre nightmare

I am writing to vent my frustration and to plead with Cork theatregoers to please, please, STOP eating sweets during stage performances.

I attend the wonderful theatres of Cork city quite frequently ie, Cork Opera House, Everyman Palace, Firkin Crane, Cat Club etc, and I am astounded at the increasing amount of audience members who munch, chomp, and gorge their way through entire plays. And no,the offending culprits are not young children or teenagers but surprisingly mature men and women.

They open a bag of sweets as soon as the play commences and “quietly” and “slowly” draw out the chosen sweet, unwrap it methodically, the crackle of the paper echoing in the hush of the theatre. If they are with a companion the bag of sweets gets offered around and the same irritating charade ensues. No amount of subtle looks seem to quell their appetites.