Controversy Arises as Woman Attends ‘The Tempest’ with Infant in Audience

A highly anticipated production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” featuring the esteemed Sir Kenneth Branagh, faced unexpected disruptions due to an unusual guest—a baby—in the audience. This incident unfolded during a matinee at the renowned Royal Shakespeare Company’s theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The unexpected presence of a baby, brought in by a young woman, prompted significant discontent among the theatre-goers. Many attendees expressed their frustration, with some demanding refunds. This led to the decision that the woman and her child would not be allowed back for the second half of the performance.

Sian Morgan, a 53-year-old theatre enthusiast from London, shared her astonishment at the incident. “I’ve been attending the theatre monthly for over three decades, and I’ve never encountered anything like this,” she remarked.

She described the situation, noting, “The baby was in the audience and made noises throughout the first act. Although there wasn’t any crying, the gurgling and cooing were distinctly audible, continuing persistently.”

The mother and child were seated in the second circle, the highest tier in the compact theatre. This ensured that the sounds reached everyone present, including Sir Kenneth Branagh and his fellow cast members.

The play, known for its dramatic opening with a fierce storm, seemed to have startled the baby. “If the baby was asleep at the start, the thunder and lightning certainly woke it up, and the noises continued for the rest of the hour,” Morgan explained.

‘Theatre audiences generally are very tolerant and progressive but it was ruining it for everyone as it made it so hard to concentrate – and by the end people were audibly tutting and turning around to show their displeasure.

‘When the lights came up for the intermission there were queues of people lining up to complain at the ticket desks and even the ushers were being barracked about it.

‘I heard people saying they wouldn’t go back in for the second act unless they were assured the baby wasn’t admitted again – and they were asking for refunds too.

‘But then amazingly I saw the woman herself and she was completely unapologetic. She was a bohemian middle class type accompanied by an older woman who I think must have been her mother and she seemed to think that everyone was being unreasonable in asking her not to come back in.

‘I heard her saying, “She’s only a baby – and she’ll probably fall asleep soon anyway”. It did seem extraordinarily entitled to be honest – a weird arrogance when it was plain she had massively overstepped the mark.

‘Finally some very stressed manager type did gently insist that it wasn’t fair on other audience members for them to return for the second part but she could watch it from the cafe on TV monitors.

‘But she was so desperate not to upset anyone it was comical.’

Another audience member said: ‘The whole joy of Shakespeare is to become immersed in it – which is why it’s so important for the audience to be respectful of the occasion and not to disturb the thing by looking at their phones or talking or whatever.

‘No one wanted to be mean to a young mother but it was simply extraordinary that she seemed unable to read the room and to take the baby outside when it began being noisy.

‘I was in a party of four and had paid something like £400 for our tickets and made a six-hour round trip to be here at something we had looked forward to for months and this completely ruined it.

‘Of course Branagh was a complete trooper and you could never have told he’d heard it but it definitely changed the atmosphere in the auditorium completely and made the audience jittery and tetchy.

‘It was a real shame.’

Among the audience was former Home Secretary Lord Blunkett, who is blind and so depends particularly on being able to hear clearly to follow theatre.

Asked about the baby episode as he left the performance he joked: ‘I said to the person sitting next to me: “I’m very tolerant but I’m not sure the baby’s getting anything out of this”.’

The show, attended by The King last month, is one of the most eagerly anticipated theatre events of the decade and sold out within hours of tickets going on sale last year, with tickets costing up to £112.

It sees Sir Kenneth return to the RSC for the first time in 30 years in a production directed by Sir Richard Eyre.

It is also a milestone for the actor as although he has appeared in some 35 productions of Shakespeare before, it is the first time he has taken on the part of Prospero, the main part in what many regard as The Bard’s greatest play.

The RSC declined to comment on the episode but pointed to the guidance on its website which states that ‘babes in arms’ are not specifically barred from any performance but suggests that ‘they and their parents may feel more comfortable’ at so-called ‘chilled performances’.

The RSC declined to comment on the episode but pointed to the guidance on its website which states that ‘babes in arms’ are not specifically barred from any performance. Pictured: File photo of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon

These one-off shows, also known as relaxed performances, are intended to increase inclusivity and see the theatre lights not fully dimmed and ticket purchasers are informed in advance that some members of the audience may make noise during the show.

While saying young babies may be admitted to any show, the guidance adds: ‘However, if the baby is disturbing others, an adult from the party may need to watch the show from the screen outside of the auditorium with the baby.’