Rihanna is at the centre of a "theatre etiquette" debate on Twitter and, although she's currently minding her business in South Korea right now, things are getting very heated.
It all started when Rih made a pitstop at the Golden Theatre in New York on Sunday to watch the Broadway show Slave Play.
Pictures of Rihanna meeting the cast and crew of the show hit social media and everything seemed well with the world...until it wasn't.
The writer of Slave Play, Jeremy O. Harris, tweeted after the show saying that he had held the curtain because his idol was running late. He also revealed that he had received complimentary texts from the singer during the show.
Two things I learned today about the Type of theatre maker I am: When my idol texts that she’s running late. I hold the curtain for her. When my idol texts me during a play I’ve written, I respond.
But, although Harris clearly didn't have a problem, critics quickly pounced on the tweet, calling the behaviour "rude" and "disruptive".
@SlavePlayBway @rihanna @EmilioMK @jeremyoharris @JKalukango @_SullyJones @irenesofialucio @TheThomasKeegan She texted throughout the performance. Multiple “common” audience members who paid for their tickets have confirmed this. Stop applauding her behavior.
"Texting during a show is unacceptable. As is starting late for anyone who thinks they’re better than a paying audience of theatre goers," one said. "Rihanna is amazing but check that privilege."
When Harris questioned a critic, they suggested he should condemn Rihanna's behaviour instead of praising it before pointing out a similar situation involving Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda and Madonna.
@jeremyoharris I don’t understand why you aren’t condemning that behavior :/ Lin was right to condemn Madonna. Her doing that throughout the show is incredibly disrespectful to the rest of the audience. And also to the cast....
In 2015, Miranda apparently "banned" Madonna from attending any further Hamilton shows after she "spent that time on her phone", something Madonna's reps apparently denied.
At the time, Hamilton actor Jonathan Groff added: "That bitch was on her phone. You couldn’t miss it from the stage. It was a black void of the audience in front of us and her face there perfectly lit by the light of her iPhone through three-quarters of the show."
However, Harris said that while he respected Lin's stance, he didn't share it himself, saying that he wasn't interested in "policing anyone's relationship to watching a play".
@somedayboy I respect Lin’s position, I just don’t share it. I’m not interested in policing anyone’s relationship to watching a play ESPECIALLY someone who isn’t a part of the regular theatregoing crowd. Moreover, as ppl on this site know I’m famously ambivalent abt phone use in theatre.
When someone else noted that "proper theatre etiquette" is a relatively new thing, Harris pointed out that in the past, an audience would openly voice their opinion during the show.
@BarbotRobot @willarbery Like LITERALLY!!!!! A century ago etiquette in nyc was lit yelling at performers you disliked to leave the stage.
Coming to Rihanna's defence, Harris also added that he had watched from backstage and didn't see any issue with the singer sending "three texts" during the show, joking that it was "lower than my mother's average".
@RachelG8489 @diepthought I watched in the mirror above...I also received the texts. She sent 3 texts randomly throughout the 3 act play. Abt the plah. Which is Lower than my mother’s average
And, keen to point out a double standard, the playwright also retweeted a post about how the curtain had apparently been held for Mike Pence's arrival at Hamilton.
https://t.co/sqh0N6bFP5
