Security

I dont' think anyone started or commented on the post to be offensive. There's two sides to increased security- the side that is concerned with disruption to the show through drunk customers/people filming/people smuggling in an entire Pizza Hut Buffet that theatres are concerned about to different degrees. Then there's also the (I think we can all agree) reality of life that anywhere COULD be a terrorist target and high profile/high density areas are indeed targets.

I don't think anyone here has crossed any line of 'decency' whichever side they've discussed.

To get back on track, there's also the 'invisible' security at theatres we don't see- especially in larger venues like the NT, Barbican, WMC and others, which is all the monitoring of the building, patrolling and general safety stuff the security personnel do- it's more than just bag searches. And again, if it stops one person getting hurt well it's certainly not really hurting the rest of us.

I'm a bit confused why we're arguing about the likelihood of an attack and whether that's offensive to people. Terrorism by its very nature is offensive, but unfortunately we seem to be stuck with it for the foreseeable.

Surely the evidence so far suggests that those who wish us harm generally target places where people 1) gather together and 2) can't escape easily. Shopping centres, modes of transport, schools and, yes, entertainment venues, whether that's a football stadium or a nightclub.

We see it time and again, whether it's Islamist terrorists, the IRA or even that misfit at the US school with the weaponry he really shouldn't have access to.

The fact that security occasionally gets ramped up in theatres, dies down and then gets ramped up again certainly suggests that their teams are taking advice from the police/security services. So unfortunately I'd say yes, they probably are a target.

The best we can do is trust the security services, hope it doesn't happen to us, and keep going about our daily business. The theatres still seem pretty full so I don't think the population are exactly cowering in fear.

No, that's not possible. 

I want to say you can turn off notifications for a particular thread, then you just have to avoid it and you'll never be any the wiser what's going on inside. Worth investigating?

Saw this on Twitter yesterday:

I had a thought last night, whilst trying to sleep... they should really start searching people who leave the theatre during the interval.

But we have armed police outside Buckingham Palace apparently. 

I mean, really? 

Yes. Definitely.

Quite a bit, I think. Certainly ATG & National have told patrons to arrive earlier than normal & expect more security/checks at their theatres.

For anyone heading that way the security is really tights- basically one way in and out with barriers and searches. They were also only allowing ticket holders and those with passes in after a certain point we were told today. This was an overnight switch as yesterday all was open as normal.

Really heavy police presence down there too.

The NFL games at Wembley seem to have a rule where ladies can take in their purses and clutch bags, but have to put them first in an approved clear plastic bag, as if this will somehow miraculously make them safer - "Small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap can be taken into the stadium with one of the clear plastic bags." I have serious doubts about the efficacy of security theatre - far better to prevent a would-be attacker from leaving their house with a bomb in the first place.

If I wanted to disrupt a crowd, the Open Air Theatre would be SO far down my list of priorities. I said it earlier in the thread, and I still genuinely believe that theatre's slightly unfortunate reputation for elitism will put theatres pretty far down the list of risky places to be. Absolutely let's have enhanced security at the bigger events, like Cursed Child or the National, but I honestly don't think there's much risk in, say, a regular Old Vic visitor knowing how to get in the building without using the front door.