Penangpac Uploads Disheartening Facebook Post After Getting Rude Remarks From Stubborn Theatregoers

By Charmaine Shaharin  •  22 Sep 2020 in News

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With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and strict SOPs enforced by the government, it’s essential for all of us to comply with the rules and be more considerate towards each other as well as our favourite businesses and art centres.

Just like how Burgerlab was having a hard time dealing with difficult customers, recently Penang Performing Arts Center (Penangpac) had gone through a similar situation as well when some irresponsible and selfish theatregoers spewed several mean remarks towards their staff members.

The performing arts centre had uploaded a disheartening Facebook post, highlighting the attitude of some rude theatregoers. In the post, they detailed an incident where one of the visitors had dropped the F-word towards one of their staff when she was directed to sit in a designated row instead of her own favourite seat. The person responded with, “That’s your problem, not mine!”

In another incident, a seat reserved for the camera crew was taken over by a visitor during a full house show. When explained, the visitor replied, “So take your camera elsewhere!” along with another visitor who came with children and yelled, “Why did you take their temperatures on the forehead? I told you to do so on their wrists! Didn’t you read the news?”

In the post, Penangpac had also stated that this was not their first time dealing with similar incidents like this and they have been trying to keep their cool and respond accordingly.

“Why are people so rude? Why can’t we show some warmth and friendliness?” Penangpac had written in the post.

These mean remarks from visitors were not just limited to disses surrounding the coronavirus, as Esther Chan, Penangpac’s Box Office executive was ridiculed for speaking English to one couple. She overheard the woman telling her husband in Hokkien that she was “slow” to which her husband replied, “If she is smart she wouldn’t be working at the box office.”

Another person who witnessed these crass remarks from visitors is Penangpac’s cleaner, Suriyati, as she feels that people always treat her like she is stupid just because she is a cleaner.

According to Penangpac’s publicity manager, Fa Abdul, in the Malay Mail, she is sad that people are not complying with the rules since they are trying to lessen the spread of the virus while keeping the theatre scene alive.

“We hope educating the public by sharing these experiences would bring light to the struggles faced by those expected to enforce the SOPs.

“We are not punching bags for the public who do not have things their way,” she said.

Some netizens have also shown their support to the theatre company by sharing their opinions on Facebook.

It’s a tough time for everyone right now and having empathy is definitely the way to go. Let’s not make it harder for our favourite businesses and centres to keep thriving.