- Cinema fans have been divided over whether it’s acceptable to sing along when watching Wicked
- Cynthia Erivo and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson have weighed in
- Some theaters have specifically asked attendees not to sing along
Harmless fun or poor cinema etiquette? It seems that cinema fans have ended up in one of two camps over whether it’s acceptable to sing along during screenings of Wicked, or in movies with songs in more broadly.
Some don’t see it as a problem, but others believe it is part of the phenomenon of declining standards of behaviour in theaters. It has been accompanied by an increase in people filming on their phones in cinemas and posting footage online, which breaches copyright laws.
In addition, some have suggested that people have come to the theater to hear professionals sing, not strangers who might not be able to hold a tune. This is the reason why it’s not considered acceptable to sing during an on-stage production, which have lead people to think that this should also apply to film screenings.
What are theaters doing about people wanting to sing during Wicked?
Some theaters have asked people coming to see Wicked not to sing, while others have arranged special singalong screenings during the Christmas period.
AMC Theatres is one of the chains who are asking fans before the screening starts not to sing.
“AMC has a long-standing policy that prohibits disruptive behavior. The ‘Wicked’ preshow spot [which includes ‘no singing’] incorporates the themes of the film as a fun, engaging reminder to moviegoers to not disrupt the experience for those around them as they enjoy the show.”
What have other big names in Hollywood said?
Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the film, has said it doesn’t bother her if fans sing along while watching.
“Good. I’m OK with it,” she said in an interview at during Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast on NBC. “We spent this long singing it ourselves – it’s time for everyone else to join in. It’s wonderful.”
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was in agreement, having also starred in a movie musical recently. He reprised his role as demigod Maui in Moana 2, which came to cinemas a week after Wicked.
“Sing! You’ve paid your hard-earned money for a ticket, and you’ve gone into a musical, and you’re into it. Sing,” he said.
Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, shared her thoughts on it as well during the Wicked press tour.
“It’s tempting. We understand it. We understand it if you do and if you don’t, we respect the feelings,” she said.
“I say if you come the first time and you sing through, sing through…But come a second time and let us sing to you,” added Erivo.
