Do people attending plays & musicals have a moral obligation to the performers to try to stay awake?

[thewhollytoast]

10. A true story about Brahms

I was nine years old and pretty excited. I got to get dressed up and do a grown-up thing. My mom and dad in an attempt to broaden my horizons arranged that we attend a real live concert at the Festival Hall. Dad loved classical music. Mom loved classical music. They wanted me to love it too. I lasted about 15 minutes. Dad lasted probably 20. Mom said she was mortified, but before she could nudge either one of us, she nodded off too. Between phrases I perked up a little, only to see that both of my parents were asleep. My nine-year-old thought was, "Okay, I guess this is what you do at a concert."

On the way home in the car, mom and dad came to a conclusion, "It must have been the Strings."

Music is powerful medicine. Brahms makes you sleep, Chopin makes you sleep, while Beethoven, depending on the piece, and enjoyed in conjunction with dark liquor, might make you want to throw bill collectors down the stairs, or groom the perfect goatee.

Listen Responsibly,

Toast