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Front of House Guidance/Policy                                        Download copy

Rev 5 - June 2010

The Front of House (FoH) staff during a theatrical performance are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of the audience including the pre-show and post-show periods as well as the performance itself.

Pre-show duties and checks:

• Be fully conversant with the Fire Safety Policy for the Abbey Theatre

• Be aware of all fire exits and ensure these are clear before the public enter the building.

• Check traffic cones are in place in front of building to prevent illegal parking blocking fire exits.

• One member of team to “meet and greet” patrons.

• Liaise with Stage Manager/Control Room Technicians regarding opening auditorium doors allowing audience in and collecting ticket stubs.

• Assist in seating wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties.

• Direct late-comers to their seats at an appropriate time during the performance.

• Monitor patrons as they enter – open glasses and crockery are not permitted in the auditorium during live performances although glass/plastic bottles and cans are acceptable.

In-show duties and checks:

• Where appropriate FoH staff may be required to remain in the auditorium to monitor audience wellbeing or if required assist with audience movement (eg if cast invite patrons on to stage).

• If any audience member is identified as breaching house or safety rules, the FoH staff may be required to speak to them with a polite request to refrain up to and including (worst case) removing persistent offenders from the auditorium.

• Rules in question include the unapproved use of cameras/recording equipment, inappropriate/noisy behaviour or smoking in the building.

• Ensure exits front of house are unlocked and kept clear and free from obstruction.

 Interval duties and checks:

• Open auditorium doors at interval and close them again after the audience has returned to their seats.

 Post show duties and checks:

• Open doors at end of performance and assist as required.

• Monitor auditorium and close doors when audience have left.

• Remain on duty in foyer for 15 minutes after performance end rendering assistance as required to audience.

• Traffic cones may be removed from theatre frontage once auditorium is clear.

IN CASE OF FIRE ALERT:

Should a fire be detected or suspect, the FoH Manager is responsible for checking first with the stage manager/technical staff as smoke and fire can be symptomatic of stage effects in use at the time. Note that the company stage manager should in ALL cases advise FoH if pyrotechnic effects are due to be used.

If a genuine fire is confirmed or suspected, then evacuation should be effected immediately.

The company stage manager has responsibility for the cast and crew on stage, and the FoH manager has responsibility for the audience and staff in the main bar areas.

In the case of performances involving children, under the child protection legislation those children must have chaperones – the head chaperone will be responsible for evacuating these children.

The Front of House manager must be familiar with the theatre’s fire safety policy and assembly points – a copy of which is available on site or online via the theatre web site.

Note that it may not always be appropriate for evacuation to be effected by way of an audible alarm (though if in doubt this should of course be used by breaking the glass in one of the break-points situated about the building). Due to the nature of theatre, it is often more effective to make a calm announcement either from stage (by the stage manager) or via the public address system (by the sound technician).

The FoH manager will have the responsibility of calling emergency services – either directly themselves or by delegation to another responsible party.

 FIRST AID:

The FoH team must make themselves aware of any and all qualified first aiders present during any event/performance. This may include a negotiated attendance by St John Ambulance.

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Copyright © 2005 The Abbey Theatre & Arts Centre
Last modified: 13-Aug-2010