To the editor:
First, I would like to thank all who had a hand in bringing the play, Marx in Soho, to the Fresno State campus.­ I am a sociology instructor at Reedley College and this was a big thrill for me.­ If you don’t know why, take a sociology course!
However, what is motivating me to write is the extremely poor behavior on display from the students in attendance.­ I realize that many were there only for extra credit and had no real interest in learning anything.­ However, that does not excuse bad manners.
I have never seen so many people get up and walk out during a play.­ This was a one man performance and I am sure it was a distraction to the actor every time someone got up to leave with their clunky backpacks, skateboards, etc.­ Further, despite the fact that people were asked to turn off their cell phones, all of the students around me continued to play with their electronic amusements throughout the evening.­ To top it all off, a couple children were allowed to traipse up and down the stairs as often as it pleased them to do so.
I hope someone on the Fresno State staff apologized to the actor for the grade school maturity level of a significant portion of the audience.­ If this is reflective of their academic enthusiasm, it’s no surprise they are in such need of extra credit.

Jeffrey W. Eisinger