The incident also illuminates a double standard within the entertainment industries, Morgan says.

“If this had happened at a Les Misérables or Miss Saigon performance, it would have been a non-event. There’s an unwritten rule that there’s a certain maturity in theatre that perhaps doesn’t always transfer to audiences of stand-up, which is generally seen as a lot more relaxed, looser.”

Gen Fricker, who will be performing at the Sydney Comedy Festival in May, says she has performed in front of babies with no problem in the past. Though it always depends on the specific performer and the size of the venue, she says much of the beauty of a live show comes from the unplanned moments or audience interaction.

“Audiences have changed post-COVID in that they aren’t seeing as much. Also, this ‘Netflix special’ attitude has been brought to the live space, so people don’t give enough grace. But these things are live and made by humans, so they’re often prone to error and change,” Fricker says.

“People may not love crying babies, but it’s also what makes it fun and dangerous to be going out seeing stuff.”

‘No one size fits all’ rule

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According to chief executive of Live Performance Australia Evelyn Richardson, policies around underage audience members can differ across the live event sector depending on the type of performance, its content, the audience and venue.

“There’s no ‘one size fits all’ rule,” Richardson says. “Performers are within their rights to ask audience members to quieten, move, or leave if they’re causing a distraction to their performance on stage.

“Whether it’s baby noises, food wrappings or mobile phones, it’s a pretty commonsense matter of respecting the work of those on stage, as well as the audience’s enjoyment of the performance.”

Most performers will include an age restriction for their shows, which oftentimes refers to the appropriateness of the content. For example, Barker’s show was advertised as 15+. However, these restrictions become more ambiguous when concerning infants who cannot comprehend the material.

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival generally welcomes infants to festival-managed venues, however, its terms and conditions page notes most shows are considered unsuitable for young children, unless specifically designated as a “Kids Show”.

“Parents or guardians should make reasonable enquiries to inform themselves about content and suitability of MICF shows for children,” the conditions say.

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