Although the Phantom is not yet behaving violently, the spectators’ disruptive behavior is highly unusual in such an elevated, well-behaved setting. This, combined with their assertion that they heard the ghost speak, suggests that they were probably under the ghost’s influence. It seems that the ghost might be capable of controlling other people’s minds—or, perhaps, that
he was the one disturbing the performance. Richard’s anger at being the victim of a prank or at having incompetent staff keeps him from reflecting on the situation rationally and realizing that all members of his staff cannot possibly be insane or misguided.