Dear Mary | 3 January 2019

Q. Whenever I go to the theatre or cinema with any man of 60-plus, he falls asleep, even when the play or film is of a high standard. Should I wake him up? With a West End play particularly, it seems an awful waste of a ticket. (I am referring only to silent snoozing. If snoring occurs, I will of course give him a sharp dig with my elbow.)
— E.S., London W11

A. Smelling salts — as used in Victorian Britain to revive fainting women — are unfashionable but still perfectly legal. Mackenzies is a traditional brand and is available online. The tiny bottle contains a pungent mixture of eucalyptus and ammonia. Once the lid is uncapped the fumes trigger an inhalation reflex as blood vessels in the nasal passages suddenly expand, opening the floodgates for a rampant surge of oxygen to the brain. This replenishes consciousness. Bring a bottle with you and, when necessary, discreetly pass the salts at a three-inch distance under the nose of the dotard.