"For my part, I confess I seldom listen to the players: one has so much to do, in looking about and finding out one's acquaintance, that, really, one has no time to mind the stage. One merely comes to meet one's friends, and show that one's alive"

The quote by Fanny Burney provides a satirical commentary on the social custom-mades and behaviors of the upper classes throughout the 18th century, particularly in relation to attending the theater. Burney, a significant author of her time, frequently checked out styles of social etiquette and the performative elements of social interactions in her works. Here, she sheds light on the secondary role that the actual performance on stage plays in the theater-going experience for particular upper-class audiences.

The speaker in the quote admits to hardly ever focusing on the stars and the play itself, suggesting that for them, theater presence is not about cultural or artistic appreciation however rather about social engagement and networking. In this context, the theater works as a background for celebrations, a location where people can satisfy their acquaintances, catch up on chatter, and reinforce their social connections. This reflects a society where appearances and social standing are of utmost importance, and where being seen and acknowledged in the right circles is essential.

The phrase "reveal that a person's alive" shows a performance of existence itself, a method of preserving one's presence in the social scene. This additional underscores the performative nature of social life in Burney's time, where people might feel obliged to appear at certain occasions to keep their social visibility and significance. By mentioning that there's no time to "mind the phase", the speaker humorously highlights the superficial top priorities of some theater-goers, who are more thinking about the social phenomenon than in the artistic one.

In essence, Burney's quote reviews the superficiality and performative nature of social routines amongst the elite. It highlights how such events typically prioritize social networking over genuine engagement with the arts, a theme that remains appropriate in various modern social contexts.