To expect people to behave 'properly' at the theatre?

Wish I'd thought of that now, Aka.

Soutra, you've beaten me to it.

Sweet wrappers!

I can almost give myself a coronary, I become so incensed.

Do you think we re just miserabe old farts?

Nonnie DH and I saw West Side Story in London and thoroughly enjoyed it (I doubt I'd ever not enjoy WSS). It was after that performance that I bought tickets for us all to see it in Brum.

We go to the theatre in Birmingham quite often as it is so much easier (and cheaper) than battling with the crowds in London. We can get there in less than an hour by car, enjoy a meal before and come home after. The last thing we saw was Martin Shaw in 12 Angry Men at the Rep.

DH is a Jazz fiend so we end up going to London for concerts and usually stay over and go to a show 'for me'. One we saw was the 'Million Dollar Contract' which had people dancing in the aisles but the atmosphere was not rowdy or aggressive.

I feel I must point out that the DDs and I enjoy a good time, and in fact had a drink with our lunch but our enjoyment was ruined by a few thoughtless people.

I have just remembered that during the interval of 'One Man, Two Governors', the man in front of me turned and said 'I'm glad you are enjoying it so much' I realised that I had been laugh an awful lot.

That sounds horrid Kitty presumably it was not in Brum? I think you will find WSS much better. We often go to the Brum Hippo and Symphony Hall, also occasionally the NIA and the only time we have ever experienced anything like this was just once at the NIA and several other people felt as we did.

We are so fortunate that our local theatre and cinema only seem to attract polite people, whether matinee or evening.

I used to visit London theatres regularly and it was always an evening show. Maybe the riff raff are more likely to see a matinee, I do not know.

I have seen Dirty Dancing but everybody was quiet and no mobile phones rang.

People sang at the end of "We Will Rock You" but not until invited.

I have never been to a rowdy theatre evening performance, thank goodness. One pays enough money without having the time spoiled.

I think there is a certain age group of women who behave like this. We have been to see a couple of shows with a certain young actor in them who has a huge fan base, mostly amongst younger women (and a surprising number of grannies!) Everyone has behaved respectfully throughout the show, and all emotion has been saved up for the finale, when, of course, all hell lets loose.

I think you need to pick your shows carefully. Shame, but there it is.

Perhaps this is the place to name and shame theatres that don't police the audience. They are happy enough to take our money and so should at least try to ensure we can enjoy whatever it is we came to see.

That HT was well out of order. I'd have written to the Chair of Governors Marelli or even had a letter in the local newspaper.

I went to my local cinema many years ago with a friend. I do not tolerate fools gladly so had a few choice words to say to the young group behind us, who were eating popcorn noisily and also giving a translation of the film to one of their friends.

Again, there was nobody that I could see "policing" the place. Never again.

Getting into your personal space and being rude are never part of audience participation kitty. One thing such shows needs is oversight by theatre staff to ensure it doesn't get out of hand. I won't go in the upper circle to shows like that as the whole structure can be felt bouncing when everyone is up on their feet, but in the stalls is where all the noisy participants are busy heckling and singing. Good fun, though!

I went recently to see Jude Law in Henry V at a London theatre, and I was really hacked off by the behaviour of some of the 'patrons'. There was talking, loud eating of sweets, checking and texting of phones and to cap it all, the young woman sitting next to me was obviously bored, yawning loudly and then proceeded to tip out her handbag onto her lap for a good old sort out of the contents.

I totally agree that YANBU - one of my pet hates is the fact that some theatre goers have become more like modern cinema audiences i.e. are patently incapable of going 2 hours without nourishment - noisy wrappings on sweets, crisps (!) drinks etc.Oh and checking thier bl**dy phones too! (and that is not just youngsters!)
It is true that some shows lend themselves more to audience participation - I too was on my feet at Mamma Mia but I much prefer the civilised behaviour one can hope to find at the likes of the RSC or National. Could you imagine audience audience participation at "Coriolanus" at the Donmar or Simon Russell Beale's "Lear"?

when's right, there are some films that encourage audience participation, but our cinema always advertises them in that vein. So for instance when 'Mamma Mia' was on there were two screenings that were advertised as ones where the audience could join in. My friend went to both and said that people were dancing in the aisles and by their seats, singing along etc. I went with the WM so we went to one of the more sedate showings.
Marelli, the headmaster was out of order.

Been to lots of shows here in Brum over the years and never had a problem.
My DD informs me that our local cinema now serve alcoholic drinks and bring them to your seat as required!

KittyLester, I am sorry your outing was ruined. I think this warrants a strongly worded letter to the management of the theatre. My mother instilled in us the absolute non-negotiable behaviour expected in theatres and at concerts when I was a small child in the 60s - we shouldn't even cough in a concert - and this I passed onto my three children. I remember taking DS1 to a concert in Notre Dame, Paris, when he was 6, and the people in the row behind talking all the way through. How rude, and what a terrible example to set to DS, who behaved beautifully.

My friend and I went to a production of Bleak House at our local theatre. It was spoiled by continual sniggering and guffawing from teenage school pupils seated a couple of rows behind us. At the interval, I sussed out who the teachers were that were accompanying them and complained about the behaviour (the teachers were seated at the very front of the theatre for some reason), and they said they'd deal with it. They didn't, however, so the next day I wrote to the headmaster (I was so angry - not like me, really)! I explained how our evening, along with others' in the theatre, had been spoiled and expected an apology. I got a proper dressing-down from the headmaster, saying that the pupils were there as part of their term's literature/drama classes and that I should have been more tolerant of them . He suggested I attended the performance of a Dickens' play that the pupils were going to be doing later in the year (didn't offer free tickets)! Perhaps I should have gone - and hee-hawed all the way through it, and thrown sweets etc to my pals across the rows, as they had.....!

I am making myself do lines !

kitty I'm fuming on your behalf. and at the same time.

The main problem we had when was the talking when they weren't joining in and the swaying into my 'personal' space. And, the rudeness!!

Participation not articulation.........what an inventive iPad I have!!

Audience participation has become a growing phenomenon with shows like Dirty Dancing, Grease, Mama Mia and The Rocky Horror Show but the theatre goers wouldn't sung or heckle in other shows that haven't become cults like these shows have. Rude, disruptive behaviour is never welcome, whether it's an audience articulation show or not, but it is worth reading reviews or finding out what sort of musical you're going to see if you don't like those where the audience joins in.

If I have bought a ticket to see a show I expect to watch it without another persons rendition of the songs. I absolutely hate it when half the audience stand up and wave their arms in the air, appalling behaviour in a theatre.

Strange how men just love an excuse to dress up as well, isn't it . I've never been to TRHS; think it needs to be on my tick list [it's always a sellout].

Better to watch the film, kitty as Dirty Dancing is one if those cult shows that people are used to joining in with. The noisiest one is The Rocky Horror Show. I went twice last year - it's magnificent, but most of the script, singing and ad-libbing comes from the stalls! Fine if you know what to expect, but there were two women sitting near me at one of the shows who just didn't enjoy the racket. I loved it!

Maybe we are just extremely civilized here in The North but I have never some accross anything like this in either the cinema or the theatre either. I know that there are some productions that attract groups of hens and that after downing a few sherbets everyone thinks they sound "just like the original" when infact they sound like a cow farting through a small tooth comb! I think a little bit of singing along is normal for something like Dirty Dancing, but bad behaviour, rudeness and rowdiness? No way. What a shame your afternoon was spoilt. I can't understand anyone paying good money and then talking through the production.

Write to the theatre and ask for a refund. The theatre has a duty to ensure that shows are 'policed' properly to prevent unruly behaviour. If people start to complain and ask for their money back they'll perhaps get their act in order.