To expect people to not chat during a film.

I had the same experience as lizzypopbottle whilst trying to watch Dad's Army a couple of months ago. It was very distracting but fortunately we'd mainly gone to see the filming locations in Bridlington and on the East Yorkshire coast.

That made me chuckle Stansgran! I've almost been guilty of same but just managed to contain myself. The worst for me is Messiah, which I sang in annually either in the chorus or as soloist for many years.

I had a widowed friend who constantly complained that she never got to the theatre as she didn't drive/ no one to go with. I booked various things she said she would like to go to over the winter. The first one was the Merry Widow. She sang with it all the way through. Not very quietly.

Katek, this is one of my many bugbears. I think it's very civilised to be able to take a drink in - lovely to be watching a play or a concert with a glass of wine (and handy to have a drink if you need to cough!). But I don't think anyone should be allowed to "top up" during the performance, pushing backwards and forwards along the row with trays of drinks and disturbing everyone else, sometimes three or four times. The bar should be closed while the show is on. I remember the days, not so long ago, when we arrived late for a concert and had to stand up at the back till the interval, so we didn't disturb other people getting to our seats, which was perfectly fine by us.

(Post crossed with wilks's there)

I don't think you can be cross with people laughing if a film is supposed to be funny, but otherwise I get really cross, too. And I agree that the worst culprits are the middle-aged with their inane comments, and not even whispering!

What puzzles me is that people have paid (often quite a lot of) money to go and see the film or whatever, and then don't watch it!

We do still go to the cinema on a Sunday evening when the audiences are usually smaller and a little more subdued. We go to a cinema which doesn't have large screening rooms, too, which reduces the likelihood of people being in there who will disturb you.

As a great fan of the Kermode and Mayo film review programme, I feel I must refer you all to their Code of Conduct: www.bbc.co.uk/5live/films/code_of_conduct.pdf

But concerts of classical music are the worst. How often have I promised myself NEVER to go to one again. Why, oh why do people wait for the quietest bit to cough their lungs out? Grrrrrrrr.

We had this plus coughing during the quietest parts of the concert. Only the orchestra from La Scala, Milan for goodness sake, not that all performers shouldn't be shown the same courtesy. Drives us wild.

katek hear, absolutely hear!
Nice little earner for the theatre, but totally spoils it for me.

Pet peeve talking in the cinema. I think some people think they're at home in front of their tv. We sat in front of two very old ladies. One was hard of hearing so asked for everything to be repeated. The other seemed confused so needed everything explained. We moved.

Spangles I too have no qualms about telling people to shut up either.

I have a particular beef about alcohol at concerts and theatres as well. When did it become acceptable to drink your way through a live performance? DH and I went to an arena performance by a well known comedian last year, and we were up and down out of our seats like yoyos to let people get past to the bar. They then came back with a clutch of large plastic tumblers containing. doubles/trebles in one hand and a wobbly pile of polystyrene food boxes in the other. Didn't they eat before they came out? This constant parade to the bar really, really annoys me-it's not quite as bad in the theatre - glasses are taken in but I think the bar is still closed during the performance. Can people not sit for 2 hours without consuming
3000 calories and half a bottle of alcohol?

Oh yes I so agree have just been to an OAP screening and the lady next to me munched away very loudly whilst rustling a noisy bag for most of the film while next to her was a woman who also kept talking, every time an actor she recognised came into view she said who they were and what they had also been in!!!!!!!!! are they not aware they are spoiling the film for others?

I have never understood why people will pay good money to go to the cinema just to sit and chat. Go to the pub/coffee shop/park/stay at home if you want to talk! My DD is a regular cinema goer and has no qualms about telling people to shut the fuck up please be quiet.

When we saw the last James Bond film, behind us sat a mum with three children, they kicked my seat all the way through, fidgeting all the time, talked, and as the film got to crucial points and the music became very loud and dramatic they took that opportunity to shout loudly to one another.
I turned around several times but the mum (who wasn't sat directly behind me) looked studiously ahead.
I was incandescent, and by the end I felt the film has been ruined for us, my husband uses a walking stick, so moving was in my view out of the question, I felt it would have disrupted the film for everyone as we were near the front, and the cinema was fairly full.
When we left the film I called for the manager, who was very very apologetic, I pointed out the family, expecting him to speak to them but he did not. He said they usually send someone in to each film showing - just to check, but they hadn't done it for ours, but his suggestion was NOT to move, but to leave and fetch a member of staff.

We did have 4 free tickets, but haven't been back since.

I feel cinemas need to really explain clearly the etiquette that needs to be followed, so everyone gets to enjoy the experience. Like others have commented, you do not sit munching n slurping your way through a film at home, (do you?) that started to interfere with the enjoyment of the film 10 years or more ago, now it's phones (which I have just heard some cinema chains are thinking of allowing!), chatting AND eating n drinking. I dread to think what's next!

For my sisters 50th birthday, 6 of us met up in London for a weekend. She wanted to see the bodyguard at the theatre, her birthday, her choice. Then she proceeded to talk all the way through, it drove me nuts and I kept 'shushing' her but she continued to talk.....when we talk about it now she thinks I was overreacting... I wasn't ... I'm still annoyed I couldn't follow the story especially when I think how much we all paid.... No-one else said anything though...

All of these annoying practices are because there no longer seems to be any idea of basic courtesy. Same absence among so many of today's drivers, young and old. Then just as I am getting really annoyed and grey along comes someone helpful and courteous and they restore my good humour.

This used to be a job for the usher. At least one staff member on every level, and they would do the shushing. Olden days.

I don't often get angry, but like lots of others on this post, people talking and making a noise during films drives me wild. I, too, now wait until a film I want to watch comes out on DVD or TV and try to avoid the cinema.

Is it that some people really don't care what others feel? If you are comfortable with your seat, why should you have to get up and move because someone near you is being inconsiderate?

There are some really selfish people about, but probably it is mainly just thoughtlessness - most of us are used to having the TV on a lot, and talking normally while it is on. Maybe these pests just forget that they are not at home.

When my Dad was little , he said, there was a family in his village with 8 children. Occasionally they all went to the 1st house at the cinema. The Mother would take a large uncut loaf which she would saw lumps of and liberally cover with marg before passing them along the row.

I once got sat in the same row as a couple of people with learning difficulties.

They were talking and laughing inappropriately throughout the film.

Unfortunately, they don't seem to have any inhibitions.

Felt feeble for not saying anything, but perhaps I should have.

My husband and I have just been to see Macbeth at Cinema Nouveau. 9am show on a Thursday morning. We were the only ones in the small cinema. It was absolute bliss. No one munching, scrunching or slurping. And the film was
riveting.

Sorry to rant, but it's one of my pet hates, or didn't you realise!

Yes, all that is annoying, including the constant loud laughter. Having said that, at our local silver screening, we all chat away throughout the ads and trailers

I totally agree with everything said. Why should we have to put up with inane people chattering, opening sweets and rustling loudly. I went to see 'The Danish Girl', and a middle aged woman was chomping crisps during a very poignant scene. I turned round and asked her to stop. Why did she go to see this film, and then behave like a slob. The film was ruined for me, but I don't want to watch DVD's at home. I used to like going to the cinema. But I am afraid the temptation to buy packets of sweets, nachos or crunchy things, is just too much for some people. Food is on sale everywhere. No wonder people are obese. Whatever happened to an ice cream in the interval?

I went to see 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' and a group of women behind laughed uproariously throughout the film. Now, I agree it's quite a funny film and I did laugh out loud once (but not loudly) or twice but mostly it's more of a smiley film. Those women were so annoying but I reckon they'd had a drink...