Inconsiderate behaviour in theatres

I love going to the theatre and have in the past couple of years had a performance spoiled by inconsiderate neighbours. My granddaughter was really embarrassed when I loudly asked the young lady next to me to stop singing as I had not paid to hear her warbling! She did shut up.

Last month a party of school girls all with their long hair done up in high buns sat in the row in front of us. They were all well behaved but I, at 5 foot nothing, could only see a sea of bobbing spheres! I explained my dilemma to the usherette and she thought it was so funny she allowed me to move.
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Haven't been in a cinema for years. Once all the having a 3 course meal, using phones, and no control over noise set in I gave up. I wasn't going to pay to be annoyed for a couple of hours after a 40 mile round trip to the cinema. Only been to a concert about 5 years ago. Oh dear, some folk have no idea of courtesy or risk. Mainly females and not teenagers I add, standing up dancing up in the balcony blocking peoples' view and risking a fall. Another entertainment ruined.

2 years ago two friends got me and themselves tickets for an Elvis tribute show for my birthday. I am disabled and I was on the end of a row. As soon as it started people in the 3 rows in front of us stood up, people from the rear piled down into the Isles near to the front. I can't stand so couldn't see 99% of the show.

What’s wrong with the theatre owners that they let people carry on like pork chops ? Don’t they have security guards?

The last time I was in a theatre it was ruined by people standing up and singing along, I do not pay good money to hear some amateur squawking.

This is what happened to a friend and me at a concert. A woman who was drunk was sitting behind us singing at the top of her voice.

At the interval we noticed some empty seats right at the back of the theatre, so although in not such a good position at least we were away from the drunken squawking.

All this sounds horrendous and makes me glad I don’t go to many cinemas or theatres due to usually being bored silly half way through! I am a fidget and usually watch films, if there are any decent ones, on TV where I can mess about to my hearts content while watching. Was fond of the theatre when I was young but now it would have to be something very special to induce me to go again. My sister has tried to tempt me with musicals which she should know by now I hate! It also saves on the price of the tickets which can be extortionate. And as for crowds-don’t get me started!

Agree about people arriving late for the theatre . So annoying. They already start performances five minutes late now anyway. Why do they let them in ??
Also, people seem to go in and out to the loo at the cinema too after drinking bottles of wine they bring in . IMHO - if you leave the auditorium, you don’t get back in !

We went to see Mamma Mia in the theatre in Edinburgh. It was a nightmare throughout the show with people singing along (drunk) and cost us a fortune. We left before the final screaming and whistling got under way. I'll think long and hard before another visit and skip musicals even though I love them

I have to say bad behaviour in cinemas and theatres doesn’t happen that often here because you would be escorted out pretty quickly. Sometimes it is good that we are a repressive state. Also, peer group pressure would apply if someone was making a nuisance of themselves.

You beat me to it Grantanow. People were even paid to disrupt a production - they just do it for free now. I've been to a couple of dreadful opera performances where I wished I was in Italy where they hiss and boo if the singer is bad (pre covid, but expect they still do)

When mobile phones came in the Royal Theatre in Coenhagen dealt with the matter by just before the bell for the start of a performance sounds by playing a taped recording of a phone ringing followed by someone asking "Have you remembered to switch off your phone?"

I believe most other theatres and concert halls do the same.

Latecomers are not admitted, and no-one would be allowed to bring food or drink, apart from a packet of sweets in with them.

I haven't encountered the problem you are describing either in Germany or France.

Perhaps you should all complain to the management of the theatres and concert-halls where it occurs.

Some years ago my late husband and I were given tickets to see a show called Thriller in London. Michael Jackson show. We had first row seats which was wonderful. When the show started we could see the performers so clearly and thought we were bound to enjoy it. Alas, when the music started almost everyone got up and started singing along . It was deafening. We got some dirty looks from people nearby as we remained sitting. Might add we appeared to be many years older than the other patrons. As soon as we could we escaped into the relatively quiet streets of London. We've never been to the theatre since.

Times change. In Shakespeare's time it was quite usual for audience to sit on the edge of the stage, for people to sell oranges and wander in and out.

At my local cinema there are also relaxed performances which means that consideration is made for customers with behaviour issues or health issues and the lights are kept at a low level. These are fun for all who come and wish to see a film in safe and secure surroundings.

Totally agree, to think people can’t even wait for interval to get a drink or go for a pee is unacceptable. In the good old days you crossed your legs and enjoyed the performance. Think lots of men in particular are dragged along to shows they’ve no interest in and then end up ruining it for others

My friend works front of house in a large theatre and she amazes me with the tales she tells of customer rudeness. Are people just generally inconsiderate of others these days? Not Gransnetters of course.

I work in the theatre and cinema. We constantly remind people that filming and photography is not allowed. In the cinema a message reminds people to turn off their phones. If there are latecomers we try to let them in a suitable interval and put them in the nearest available seat so as not to disturb other patrons. They can find their correct seat in the interval. Noisy eating in cinemas and theatres is a distraction and just plain bad manners. This is why we try to sell ice creams if people need a treat, a silent non rustling snack. Cooked food is not allowed because of the smell. If someone needs the loo, then unfortunately there is nothing we can do except maybe tell them that they will have to wait to come back in at a suit time if it’s the theatre. People who know that they have bladder problems should consider booking end of a row seats so as not to be a pain to other audience members. Also, standing up in a musical and singing along is not allowed generally during the performance as those sitting behind you will not be able to see the stage, but at the end, during the encores and applause, that is acceptable. People should be taught theatre and cinema etiquette, as listening to someone noisily eat is just so unpleasant and disgusting. I have seen people come to the theatre and sit looking at their phones for the whole performance, I ask myself why have you come in the first place!

polnan

nothing new about this... been like this in cinemas and I would think even in Shakespeare`s day.

I have certainly read that in Shakespeare’s time food was sold on the way into plays and the audience felt free to throw it if they didn’t like what they were watching. Also prostitutes used to ‘haunt the town in the taverns and playhouses’ according to a Swiss visitor in 1599. (This being one reason that the Puritans didn’t like the theatres.)
www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2019/0521/1050731-the-bawdy-world-of-shakespeares-sex-workers/

So I suppose we have not gone all the way back to then!

All very well behaved last night in Lincoln to see The Manfreds. As an aside, at 80, Paul Jones is still looking good, can stand on one leg when singing Pretty Flamingo and when getting down on one knee can get up no probs. Must do yoga..

My friend and her husband were at the theatre 2 weeks ago and a couple in a private box started having a huge row, they were drunk, that everyone was watching them rather than the show. They said the queue at the end asking to speak to the manager to complain was huge. The tickets are so expensive nowadays and then to get your night ruined by others isn't on.

I think the disrespectful behaviour in theatres is symbolic of such behaviour in general everyday life now. No one speaks quietly anymore; people shout into their phones in public places, telling all and sundry about their ‘private’ business! It seems that people no longer consider the impact of their behaviour on those around them - hence inconsiderate behaviour in theatres … and all around

The last time I went to the theatre, the couple in front of me brought in two Cokes. They proceeded to steadily top their drinks up with vodka, concealed in a brown paper bag. Throughout the show, they got noisier and noisier, whooping and singing along to every song. At the end of the performance, the woman couldn't stand up to leave the theatre, she simply slid to the floor in a giggling heap!

Yes I remember my parents saying get up and let adults or older ppl or disabled pregnant etc sit. and I’ve done it all my life now I’m one of these ppl and ppl don’t do it anymore if Tommy is sitting on seat mum just looks other way and ignores you. But it’s like opening doors, standing aside for ppl manners seem to have gone. Ppl seem to think it’s all about me me me and nobody else matters. Covid seems to have brought out nasty side of most ppl.

There’s a couple of musicals I would love to go and see but the past 2 experiences have put me and DH off somewhat I’m afraid as when we last went to see Tina Turner and The Jersey Boys people in front of us got up and started joining in with the singing and dancing, consequently all we saw for three quarters of both shows were bums in front of annoyingly jigging about, we were furious as we’d paid good money to sit in the front stalls a few rows back from the stage and missed half the shows. It happened the same in an outdoor show at Tom Jones’s concert about 6 years ago. I’m disabled and on crutches and cannot physically stand through out a show and not do I pay for a seat to then stand and jig about, the ignoramous among us when going to the theatre, concert etc ought to give it some thought that people have paid a lot of money and maybe have been saving and looking forward to that show or concert for a long time and cannot or do not wish to pay out just to ‘listen’ to the show whilst watching the people all around them dancing and joining in the performance ?

Interestingly, I visited two London theatres this week. Not a problem. Everyone behave impeccably. At one point near the end someone lit up a phone. An usher was in on it with so much speed I was amazed. Will take this opportunity of recommending 'Corn is green' at the National. 'Hamilton' was very clever too.