Theatre Etiquette. Annoying woman in front

DH and I were at the Royal Albert Hall a few years ago and there were two quite young children behind us. They were so good that as we were leaving I complimented their parents on their excellent behaviour. The little girl asked what "that lady" had said and her daddy told her that I'd said how very well behaved she and her brother had been. She beamed at me and said "And you were very well behaved too!"

So it works both ways ...

SnowberryZ I understand completely your frustration. I am not small, 5ft 7in but sometimes I find that I can only get a good view by leaning to one side and watching between the two people in front. This is OK unless one of those people keeps changing their position causing me to do the same. That probably annoys the person behind me and thence the person behind them……

Well done you!
I had a similar experience at a music performance where the women behind were having a good old chat, oblivious to the performers.
I put up with it until I was bursting then, politely, asked them to carry on their conversation in the bar if they weren't so interested in the music. They muttered and glared but went quiet. Five minutes later they left, presumably as they could hold their tongues no longer!
I think some people just need reminding that their actions can be detrimental to the enjoyment (and mental health!!) of those around them. And not just at the theatre.

I went to see a Victoria Wood show in Bristol some years ago with a friend. Someone complained to to my friend that she was laughing to much and too loudly... bizarre

We were given very expensive tickets to see Bob Dylan and the couple behind us talking the whole way through. I thought they must be youngsters but when I looked in the interval I saw they were our age. They were talking about what they had had for dinner and their families.
No I didn't say anything.

We recently went to see a band at a local theatre. No phones were used until near the end. The chap in front of me filmed two of the songs completely obscuring my line of sight. The third time he lifted his phone I tapped him on the shoulder and told him I couldn't see past his phone. He stopped filming. A week later we went and a chap in the row in front decided to check his messages. After a few minutes my husband told him to switch it off and he did. He might be bored but we weren't .

Thing I find most annoying is actually at concerts when someone continually makes that really shrill loud whistle. It's horrible. And particularly bad if you are close to the person.

Not many people think when they go to the theatre that they may be disturbing or distracting to other audience members.
I work in the theatre and see all manner of behaviours but someone moving their head about is not something that an usher can intervene with. Asking politely is all that the person affected can do. I would have also said something. Sometimes people just are not aware that they are disturbing the people around them. Looking at their phones is my biggest gripe.

Hettty58. Only! That’s tall. I’m 5ft 1in so often have problems with people sitting in front.

We went to the new Abba Arena to see their Voyage production earlier this year.
There were announcements about no mobile phones allowed, please just enjoy the show. People complied.
A latecomer who sat in front of us, and had missed the announcement, got her phone out and started taking photos.
In seconds an usher swooped down and told her it wasn't allowed.
It made such a difference to the performance to have no phones waving about in the audience.

Reading all this, am glad I never go to the cinema or theatre.

Often not much on the tv, but I sit quietly watching it on my own, DH in another room watching what he prefers. No one talking, head in the way, eating, rustling……

Bliss.

That's a good idea imaround.

I wonder if using A View From My Seats would help you find your perfect seat? I am sure that it will depend on your height and the height of other attendees.

I have used the US version many times and find it helpful. I have a short person in my family so seating is a concern for us.

here is the UK version: aviewfrommyseat.co.uk/sports/Theater/

snowberryZ You did the right thing. People should be considerate of others. I would have said something.
A young man sitting next to me at Andrea Bocelli recently was videoing and I told him he was spoiling my enjoyment, and to put his phone down please.
I do the same if people talk or rustle sweet papers.
If I had a particular problem I think I would just explain.

If it was really 'all the time', okay, that would be distracting. As someone with neck problems, I have some sympathy for her though. I'll bend my neck to one side, then the other to stretch it out once or twice in a two hour show. I doubt the person behind me even noticed but, if they did, I make no apology. I hope the woman didn't have to leave with a stiff neck, which may still be troubling them today. Still, if I had to do it constantly, I think I'd just avoid the theatre for my own comfort, if nothing else.

MawtheMerrier

^Balconies and galleries are no good for me, because there's usually a security bar in my eyeline if I sit on the front row^

Try the second or third row back in the Circle/Upper Circke Ailidh
The rake of the floor is often steep enough for most of us shorties to see beyond the head immediately in front of us. The guard rail is unlikely to be above the line of the front of the stage and if you sit slightly to the side of centre that helps too.
I have found rows O or P of the upper circle of the Birmingham Hippodrome just about right, as well as being affordable!

Thank you, I'll give that a go!!

I always try to get aisle seats for the theatre and cinema as I have arthritis in my neck and need to move my head a lot to avoid quite severe neurological problems. I would be really embarrassed if someone told me off as I try hard to contain it without causing problems for other people.
I did have a go at a man who opened a large bag of crisps when I was at the Palladium in London watching sound of music. It was just when mother superior was about to sing Climb every mountain ! He left.

A lady once asked me to leave the cinema because my youngest grandchild was a bit fidgety, not noisy, or touching anyone, but definitely restless.
I saw her point so left, dragging my impeccably behaved granddaughter, who was crying, behind me.
As we passed along the row, her little boy, who was probably about eight said. Mummy, that was mean, you’ve made that little girl cry.
Children are so much kinder.

I'm 5ft 2 and always get the 'big one' in front of me. I end up with a creak in my neck trying to peer around them as I won't say anything. As soon as I hear a new show is coming I try to get front seats.
It's the chitter chatters that really get my goat. Why go to a show for a catch up, just go the pub instead.

Sniffers and sweetie wrappers do it for me. I turned round once and held out a tissue to the adult sitting behind and I’ve also complained loudly about noise of continuous cellophane unwrapping on sweeties. Plus I sush any talkers nearby.

Packed cinema for Les Miserables
Everyone silent at it began. Then, right next to me woman approximately in her 50s starts to rummage in her bag to give her octogenarian mother sandwiches. Wrapped in foil. Home made egg sandwiches. I thought I was going to be sick 😫

Oh dear.Our SonIL is 6 '7 and we're all going on a family outing to the pantomime this Xmas. It crossed my mind no-one will want to be behind him.Poor lad can't help it.He is shy and our DD says his height has often resulted in comments and being picked on.
However. The worst theatre experience I had was having spent a lot on train tickets and good seats at Jersey Boys as a treat for DD and a woman in front sang loudly and badly .I often wished I'd got an usher to have a word.And how many other shows she has ruined for others.

A few years ago we went to see The Nutcracker. Have been several times without incident. This time however a child behind us just did not stop talking, or unwrapping sweets. Paid a fortune for the seats but ended up leaving in the interval. Could have clocked her!

I was taken to the cinema every week as a child because we had no TV. I learnt to sit quietly for a couple of hours aged about 8 years. So I kind of expect people to be respectful to those around them at the theatre or cinema. I must have been lucky because I don't remember any nasty experiences as described here. Or maybe I just focus on the screen and block it out, I don't know. People don't seem to care about those around them now which is very selfish.

I would consider anyone touching me, banging my seat, using a phone, screaming, talking or singing as a definite NO and would have to say something or complain. Borderline annoyances would be heads in the way and eating/drinking noises and I would only react if they really were bad.

snowberryz you did the right thing.I wish more people would complain about annoying or bad behaviour in public.