Theatre Etiquette. Annoying woman in front

Years ago I took my mother to a performance of "Showboat" in the West End. Two middle aged women behind us decided to 'accompany' Valentine Pringle, when he sang "Ole Man River"! 😡 They were very VERY lucky not to have been thrown over the balcony!!! 😂😂 Talk about ruining a star spot! 🙄

She was obviously not aware that she was causing a problem and she stopped when asked. I don't see what the problem is. I am presuming that you sit frozen in your seat...

Sometimes the person in front of you at the theatre or cinema, is moving their head from side to side because the person in front of them, is also doing it.... and so on, ad infinitum ......🤗

Think back to the early days of theatre the audience were lively people calling out selling their wares, think Nell Gwyn selling oranges at Kings Theatre

I can only see properly through one of my eyes ( left one) so if people in front of me move to block my view in that eye, I have to move my head to see round them. This causes a lot of head bobbing from me if they shift position but I can’t see what’s going on otherwise.

Totally agree with you

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!

I agree completely with the above - I usually book seats in the circle - right behind the wheelchair spaces. Avoids all problems, as the Hippodrome circle has quite a steep rake on it, so it's a delightful place to see a show.
My real hate - especially at amateur shows - is people holding up their phones to record chunks of the show..! I went to a choir concert recently (in a church, so flat seating) and watched most of it through the screens of four people in front of me 🙄 Even though I'd gone to hear the singing, it was really distracting and annoying. They'd have been chucked out of a theatre, but as lots of the audience had relatives in the choir, no-one said anything...😠

I remember two particular incidents at the cinema. One was going to see the film “Arachnophobia” and the woman in front repeatedly said, “…ow big?” all the way through the film. It makes me laugh now, but certainly didn’t at the time.

Another time, I was watching some scary film at the cinema (goodness knows why, I have never liked them) some shock moment in the film and I really started. The chap behind me said as quick as a flash, “bloody hell! If she’d jumped any higher she would be sitting on my knee!” The whole cinema erupted in laughter. I was embarrassed and amused in equal measures

I think you were absolutely right to mention it to her, I would have done the same. I sometimes wonder why people go to the theatre and expect to look at their phones throughout the show; I always tap them on the shoulder and tell them to put the phone away. We go to the theatre in London quite often and there's always someone who is noisy, fidgety etc. We took our daughter to Peaky Blinders (Rambert) recently as a birthday treat and a child of about 10 constantly moved about next to her, I swapped seats after the interval, gave the child "a look" and she was no problem in the second half

Good for you !
I'm only short and always get someone tall / big hair in front of me too !
Some folk are always on their phone too, most distracting and tickets are expensive now.

Not strictly part of this thread as the tale is so ancient. My friend and I had tickets to see The Beatles - at the height of their fame in the sixties. We were in the circle, with a good view, but from the second the curtain went up the audience went mad - screaming, shrieking, jumping up and down in front of us - we didn't hear one note of the music. I can say that I SAW the Beatles live in concert, but I never did hear them. I think it put me off for life - I too prefer to view at home in peace!

I don’t go to the cinema and very rarely to the theatre and, reading the above, I’m glad- I’d be frightened to move a muscle!

crazyH - perhaps the other lady was visually impaired and she was describing the performance to her.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Poor woman was probably mortified. I would not have said anything. Maybe she had a stiff neck or something.

Had some awful experiences in a theatre.
Many people being totally inconsiderate speaking too loudly (just as when on their mobiles outside) I'm convinced half the population are now deaf! Tapping away on back of my seat, rustling sweet papers and chomping away on popcorn. Dancing in the row of seats in front even though in a balcony, no idea about safety never mind nuisance. All instances I highlighted to those responsible with favourable outcomes. Last experience was I feel down to the Theatre. GD visiting for Christmas I booked tickets to take her to her first pantomime. All settled she was obviously enjoying the performance until a couple of rows in front three men accompanying some children started going to and fro to the bar downstairs and returning with beers. I could not believe what I was seeing; a pantomime generally enjoyed by children and alcohol was allowed in the auditorium.4 visits for replenishments! I wrote to the theatre complaining about the alcohol being allowed never mind the disturbance of the males trudging in and out. No response. Never been back.

A trip to the theatre is not a cheap night out! A bit of self awareness and consideration for other people should be encouraged by the establishment, and that goes for cinemas as well!

I am afraid I have been a head bobber at the theatre in the past. Oftentimes I get behind someone (or god forbid two people) who is tall and the only way I can see the stage is to move is around them. I have worried it was annoying for the people behind me but no one has ever said anything.

I, my wife, and our son were at a London theatre a while ago, and at the end of the performance, during the curtain calls, a woman in front of us stood to applaud - as did a number of others, but not all. Because she was standing there clapping and whooping, we could see nothing of the curtain calls so I asked her if she could please sit so that we could see. In a loud and angry tone she said "I am giving my standing ovation! I will not sit for you or anyone!"
This habit of applauding from a standing position is now a scourge of the theatre. Why does the woman (in this case) think her standing ovation makes a scrap of difference to the performers when she is depriving paying customers of the opportunity to see the curtain calls with her ego-feeding actions?

SnowberryZ - I totally support you and may well have taken the same action. I am delighted it had the desired effect.
I have sat in the Royal Opera House (expensive treat) and endured someone eating and drinking constantly through the performance; rustling bags, clattering of cans when placed on the floor etc. Also, couldn’t keep still and was clearly bored with lots of sighing. If she and her companion had returned for the second half, I would definitely have said something.
Yes, there should be an acceptance that you do not disturb others when in a public space or during a performance. I do wonder why the individual’s “right” to do as they please in the pursuit of their own enjoyment now trumps consideration and courtesy in so many people’s opinions - witness some responses on here and on other threads.

Went to see Cirque du Soleil on a few years ago and two women chatted all the way through.

My daughter is not one to put up with that and had a word with them.
It spoilt the whole thing, as we were a bit distracted to say the least.

Why do people do this.
And it always happens to me, usually. Or someone who has a big head or huge hairstyle will plonk themselves right in front of you or directly behind.

Annoying!!

Performers tend to like a standing ovation ime

Went to see War Horse at the theatre. One of a group of adults with learning disabilities became very emotional - which I felt added to the atmosphere tbh although could hear some whinging (not unusual - the so called great British public are always whinging about people with learning disabilities).

Some teens on a school trip were irritating - eating and whispering all the way through.

One older lady because very distressed at the sound of warfare. The person she was with was able to get her out. It was all a bit sad. At the end heard some eejit complaining to an usher about her. Twat.

The worst incident at the theatre and we still laugh about it was a woman in front of us who every now and then seemed to give a jump. At the intermission, she went to go to the loo and right in front of us dropped in a faint.DH was a medic and looked at me then got up and went to her and her crying daughter.
He asked if her mother wore anything tight and the daughter unbuttoned her mother's skirt. DH then asked her to take her mother's teeth out as she still had not regained consciousness, he was just taking her pulse when he was pushed out of the way by the usherette who said she was trained in First Aid and what was he doing fumbling with the women clothes.
He just gave a big shrug and came back to his seat. Her daughter called for him to give CPR and said her mother had a very tight all in one on and the usherette did know what she was doing. The lady eventually regained consciousness and DH helped her daughter escort her to the foyer and she went to the hospital for checkups.

InnocentBystander

I, my wife, and our son were at a London theatre a while ago, and at the end of the performance, during the curtain calls, a woman in front of us stood to applaud - as did a number of others, but not all. Because she was standing there clapping and whooping, we could see nothing of the curtain calls so I asked her if she could please sit so that we could see. In a loud and angry tone she said "I am giving my standing ovation! I will not sit for you or anyone!"
This habit of applauding from a standing position is now a scourge of the theatre. Why does the woman (in this case) think her standing ovation makes a scrap of difference to the performers when she is depriving paying customers of the opportunity to see the curtain calls with her ego-feeding actions?

As an ex theatre pro I would side with the lady standing to applaud. It is not a case of you 'seeing' the curtain calls. They are an opportunity for the cast to thank the audience and for the audience to thank the cast. If people feel like standing to applaud as the show was great then bring it on. It is these ovations that keep us going. So stand up and join in... or shush!

We had very expensive seats for a ballet a couple of years ago and an announcement was made asking the audience not to film. The woman next to us had a man in front of her holding up a tablet and filming. At intermission she really told him off and he got up and left!