To expect good manners in Theatre Audiences

I was at the theatre last week - it was the first time I have been (other than a panto!) since covid. The audience were awful.

I agree! Going to the Theatre or a classical music concert SHOULD be done with decorum. People walk in late, rustle their sweeties wrappers, throw their rubbish on the floor and talk!

I think it’s the height of ignorance and rudeness.

I’ve been to concerts and other performances where people aren’t allowed to walk in late. They can sometimes watch the performance on closed circuit TV until there is a suitable break, when they are allowed in.

@Galaxy I can believe it
@Cossy is insulting to the actors or musicians/ballet dancers for people to disrupt a performance, and also very annoying for those who save up all year just to be able to enjoy these performances.
When we went to the theatre many moons ago any theatre goers who were late would have to wait until the interval to go to their seats, but now it seems people can barge in at any time. 🙄

I’m surprised the ushers are letting people in once the performance has started. At my local theatre if you miss the start of the show you have to wait outside, or if you’re lucky they show you to a seat in the wings, when the theatre isn’t full.

I do think the FOH staff should be better equipped to deal with difficult people- maybe there just aren't enough of them?

Maybe it is time to issue warnings about zero tolerance of bad behaviour when booking tickets.

All that said Shakepeare's audiences were a pretty rowdy bunch by all accounts!

I took one of my little GC to a children’s theatre show (not a pantomime) today. It was about an hour long. There was a little noise with children talking to the actors, which was quite funny, but none of the children seemed to be eating anything and not one of them left to visit the toilets! They were all under 5yo.

Perhaps adult audiences need to take note of children’s awe and wide-eyed wonder at the delights of theatre. ❤️

When I was a teenager in the 60s I used to go to the theatre a lot. The rule was always that if you arrived late you had to wait for a suitable pause in the performance before they would let you in.

I was watching a production of local Primary school choirs in a theatre about a year ago. We were asked by the conductor not to take photographs or videos during the performance. There is always one, isn't there and she was sat in the row in front of me, one seat to the left. The light from her phone was very distracting and spoiling my enjoyment of the singing so I tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to please switch her phone off. She completely ignored me and carried on. When the lights went up during the interval she got up and glared at me as she went past. Before she returned I mentioned it to a steward who stayed nearby and when she started filming at the start of the second half was told to switch off her phone or leave the theatre. My daughter thought I was a fusspot but the rules are in place for a very good reason, mainly to safeguard the children.

Anywhere you are paying good money to see a performance you expect the audience to behave. Unfortunately this is not the case anymore. Quite a few years ago we went to see Marc Almond at the Everyman Liverpool. He had started to sing and people constantly piled in laughing making a racket. Disturbing the audience well after the curtain went up. He stopped singing and addressed the audience by saying that he considered it rude to be so noisy and disruptive when the performance had started. It was inconsiderate to the performers and the rest of the audience who arrived on time without making a noise.
He also suggested there are enough bars in Liverpool where very late comers could have gone to to carry on partying.
He was given a round of approval from the audience and definitely gained respect from many that night.

They are very strict here and will not allow latecomers in . I’m glad. The earliest they can get in is during the half time break, if there is one. If not, bad luck!

Are these London theatres ? Because I ve never had that happen locally even our nearest city
I went to a big theatre in Cork recently while on holiday for a panto this year it was very laid back very full there was lots of little kids there so there was loads of toilet trips and disruptions but great happiness

My daughter thought I was a fusspot

Probably embarrassed about Mum making a big deal out of someone using an unpermitted phone.

Good for you!

If more people complained, then these entitled parents might think a bit more about breaking the rules.

Does darling little Johnny’s or Susie’s every movement have to be filmed for posterity?

My friend invited me to her social group Christmas meeting just recently. They had invited the local school choir along to sing Christmas carols.
At the start of the event the organiser told all the audience that taking photographs or filming the children was NOT permitted even if it was their grandchildren entertaining us! And everyone complied.
Seemingly, you need parental consent to take photographs of any child at such events, and rightly so.
I am pleased you called the woman out and you were NOT being a fusspot Babs.

If you want theatre for “Everyman” you have to expect everymans behavior is not always as you would like. Not too many years ago you dressed up to go to the theatre, now you dress down sloppy jumper and jeans is normal.

I’m not surprised some are so bored they play computer games some productions are awful,

David49

If you want theatre for “Everyman” you have to expect everymans behavior is not always as you would like. Not too many years ago you dressed up to go to the theatre, now you dress down sloppy jumper and jeans is normal.

I’m not surprised some are so bored they play computer games some productions are awful,

Who says we want theatre for ‘Everyman’? Not if they spoil others enjoyment.

Ok to wear jeans and jumpers as long as they are clean, no need for tiaras and pearls, but that is nothing to do with thoughtless behaviour.

Things have changed and not for the better .I haven't been to the theater for a while, but recall a couple of men staging a really frightening fight during the interval .
They thought that it was funny .
I went to the cinema a couple of weeks ago and had to pick popcorn out of my hair afterwards .

A few years ago we went to the Henley on Thames Parish Church where a very popular Elvis impersonator, Ben Portsmouth, was giving a charity Christmas concert. It was packed out. Three rowdy girls sat in front of us. They were drinking alcohol and were getting noisier and noisier.

Now I need to say here I am all for fun and having a drink, but they seemed to have no idea that they were in a church and should in my opinion have shown a little decorum. They totally spoilt the evening for us.

David49 - surely if a show is dreadful you can walk out?

No need to play games etc.

Maybe the OP question should be AIBU to expect good manners anywhere?
As to theatre performances, good manners from audiences went long ago, possibly the same for opera and ballet.We went to see a performance of Swan Lake a couple of years ago and before curtain up, a member of the company came onstage to lay down a few rules about applauding.He said to please not start clapping until a section of the ballet ends ( change of scenery) as it puts the dancers off.Fair enough, not everyone knows when they should or shouldn’t do it, but even so some members of the audience did applaud and even cheered where quiet was the order of the day.
It’s as if they were in the cinema, where audiences now often do clap cheer and whistle at bits they like🤬

I went to a production of Macbeth in a local church. My heart sank when 5 kids who looked to be aged 8 - 10 sat in front of me with a man. I thought they might be a bit young for it and expected some disturbance. They actually behaved very well but after the play started a woman arrived, who sat in our row behind one of the boys. When she wasn’t talking to the boy she was on her phone or passing snacks and drinks to the boy. Just had no idea how to behave!

David49

If you want theatre for “Everyman” you have to expect everymans behavior is not always as you would like. Not too many years ago you dressed up to go to the theatre, now you dress down sloppy jumper and jeans is normal.

I’m not surprised some are so bored they play computer games some productions are awful,

We have walked out at the interval when given tickets to an avant garde production that was dire, but we wouldn’t dream of staying and talking etc.,or using our phones.
We pay more than we can afford sometimes to see a good production in the West End, so having it spoiled is not just wasting our enjoyment but our money as well.
People just seem to have lost all sense of respect and decency these days, I think it got much worse after lockdown tbh.

I do think the behaviour of some theatre goers has deteriorated in recent years, but by no means has everyone’s behaviour deteriorated. We find on the whole, that theatre goers behaviour is okay. The main thing that really does annoy me is when people arrive late and are allowed to access their seats, despite causing a big disturbance to others in their row, and people sitting behind.
Don’t get me started on the behaviour in cinemas though. That utterly disgusting food people are allowed to buy and take in the cinema which absolutely stinks. It’s vile. And the constant rattling of sweet wrappers sometimes.

The cinema is a disgrace, people buy meals and enormous containers of food then simply throw it all on the floor. Would hate to be a cleaner in a cinema. Is like cleaning after animals in a farmyard.
When did people start thinking is ok to throw everything on the floor.