5,585 posts
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Post by lynette on Oct 29, 2018 13:10:10 GMT
At Meniers on Saturday night, full house. You know the numbers on the back of the seats which are benches but if sat on properly not so bad. So arrive at seats, Person in 21 well over half into 22. Not exactly her fault but stony face. No one moved until went over very obviously to ask FOH to assist. It took a stomp round the front by little ole me to get the selfish b******s to shove up.
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2,206 posts
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Oct 30, 2018 18:17:56 GMT
Cruise ship performance, mid-routine, idiot used flash as she moved down stairs in heels (ship of course moving). She missed her footing, stayed upright but in the process of grabbing did massive damage to vital muscles / tendons etc. Game over. Not nearly what I was thinking, I must wash my mind out with soap
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4,458 posts
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Post by poster J on Oct 31, 2018 11:06:39 GMT
TWICE in a row, someone asks if I want to change places with them so that they can take my carefully chosen aisle seat. IF YOU WANT AN AISLE SEAT, BOOK ONE. And for the record, no way am I trading when I had the good fortune of both the seat in front, and the seat in front of that, empty. Did it not occur to them that they could have just sat in the empty seat in front of you (which presumably was also an aisle?)
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231 posts
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Post by harrietcraig on Oct 31, 2018 21:49:09 GMT
I don't know where this belongs, but I'll put it in this thread because at least you can say some carpenters behaved badly. This afternoon I went to the Public Theater in New York to see a play called "Mother of the Maid", about the mother of Joan or Arc (Glenn Close was terrific in the title role, the play itself not so much).
Before the performance started, hammering could be heard from somewhere outside the theater. I assumed it would stop once the performance started, but no such luck: the hammering continued until, several minutes into the first scene, Glenn Close stopped and said, "This noise is bothering me, is it bothering anyone else?" The entire audience indicated its assent, so she called out to the house manager to ask her to see what could be done to stop the noise. The house manager said she would "try to locate where it was coming from" (it's a big building, the public areas alone include three theaters and a restaurant), and that in the meantime Glenn and Grace van Patten, the actress who played her daughter (who were only two actors onstage at that point) should feel free to go offstage. Glenn said no, she would stay onstage and chat with the audience, so Grace stayed too.
Like true New Yorkers, many audience members took the occasion as an opportunity to express their opinions. Several people called out praise for Glenn Close's performance in the movie "The Wife". She acknowledged the praise graciously, talked about how long it took to get the movie made because it's so hard to raise money for independent films, and said, "No American actor wanted to be in a movie called 'The Wife', which was lucky for us because it meant we were able to get Jonathan Pryce".
As the delay dragged on (probably for about 10-15 minutes), she resorted to asking where people in the audience were from (our farthest-flung audience member was from Tasmania); young Grace van Patten, who seemed nonplussed by the whole experience, exclaimed, "This is so weird!"; and an audience member asked Glenn Close if it was difficult to get back in character after a delay like this (she laughed and said, "We'll see").
Finally the house manager reported that the hammering had been silenced, and the play continued from just before where it had broken off. I feel like I got an extra little playlet for the price of my ticket.
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1,465 posts
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Post by foxa on Nov 1, 2018 9:08:05 GMT
Love that, Harriet Craig - thanks for sharing!
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2,206 posts
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Nov 1, 2018 19:24:41 GMT
I don't know where this belongs, but I'll put it in this thread because at least you can say some carpenters behaved badly. This afternoon I went to the Public Theater in New York to see a play called "Mother of the Maid", about the mother of Joan or Arc (Glenn Close was terrific in the title role, the play itself not so much). Before the performance started, hammering could be heard from somewhere outside the theater. I assumed it would stop once the performance started, but no such luck: the hammering continued until, several minutes into the first scene, Glenn Close stopped and said, "This noise is bothering me, is it bothering anyone else?" The entire audience indicated its assent, so she called out to the house manager to ask her to see what could be done to stop the noise. The house manager said she would "try to locate where it was coming from" (it's a big building, the public areas alone include three theaters and a restaurant), and that in the meantime Glenn and Grace van Patten, the actress who played her daughter (who were only two actors onstage at that point) should feel free to go offstage. Glenn said no, she would stay onstage and chat with the audience, so Grace stayed too. Like true New Yorkers, many audience members took the occasion as an opportunity to express their opinions. Several people called out praise for Glenn Close's performance in the movie "The Wife". She acknowledged the praise graciously, talked about how long it took to get the movie made because it's so hard to raise money for independent films, and said, "No American actor wanted to be in a movie called 'The Wife', which was lucky for us because it meant we were able to get Jonathan Pryce". As the delay dragged on (probably for about 10-15 minutes), she resorted to asking where people in the audience were from (our farthest-flung audience member was from Tasmania); young Grace van Patten, who seemed nonplussed by the whole experience, exclaimed, "This is so weird!"; and an audience member asked Glenn Close if it was difficult to get back in character after a delay like this (she laughed and said, "We'll see"). Finally the house manager reported that the hammering had been silenced, and the play continued from just before where it had broken off. I feel like I got an extra little playlet for the price of my ticket. I liked Mother of the Maid, didn't quite get to their relationship quick enough. Could have been very good
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2018 9:34:55 GMT
*cracks knuckles* right then.
Wicked last night. Oh Wicked. Firstly the bloke behind me who rustled all the way through act 1 and then seemed to be trying to get a particularly stubborn crisp/sweet/popcorn out of his bag during the first bars of Defying Gravity...he got the full on stink eye from me. Twice. And eventually stopped. C'mon mate, I've tolerated it for now, and the show is fairly loud so it's not SO annoying but this is the number we've all paid for sooo...
Ok so I didn't pay for it, as i was there on a press invite, but the point still stands. And leads nicely to my next one.
To the girls next to me, who were also part of the press night invites. Who squealed excitedly and shrieked at the beginning, I gave you that, you might just be excited that's fine. I even gave you a bit of chattering through it at the beginning, because again you were probably just excited. But that turned into just chatting. Loudly. You were also on your phone. A lot. Both of you. And you filmed/took pictures throughout the show.
All this is bad enough, but you were there on a press night invite. Aside from quietly shusshing, I chose not to intervene, because also being an invited guest i didn't want to be seen shooting my admittedly big mouth off at people. However, you betcha there's an email making its way to the marketing team with seat numbers in...only really for the filming, because that was a line in my book.
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372 posts
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Post by hitmewithurbethshot on Nov 3, 2018 13:31:26 GMT
Horrid school group of teenagers at Blood Brothers in Wimbledon. Talking to each other, passing sweets between rows, texting, and constantly leaning forwards which blocked the view of those behind.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Nov 3, 2018 17:47:19 GMT
TWICE in a row, someone asks if I want to change places with them so that they can take my carefully chosen aisle seat. IF YOU WANT AN AISLE SEAT, BOOK ONE. And for the record, no way am I trading when I had the good fortune of both the seat in front, and the seat in front of that, empty. Is it possible that sometimes these people think they're doing you a favour?
I suppose often it will depend if it's a central aisle seat or an side aisle seat. I got a dayseat for Miss Saigon late in the run which wasn't front-row, it was at the side, which meant it was slightly restricted view. At the interval, someone a few seats down asked to swap with me because they needed to get out quickly. I agreed, as the seat I was moving into had a much better view, so we both won.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2018 18:28:10 GMT
Maybe we should. Maybe we should all sacrifice ourselves at the altar of Patti by using a phone at the wrong point, receiving her wrath, making the news, and thus spreading the word that mid-show phone use is never okay. Personally I think it'll be fun if they get Patti to do the "Turn off your phones" announcement at the beginning of the show. Well. Did Marianne Elliott credit me for this? Did she buggery. OBE my arse.
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376 posts
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Post by sherriebythesea on Nov 3, 2018 18:47:50 GMT
I keep checking this thread to see if anyone has posted about me and cough issues I have had
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Nov 3, 2018 21:05:11 GMT
I suppose often it will depend if it's a central aisle seat or an side aisle seat. I got a dayseat for Miss Saigon late in the run which wasn't front-row, it was at the side, which meant it was slightly restricted view. At the interval, someone a few seats down asked to swap with me because they needed to get out quickly. I agreed, as the seat I was moving into had a much better view, so we both won. Both were side aisle. I've had the "I need to get away" trick too, as in "I need to get away from the large / tall / smelly / noisy person beside / in front / behind me, so I'm trying that one on the chump at the end, hoping he hasn't clocked it." I choose seats deliberately, and I'm not going to move. If I did have a disruption problem in the seat I've chosen, well, that's that house managers and their held seats are for, isn't it. I suppose not everyone does choose seats deliberately. For some (like me in the Miss Saigon case), it might just be what you're given.
I generally don't think there's any harm in asking someone to swap seats, as long as you ask nicely and accept gracefully when someone says no.
Though as you say, if the reason you want to swap is an irritating person, talk to the house manager.
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3,927 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Nov 3, 2018 23:23:24 GMT
I resisted the temptation to say something to the woman sitting next to me this evening who, having checkd her phone half a dozen times, then decided to put on a jumper 10 minutes before the end of the show, elbowing me twice in the process. She then decided to scramble past me & stand at the side of the theatre with her back to the stage putting her coat on during the curtain call. Given I was in row B stalls the latter must have been visible to the actors. I got minor revenge by deciding not to tell her that she'd put her jumper on inside out!
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3,472 posts
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Post by showgirl on Nov 4, 2018 5:21:05 GMT
I And You, matinee, Hampstead main house yesterday: young woman in front of me had a large bun or topknot piled on her head, which despite the good rake was right in my line of vision so I had to keep leaning from side to side. Why do people wear this selfish hairstyle to the cinema or theatre when it's as antisocial as a hat in terms of an obstruction?
Then her friend in the next seat opened a rustling bag of sweets and proceeded to eat the lot, but one at a time in that infuriating, slow-motion way which people adopt as though they think drawing the process out makes it less distracting for others. It does not; instead it merely prolongs the agony and has you waiting for the next rustle-and-rummage. The sweets however were evidently inadequate in terms of alternative entertainment as the offender then decided to check her phone. Admittedly at that point I too was wondering how much longer the performance would last but as it was only 90 minutes in total, I knew it couldn't be that much longer.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2018 8:28:27 GMT
I And You, matinee, Hampstead main house yesterday: young woman in front of me had a large bun or topknot piled on her head, which despite the good rake was right in my line of vision so I had to keep leaning from side to side. Why do people wear this selfish hairstyle to the cinema or theatre when it's as antisocial as a hat in terms of an obstruction? Then her friend in the next seat opened a rustling bag of sweets and proceeded to eat the lot, but one at a time in that infuriating, slow-motion way which people adopt as though they think drawing the process out makes it less distracting for others. It does not; instead it merely prolongs the agony and has you waiting for the next rustle-and-rummage. The sweets however were evidently inadequate in terms of alternative entertainment as the offender then decided to check her phone. Admittedly at that point I too was wondering how much longer the performance would last but as it was only 90 minutes in total, I knew it couldn't be that much longer. I couldn't agree more showgirl. I hate those topknots. At least a man bun is usually tied at the back and not right on top of the head. I also hate people with long hair who swish it about and let it hang over the back of their seat. I always make sure I catch some between my knee and the back of their seat. They soon move it then. And as for hair touching me. Barf.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Nov 4, 2018 10:12:12 GMT
See also people who find it too difficult to take of their glasses so push them on top of their heads, so they're in your view and also light bounces off them. Infuriating!!
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307 posts
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Post by stuart on Nov 4, 2018 10:39:12 GMT
Something similar happened to me at the theatre once. A guy in front was wearing a SnapBack cap, one of the ones where the skip is pulled back pointing upwards meaning my view of the stage was completely blocked. I leant forward shortly before curtain asking him to take it off and he just threw me a look and turned back around. His female companion turned around and went “Sorry, he hasn’t done his hair so he’ll need to keep it on”. Why? We’re sitting in the dark for the next 2hrs!
I may incur the wrath of other posters by saying I eventually moved to an empty seat further up the row during a scene change but I genuinely couldn’t see a thing over this guy’s cap.
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Post by lynette on Nov 4, 2018 14:35:11 GMT
I’m dreading the full take up of the sixties revival beehive which is just creeping back!
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Post by firefingers on Nov 4, 2018 14:41:42 GMT
Something similar happened to me at the theatre once. A guy in front was wearing a SnapBack cap, one of the ones where the skip is pulled back pointing upwards meaning my view of the stage was completely blocked. I leant forward shortly before curtain asking him to take it off and he just threw me a look and turned back around. His female companion turned around and went “Sorry, he hasn’t done his hair so he’ll need to keep it on”. Why? We’re sitting in the dark for the next 2hrs! I may incur the wrath of other posters by saying I eventually moved to an empty seat further up the row during a scene change but I genuinely couldn’t see a thing over this guy’s cap. I'm a cap wearer, but always take it off a few minutes before curtain. Goes back on at end of Act blackouts. It's just courtesy
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2018 15:02:29 GMT
How did people get on back in the days when ladies wore hats and men lived in flat caps.
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Post by winonaforever on Nov 4, 2018 15:27:53 GMT
They used to have signs saying something like "Ladies! We like your hats, but please remove them" I've seen photos of that, but can't remember if it was at a Music Hall or cinema.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2018 16:30:47 GMT
Oh god there's a particular breed of long-haired girl that enjoys swishing it EVERYWHERE including over a seat and into your lap isn't there?
Also in what universe do you need to keep your hat on during a show? what a, I believe the phrase is 'bellend'
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4,799 posts
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Post by The Matthew on Nov 4, 2018 16:46:14 GMT
I also hate people with long hair who swish it about and let it hang over the back of their seat. That's why you should always have a hundred-pack of bulldog clips with you.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2018 16:48:46 GMT
I And You, matinee, Hampstead main house yesterday: young woman in front of me had a large bun or topknot piled on her head, which despite the good rake was right in my line of vision so I had to keep leaning from side to side. Why do people wear this selfish hairstyle to the cinema or theatre when it's as antisocial as a hat in terms of an obstruction? Then her friend in the next seat opened a rustling bag of sweets and proceeded to eat the lot, but one at a time in that infuriating, slow-motion way which people adopt as though they think drawing the process out makes it less distracting for others. It does not; instead it merely prolongs the agony and has you waiting for the next rustle-and-rummage. The sweets however were evidently inadequate in terms of alternative entertainment as the offender then decided to check her phone. Admittedly at that point I too was wondering how much longer the performance would last but as it was only 90 minutes in total, I knew it couldn't be that much longer. I couldn't agree more showgirl . I hate those topknots. At least a man bun is usually tied at the back and not right on top of the head. Being of the other gender I can't say for sure, so correct me if Im wrong, but I get the impression that generally women will 'topknot' their hair when it's a little less presentable i.e. not been washed for a few days, looks greasy down, and for whatever reason haven't washed it that day either. Vom.
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Post by wickedgrin on Nov 4, 2018 18:20:51 GMT
At a show I attended recently a girl in front of the woman sat next to me put her hair up in top knot just before the performance started! It was tall too like a horses tail on top of her head! It did not affect me as it was to my right but if I had been the woman sat next to me on my right I would certainly have said something! Just unbelievably selfish and unaware.
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Post by daisy24601 on Nov 4, 2018 22:21:39 GMT
I think a lot of people don't even think about the person behind them.
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Post by showgirl on Nov 5, 2018 4:45:00 GMT
Not the point you were making, daisy24601 but I'm often made only too aware of those behind either by seat-kickers (who often don't desist despite me spinning round in exaggerated "What was that?" fashion) or others who bash my head and back with their coats and bags as they walk along the row to take their seats. Amazing how in neither case the offenders seem to realise what they are doing. Also annoying are those in the row behind who have sat down earlier and have draped their coats over the back of my seat and don't see the need to move them when I arrive.
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Post by perfectspy on Nov 5, 2018 6:19:38 GMT
TWICE in a row, someone asks if I want to change places with them so that they can take my carefully chosen aisle seat. IF YOU WANT AN AISLE SEAT, BOOK ONE. And for the record, no way am I trading when I had the good fortune of both the seat in front, and the seat in front of that, empty. I always book an aisle seat as well, even on planes lol. I had someone want to swap with me and we had a stare off as I said no.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2018 8:21:27 GMT
The other day at the Dominion, I came back to my seat before act 2 and the lady next to me had put her stuff on my seat. And SHE was the one annoyed when I returned! She said "I though you wouldn't return, since you took your coat and everything". Well yeah, I don't like to leave my stuff unattended, you know?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2018 8:33:03 GMT
Not the point you were making, daisy24601 but I'm often made only too aware of those behind either by seat-kickers (who often don't desist despite me spinning round in exaggerated "What was that?" fashion) or others who bash my head and back with their coats and bags as they walk along the row to take their seats. Amazing how in neither case the offenders seem to realise what they are doing. Also annoying are those in the row behind who have sat down earlier and have draped their coats over the back of my seat and don't see the need to move them when I arrive. Related to that, I was sat eating in a Chipotle the other week between shows, and suddenly had a hard 'whack' on the back of my head- enough to send me forward almost into my burrito! the man in question profusely apologised, and was very sincere about it- I think he just lost his balance squeezing between the tables. It was so hard I assumed his bag or something had hit my head, nope turned out it was just him!
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