806 posts
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Post by duncan on Feb 3, 2018 23:32:39 GMT
If in the unlikely event you were sat in Stalls F3 at the Citz tonight then I hope your next sh*te is a hedgehog.
Phone continually going off throughout the first act, utter moronic behaviour.
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853 posts
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Post by longinthetooth on Feb 3, 2018 23:47:11 GMT
Having had a recent rant on here about people seemingly unable to find their seats (or sitting in someone else's), guess who ended up in the wrong row today?
Guilty as charged!
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Feb 4, 2018 11:18:26 GMT
There is a universal law concerning people in the wrong seats. Those who have those seats will always be those who arrive at the last minute, thus giving those being moved no time to get to the seats they have actually booked. This law is particularly applied when those occupying the wrong seats have ended up in the wrong level of a theatre.
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4,458 posts
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Post by poster J on Feb 4, 2018 12:27:56 GMT
There is a universal law concerning people in the wrong seats. Those who have those seats will always be those who arrive at the last minute, thus giving those being moved no time to get to the seats they have actually booked. This law is particularly applied when those occupying the wrong seats have ended up in the wrong level of a theatre. That also happened at Girl From the North Country on Friday night. Afraid I have no sympathy though - it's not difficult to read your ticket or ask an usher if you aren't sure!
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Post by crabtree on Feb 4, 2018 13:26:41 GMT
Again, at hamlet yesterday, a couple were insisting that another couple in their seats and were discussing it with way too much unnecessary anger - they were the right seats but for the night before. How do you get that wrong? The man who had come over all macho then blamed the wife. The journey home would have been a long one.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Feb 4, 2018 13:44:54 GMT
I was really surprised at the number of people who came in late during Five Guys Named Moe the other night - but even more so that all of them came in clutching drinks. Surely if you're late, you'd want to go in as soon as possible, not lose another five minutes waiting for drinks.
It surprised me even moreso considering this show has a later start time than nearly any other West End show, at 7:45.
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231 posts
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Post by harrietcraig on Feb 4, 2018 17:08:42 GMT
Further to the point made by @caiaphas about the need to educate children: when I was about 12 years old, I leaned forward in a theatre seat, and my mother said to me, "Don't do that, it blocks the view of the person sitting behind you". I have never leaned forward in a theatre seat in the 50+ years since then, but I see other people do it all the time, and I always wonder where their parents were at a time when the habit could have been nipped in the bud. Admittedly, quite a few of these people probably know they're blocking someone's view and just don't care, but there must be some who are unaware of the effects of their actions because no one took the trouble to tell them.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2018 18:16:39 GMT
Some seats are not clearly numbered and I've known people having a job to see them. Why not have large numbers on underside so people can see them before they are pulled down.
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4,603 posts
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Post by Mark on Feb 4, 2018 21:13:32 GMT
Kinky Boots the other week. Just after Don has walked across and done the phone bit and the music started, the guy in front pulled out his phone - oh going to put onto airplane mode/off I thought. Nope - opens up texts and starts sending a message. He then goes and starts writing another one. A quick little tap and a "do you mind" did the trick and said phone was not seen again. Honestly, if something can't wait an hour then I'd love to know how important your life is.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2018 13:52:25 GMT
So, another old one...in the 1980s I saw a play at the RC theatre upstairs (RCTU) I think it was The Emperor adapted by Michael Hastings. Before lights up this couple kept telling people they couldn’t sit with them because they had bought up tickets for the whole row. Seats weren’t numbered. When the lights went down they proceeded to canoodle - kissing, sighing, giggling. Loudly. For the whole show. I can only assume that the usher and everybody else were too intimidated (they looked very expensive) to do or say anything.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2018 14:37:32 GMT
Going back to @caiaphas's post: I don't know if it's me*, or strangers generally, but kids are REALLY naturally wary of strangers, especially the younger kids. For instance, where a screaming child might not pay any attention to their mother exhorting them to stop, nine times out of ten I've found that a screaming child will shut up in a millisecond if a complete stranger (me) comments on the noise. (I tend to plump for a sympathetic, non-confrontational "oh dear, is is the end of the world already?"; I may be argumentative on here but I'm not going to add to a frazzled parent's frazzlement.) Honestly, just letting the child know that it's audible to others does come as a surprise and will shut them down. How many times have you seen a parent encourage their babbling child to chat with a shop assistant, only for the kid to clam up completely?
So I regularly use this knowledge to my advantage when I'm stuck in a shop with a screaming child, and it is a pretty effective method for me. Which is precisely why *I'm* not going to tell a child in a theatre to shut up, because direct acknowledgement from a strange adult *is* so alarming to them. (Unless, of course, the child is screaming, all bets are off then!) But a noisy child in the theatre is usually chatty, and if you pay attention to its chattiness, it's so often clear that the child is chatting happily about the show itself. If it's super-disruptive I might ask their parent (or teacher or other responsible adult) to have a word, but I'm not going to be the old grump who tells a child that their enjoyment means they're unwelcome in an auditorium.
I'm not saying my viewpoint is right or wrong, by the way, I'm just explaining where I'm coming from with being zen about kids in a theatre. And when I say "children", I do mean children, I've no qualms about hushing a teen if their behaviour is disruptive. Interestingly though, in my experience, the age group that tends to be chattiest after young children is grey-haired types, not teens.
*I suspect it's not me, as pre-teens tend to flock to me like cats to a cat-hater.
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349 posts
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Post by kimbahorel on Feb 5, 2018 19:10:59 GMT
Further to the point made by @caiaphas about the need to educate children: when I was about 12 years old, I leaned forward in a theatre seat, and my mother said to me, "Don't do that, it blocks the view of the person sitting behind you". I have never leaned forward in a theatre seat in the 50+ years since then, but I see other people do it all the time, and I always wonder where their parents were at a time when the habit could have been nipped in the bud. Admittedly, quite a few of these people probably know they're blocking someone's view and just don't care, but there must be some who are unaware of the effects of their actions because no one took the trouble to tell them. I only feel the need to comment based on going to see Les Mis. I think there are some situations were you have to sit forward in order to see a show. From my many views of Les Mis. If you are sitting on the upper circle esp row AA the front the seat is sunk down so if you sit back you actually can't see any part of the stage. And on the tickes it says you may have to lean. The problem comes is that people behind will also have to lean (not sure if they put it on the tickets). But that's why I booked row AA so I can see it and never rows A B or C. I am not sure about all other theatres. I have been to a few where you didn't so therefore no one behind you had too. Honestly if I am in stalls and people lean forward it's great for me as I am short and can see more of the stage. Also the other thing that I find I get back problems and sitting in certain seats in theatres gives me back ache. I lean forward just to move. It's not like I can just stand up randomly. If I have enough room sometimes I sink down instead. Even leaning forward for long periods of time has the same effect. I think there are some situations were people do just have to and not all I know but some maybe if someone is telling me not to lean forward in AA of Queens because they can't I am think well neither can I.
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Post by Tibidabo on Feb 5, 2018 22:07:32 GMT
This would help with the noise aspect at the theatre. Though it would appear that it's just us girls who crunch too loud. Boys must obviously suck, snort or inhale their crisps.
Also, if they don't make a crunch can they still actually be called 'crisps?' Discuss.
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Post by floorshow on Feb 5, 2018 22:57:44 GMT
Went to see Bill Bailey's tour tonight, can honestly say I heard as much from B13 as I did from Bill Bailey. Just a non-stop, banal stream of random noises, repeating the last thing he heard and even quite loud (but unfunny in every way) 'participation'. Topped off with chair kicking during the musical moments. '
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2018 23:22:11 GMT
Also, if they don't make a crunch can they still actually be called 'crisps?' Discuss. My sister would (and has) strenuously argue that Doritos are NOT crisps, because they are made out of corn and not potatoes.
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4,799 posts
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Post by The Matthew on Feb 6, 2018 6:35:21 GMT
I'm wondering what market research turned up the result "These corn chips are very nice but they're just too corn-chippy. They need less of the defining attribute that makes them what they are."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2018 11:17:09 GMT
Though it would appear that it's just us girls who crunch too loud No. The story is that ladies apparently don't like to hear a crunching sound when they eat, so Doritos are bringing out a "lady friendly" version that is quieter to chew. The trouble is with the wording "lady friendly" of course. Would have been easier years ago, like when Yorkie got away with the 'Not for girls' tagline.
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578 posts
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Post by lou105 on Feb 6, 2018 12:24:53 GMT
At Sunset Boulevard last night, someone who I suspect was connected with the show sat in a box and checked his phone repeatedly. Maybe he didn't think the light would be visible since he was in a box. It was..very..
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4,977 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Feb 6, 2018 13:12:31 GMT
No. The story is that ladies apparently don't like to hear a crunching sound when they eat, so Doritos are bringing out a "lady friendly" version that is quieter to chew. The trouble is with the wording "lady friendly" of course. Would have been easier years ago, like when Yorkie got away with the 'Not for girls' tagline. I'm that old, I can remember when Flora was marketed as the 'margarine for men'. Presumably, women were expected to eat their Nimble dry.
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4,799 posts
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Post by The Matthew on Feb 6, 2018 16:08:28 GMT
Flora was marketed as the 'margarine for men'. I've never liked either margarine or butter, but I imagine that using it for toast would be better than using it for men.
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578 posts
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Post by michalnowicki on Feb 6, 2018 16:25:06 GMT
Chat about people being unable to find their seats reminded me of something that happened to me back in Poland in one of rep theatres in my city. A gentlemen was insisting I was sitting in his seat. Unfortunately for me, he was right. Unfortunately for him, quick look on his ticket confirmed that he came to the theatre one day early.
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Post by CG on the loose on Feb 6, 2018 16:58:39 GMT
I had similar at the panto at Christmas - family of five on the row behind me, mother noisily insisting they were in the right seats despite someone else's claim on them. They finally realised they were in the wrong row, when her attention turned to me, seated in the middle of their block of five in the right row. She summoned back the rapidly escaping FOH Manager, who eventually established they were there a day late. With not even a flicker of acknowledgement of their error, she then demanded to know where he was going to seat them (in the sold-out house) because they'd booked MONTHS ago and didn't want just any old seat!
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174 posts
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Post by eatbigsea on Feb 7, 2018 2:43:02 GMT
Not theatre exactly but I'd be interested in your opinions - I went to the rugby in Rome on Sunday and was standing up in my seat before the match began. (We were in the very middle of the row, there was not much legroom and I am a tall person, so I wanted to maximise the time before I had to contort myself into the seat for 40 minutes). A woman behind me tapped me on the back (well, the bottom) and said she couldn't see. (I sat down, grudgingly.) There were loads of blokes standing up elsewhere, but no one very near. (I am a woman). We all stood up about 5 minutes later for the national anthems and then everyone sat back down when the match began. Was I wrong to be annoyed? I feel that she wouldn't have asked a man to sit down.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2018 7:03:47 GMT
^ Ah, but were you rocking the boat?
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315 posts
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Post by stuart on Feb 7, 2018 7:33:36 GMT
Shout out to the 3 drunk women in the Grand Circle at 42nd Street on Saturday night who treated Act 2 as some sort of selfie photo shoot. Seconds after the lights went down they started and it continued throughout. I felt sorry for the poor usher who was up/down the stairs every 3mins to tell them off.
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1,517 posts
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Post by anita on Feb 7, 2018 10:19:18 GMT
At "All or Nothing" last night every time the band played this couple got up & started dancing. I felt so sorry for all the people behind them who wouldn't be able to see a thing. They were in their seventies probably & he obviously thought he was a great dancer. - He wasn't. No ushers appeared to stop them.
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853 posts
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Post by longinthetooth on Feb 8, 2018 20:02:34 GMT
At The Girl from the North Country, a little old lady entered on the low numbers side of the auditorium. Starting at 1, she struggled past everyone up to seat 20 (hers). There were only 22 seats in the row. She then obtained a booster seat from the ushers (she was small, but not THAT small). Half an hour later she walked out, never to be seen again.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2018 20:52:30 GMT
I was watching Grease in Edinburgh in September and I made the mistake of booking a Saturday matinee... Oh dear. The audience were screaming every word to every song. For goodness sake, it's a musical! Not a concert! Poor Danielle Hope and Louisa Lytton were struggling to keep in time with the live band (who were excellent and doing their best) because the audience were singing the arrangements from the film, and the show has slightly different tempos and notes.
I get that audiences like to be involved but for the love of god save it for pop concerts and pantomimes!
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148 posts
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Post by geweena on Feb 8, 2018 22:42:29 GMT
Phantom on Tues night... I must have missed the memo about bringing a picnic along to the show! Multiple crisp crunchers with one particularly annoying individual behind who thought that every quiet moment was the exact right time to delve into her never ending packet and rustle around to find the best crisp! A few stares behind didn't do the trick but another audience member a few seats away who politely told her to be quiet and not be so rude soon got her to stop. Honestly - what is it with people that can't go an hour or so without the need to eat or drink when there is a perfectly good interval to do just that!
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888 posts
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Post by lonlad on Feb 9, 2018 0:59:07 GMT
As a change of pace, let me report that I saw the (brilliant) return of THE FLYING LOVERS OF VITEBSK tonight and am pleased to report a model audience who were quiet, attentive, polite and then properly and fully responsive at the end, just as the show merits. More of that please. Can this audience be bottled??
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