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Post by sph on Mar 31, 2024 1:14:40 GMT
Tbh if I arrived as late as the second act I'd just write it off and try and book for another day.
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Post by iwanttix on Mar 31, 2024 7:50:14 GMT
Two stupid girls/women behind me last night at 'an enemy of the people'. They kept talking and whenever the dog was onstage they kept doing overblown 'awwwwws' and making noises to try and get it's attention - not loud enough to distract the stage, but enough to distract those around them.
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Post by titan31 on Mar 31, 2024 15:11:01 GMT
Probably could fill a thread just for behaviour we'll get out of MJ. I went yesterday for the matinee and got the expected people singing and dancing, few people taking out phones to record, an argument after some queue cutting for the men's toilet at the interval, parents bringing 3 young kids and one of them falling asleep after 30 minutes (and she was a snorer) and a fair amount of drunk people for a matinee show.
I feel bad for the staff doing this show on a Friday or Saturday evening. Lot of people moving in and out of the theatre too. More than I've seen at any other show I've been to.
There was no warning to not sing along which I was surprised by. Thought they'd make it clear that wouldn't be acceptable
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Post by d'James on Mar 31, 2024 17:26:29 GMT
At Starter For Ten, Thursday matinee. People got up to leave, making everyone else move out the way, as the cast were bowing.
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Post by nash16 on Apr 1, 2024 0:33:56 GMT
Probably could fill a thread just for behaviour we'll get out of MJ. I went yesterday for the matinee and got the expected people singing and dancing, few people taking out phones to record, an argument after some queue cutting for the men's toilet at the interval, parents bringing 3 young kids and one of them falling asleep after 30 minutes (and she was a snorer) and a fair amount of drunk people for a matinee show. I feel bad for the staff doing this show on a Friday or Saturday evening. Lot of people moving in and out of the theatre too. More than I've seen at any other show I've been to. There was no warning to not sing along which I was surprised by. Thought they'd make it clear that wouldn't be acceptable Can we have Titan’s suggested “Bad Behaviour at MJ” thread, moderators? It’s a brilliant idea. |
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Post by paulbrownsey on Apr 1, 2024 9:51:26 GMT
At Starter For Ten, Thursday matinee. People got up to leave, making everyone else move out the way, as the cast were bowing. Could be a matter of a train to catch... |
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Post by max on Apr 1, 2024 10:38:07 GMT
Do latecomers count as bad behaviour? I know, I know. Things happen. But today, cruel intentions matinee, TWO groups arrived halfway through the SECOND ACT How does that even happen? And of course they were sat front and centre of the second row. So half the row had to get up and let them in. Twice in like 5 mins. Unfortunately I've found that many latecomeers are then hugely disruptive for a long period of time after they've finally taken their seat. At first you think they are just being inconsiderate in taking so long to finish checking their bags, messing with their coat, arranging their maltesers or whatever. But a lot of them never stop - at which point it dawns that these aren't unfortunate latecomers who missed a train or got caught in traffic. They're latecomers because they're chaotic all the time, and have no sense of anyone but themselves. The reason they were late is the same reason they'll now chat through the whole performance - totally missing they were given the privelege of entering the audience despite being late. At a performance of 'A Number' at the Old Vic I had to speak to an usher afterwards to say that if they are going to let people in so late, they should drill them before they go into the auditorium on how they must behave, how quickly they must settle in order not to disrupt an audience who are already trying to engage with the show. I thought the play was terrible and a waste of time and money - but how much of that was due it my concentration being ruined I don't know. |
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Post by d'James on Apr 1, 2024 16:00:44 GMT
At Starter For Ten, Thursday matinee. People got up to leave, making everyone else move out the way, as the cast were bowing. Could be a matter of a train to catch... Well the show didn't start late or anything, so it's just bad planning and downright rude. |
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Post by paulbrownsey on Apr 2, 2024 9:05:02 GMT
Could be a matter of a train to catch... Well the show didn't start late or anything, so it's just bad planning and downright rude. If it's rude to block people's view of the bows by leaving during the bows to get a train, it's also rude to block people's view of the bows by standing to give a standing ovation so that the person behind can only see your back. |
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Post by d'James on Apr 2, 2024 9:31:19 GMT
Well the show didn't start late or anything, so it's just bad planning and downright rude. If it's rude to block people's view of the bows by leaving during the bows to get a train, it's also rude to block people's view of the bows by standing to give a standing ovation so that the person behind can only see your back. They’re similar, but not the same. One disrupts a whole row, one does not. |
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Post by paulbrownsey on Apr 2, 2024 9:40:39 GMT
If it's rude to block people's view of the bows by leaving during the bows to get a train, it's also rude to block people's view of the bows by standing to give a standing ovation so that the person behind can only see your back. They’re similar, but not the same. One disrupts a whole row, one does not. Oh, so it's OK to block one person's view. The person behind has to tell himself or herself, "I've no ground for complaint here because the poerson next to the one standing in front of me isn't standing." |
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Post by A.Ham on Apr 2, 2024 9:53:37 GMT
Isn’t it a case of ‘expected behaviours’? Whilst yes, someone standing up to give an ovation will block the view of the person behind them (assuming they choose not to give a standing ovation themselves, or perhaps are unable to stand), they go in knowing that if the show’s good enough, people may stand up to applaud at the end. And I guess for those unable to stand, they have the option to book a front row seat to avoid the problem.
But the people having to push down the row to leave early (even if it’s during the curtain call) disrupt and distract other audience members from what’s happening on stage. You could also argue it’s rude to the actors on stage who’ve likely worked their socks off for the last couple of hours, yet these people are in so much of a hurry to leave they can’t stay and applaud them.
However, rushing for a train is of course entirely possible and therefore we probably have to give them the benefit of the doubt.
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Post by d'James on Apr 2, 2024 12:44:22 GMT
They’re similar, but not the same. One disrupts a whole row, one does not. Oh, so it's OK to block one person's view. The person behind has to tell himself or herself, "I've no ground for complaint here because the poerson next to the one standing in front of me isn't standing." As Nick100 said, it’s normal behaviour at the theatre. Maybe we should ban clapping because it might stop someone hearing all the dialogue/song?! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2024 13:58:09 GMT
If people wish to stand to applaud it is a personal choice I feel also you have to stand up to leave if you are able bodied so you can combine the two if needed.
I've known people who might have a tight train to get they know about in advance to try and book a seat near an isle so they can make a quick getaway. But not everyone is a hardened theatre goer like a lot of us on here who often know the quickest ways out. For example I've seen people come out of side doors just around the corner from the main entrance and they seem totally lost.
A big pet peeve of mine is people stood talking in the rows after the shows and not allowing those next to them to start making their way out or stopping to check their phone. Of course make sure you have everything but we have check phone, put phone in bag, pick up scarf, put scarf on pick up coat put coat on, do it up, chat to person with them before they move from the spot.
Of course some people cannot move as fast as others and older less mobile people have to be considered but these dawdlers are often younger, fit people. All we want is a steady, ordered exit.
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Post by sph on Apr 2, 2024 14:33:07 GMT
A standing ovation has not only become fairly common/normal, but to many it's a sign of a good, successful show, especially to the actors, creatives and producers. Whether or not all shows that get them are deserving of them is a different discussion, but I wouldn't consider them "bad behaviour".
People insisting on pushing their way out of rows during bows is a minor pet peeve. Still annoying, and I think a lot of the people who do it are usually less concerned about trains and more concerned about "beating the rush" and getting out before everyone else.
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Post by paulbrownsey on Apr 2, 2024 20:16:05 GMT
Isn’t it a case of ‘expected behaviours’? Whilst yes, someone standing up to give an ovation will block the view of the person behind them (assuming they choose not to give a standing ovation themselves, or perhaps are unable to stand), they go in knowing that if the show’s good enough, people may stand up to applaud at the end. And I guess for those unable to stand, they have the option to book a front row seat to avoid the problem. But the people having to push down the row to leave early (even if it’s during the curtain call) disrupt and distract other audience members from what’s happening on stage. You could also argue it’s rude to the actors on stage who’ve likely worked their socks off for the last couple of hours, yet these people are in so much of a hurry to leave they can’t stay and applaud them. However, rushing for a train is of course entirely possible and therefore we probably have to give them the benefit of the doubt. "they go in knowing that...people may stand up to applaud at the end" But if "knowing that X may happen" is OK to excuse the behaviour, then we can say that if you go to the theatre knowing that drunken patrons may be singing away in your ear, then drunken patrons singing away in your ear is OK. "they have the option to book a front row seat to avoid the problem." Front seats are often among the most expensive, so you are proposing what is in effect a tax on physically disabled people going to the theatre just to accommodate the look-at-me-leaping-to-my-feet brigade. |
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Post by paulbrownsey on Apr 2, 2024 20:17:03 GMT
A standing ovation has not only become fairly common/normal, but to many it's a sign of a good, successful show, especially to the actors, creatives and producers. Whether or not all shows that get them are deserving of them is a different discussion, but I wouldn't consider them "bad behaviour". People insisting on pushing their way out of rows during bows is a minor pet peeve. Still annoying, and I think a lot of the people who do it are usually less concerned about trains and more concerned about "beating the rush" and getting out before everyone else. " I wouldn't consider them "bad behaviour"." So blocking the view of other people by leaping to yopur feet isn't bad behaviour. Hmm. |
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Post by paulbrownsey on Apr 2, 2024 20:18:17 GMT
If people wish to stand to applaud it is a personal choice I feel also you have to stand up to leave if you are able bodied so you can combine the two if needed. I've known people who might have a tight train to get they know about in advance to try and book a seat near an isle so they can make a quick getaway. But not everyone is a hardened theatre goer like a lot of us on here who often know the quickest ways out. For example I've seen people come out of side doors just around the corner from the main entrance and they seem totally lost. A big pet peeve of mine is people stood talking in the rows after the shows and not allowing those next to them to start making their way out or stopping to check their phone. Of course make sure you have everything but we have check phone, put phone in bag, pick up scarf, put scarf on pick up coat put coat on, do it up, chat to person with them before they move from the spot. Of course some people cannot move as fast as others and older less mobile people have to be considered but these dawdlers are often younger, fit people. All we want is a steady, ordered exit. "If people wish to stand to applaud it is a personal choice" I see: selfishness is a 'personal; choice'. Blocking other people's view is fine if you choose to do it. |
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Post by Jane Parfitt on Apr 2, 2024 21:09:05 GMT
For what it's worth paulbrownsey I completely agree with you, and also when it comes to a "megamix" at the end of some musicals and people are encouraged to stand up and you're made to feel like a miserable fun-sponge if you don't.... If people wish to stand to applaud it is a personal choice I feel also you have to stand up to leave if you are able bodied so you can combine the two if needed. I've known people who might have a tight train to get they know about in advance to try and book a seat near an isle so they can make a quick getaway. But not everyone is a hardened theatre goer like a lot of us on here who often know the quickest ways out. For example I've seen people come out of side doors just around the corner from the main entrance and they seem totally lost. A big pet peeve of mine is people stood talking in the rows after the shows and not allowing those next to them to start making their way out or stopping to check their phone. Of course make sure you have everything but we have check phone, put phone in bag, pick up scarf, put scarf on pick up coat put coat on, do it up, chat to person with them before they move from the spot. Of course some people cannot move as fast as others and older less mobile people have to be considered but these dawdlers are often younger, fit people. All we want is a steady, ordered exit. "If people wish to stand to applaud it is a personal choice" I see: selfishness is a 'personal; choice'. Blocking other people's view is fine if you choose to do it. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 2, 2024 21:10:27 GMT
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Post by schuttep on Apr 3, 2024 10:43:03 GMT
On a more positive note, a young man sat in front of us with the biggest Afro hair. After all the fuss I politely asked him was the any chance he had a hat he could wear. I felt really bad as he said that he had been trying to flatten it but he’d slip down more in his chair. I said not to do that as it could hurt his back and it wasn’t the end of the world looking round it. However, he did slide down more in the 2nd half, even though I whispered to sit up during some applause. To sum up he was an extremely polite you man and I was the ogre that disturbed him! Way back in the mists of time (2012) I attended a performance of The Duchess of Mali at the Old Vic. The guy in front of me was very tall and, to top it off (sic), he had a huge mohican hair cut. As we were in the centre of a row, I clearly I had to do hair dodging to see most of the show. At one point I had my head in my hands and - felt a lump in my throat. Twelve years later I'm cancer-free. At the time I thought he was the audience member from hell but I owe that tall guy my life. |
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Post by d'James on Apr 3, 2024 10:47:02 GMT
A standing ovation has not only become fairly common/normal, but to many it's a sign of a good, successful show, especially to the actors, creatives and producers. Whether or not all shows that get them are deserving of them is a different discussion, but I wouldn't consider them "bad behaviour". People insisting on pushing their way out of rows during bows is a minor pet peeve. Still annoying, and I think a lot of the people who do it are usually less concerned about trains and more concerned about "beating the rush" and getting out before everyone else. I agree. The worst experience of this I had was at Chicago one time. Marti Pellow was Billy and two women in the front row leapt up as soon as he had finished his bow (so we couldn't see the leading actresses' bows) in order to get to the stage door. |
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Post by ladidah on Apr 3, 2024 12:11:03 GMT
On a more positive note, a young man sat in front of us with the biggest Afro hair. After all the fuss I politely asked him was the any chance he had a hat he could wear. I felt really bad as he said that he had been trying to flatten it but he’d slip down more in his chair. I said not to do that as it could hurt his back and it wasn’t the end of the world looking round it. However, he did slide down more in the 2nd half, even though I whispered to sit up during some applause. To sum up he was an extremely polite you man and I was the ogre that disturbed him! Way back in the mists of time (2012) I attended a performance of The Duchess of Mali at the Old Vic. The guy in front of me was very tall and, to top it off (sic), he had a huge mohican hair cut. As we were in the centre of a row, I clearly I had to do hair dodging to see most of the show. At one point I had my head in my hands and - felt a lump in my throat. Twelve years later I'm cancer-free. At the time I thought he was the audience member from hell but I owe that tall guy my life. Wow, incredible. |
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Post by Marwood on Apr 6, 2024 22:07:16 GMT
A big kerfuffle kicked off a couple of times in the second act of Standing At The Sky’s Edge tonight, sounded like people coming back from the bar, talking bollocks and their neighbours shushing them and then telling them to shut the funk up: must remember to try not to see musicals in the West End on Saturday nights, the culprits had probably been caning it all day.
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Post by greeny11 on Apr 7, 2024 16:15:31 GMT
Among the shows I saw at the beginning of this week - I would say only MJ had any issues, and compared to some reports, it was very mild. The number of people getting up to go to the toilet mid-show was astonishing and quite distracting. The family I was sat by (all adults, the youngest being about 30) could not sit still and kept chatting to the family members in the row in front. The father left at one point because he was claustrophobic (why book a seat in the middle of a row if you're claustrophobic?). However, there was no singing along, no dancing (though people in front said they were going to dance along, they never did), and no shouting out.
I would put Choir of Man in here, but the rules for this show are very different - they allow photography during the show, lots of audience participation and interaction. One woman with a particularly annoying laugh did kind of steal the limelight at times, and she kept gesturing to the cast saying she would hold their glass for them. Thankfully their interactions with her were limited, and she wasn't chosen to go up on stage, which was a relief.
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