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Post by theatrekiwi on May 1, 2024 11:46:31 GMT
Not so much bad behaviour, but I was surprised last night that while waiting to collect my purchased tickets from the box office for Pippin, two of the (not many) parties in front of me were queueing to ask for better seats. I could overhear that in both cases they had their tickets through the same papering offer, and were politely told they can't be exchanged.
Perhaps I am not bold enough, but I would NEVER ask that if I had got my tickets through a booking fee only offer that is very clear to "accept the seats offered" on their website.
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Post by ladidah on May 1, 2024 12:39:46 GMT
If it's the one I'm thinking of, that's strictly against the rules and they could be banned from the site.
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2,782 posts
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Post by ceebee on May 1, 2024 13:12:54 GMT
Not the worst behaviour, but quite an irritating and a distracting one nonetheless. I was attending an Operation Mincemeat performance last week and I had a fella in my row, a couple of seats away, play with his phone quite a lot. I couldn’t initially see what he was doing but then I noticed he was trying to set up a Bluetooth microphone to record the performance. Usually I give people a chance to settle down, before I get arsy, but this person would not put his phone away. Fortunately, just before I was about to say anything, a kind gentleman behind me spotted him and told him to put his phone away. The same fella was somewhat humiliated during the interval by the ushers who were told that he had been recording (or trying to record) the performance, and they confronted him and had a long conversation about it, even checking his phone to make sure he deletes any recording. Kudos to the man who told the fella off and the ushers who handled it well. Interesting one, this, as I've recorded audios of shows a few times purely for memories and knowing there is nil chance of a formal release. Invariably the end result is lo-fi crackly and crap, but it captures a memory. I'd never sit and brazenly set up a mic though - mine are pocket recordings, occasionally shared, and purely to capture a moment.
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Post by nancycunard on May 1, 2024 18:55:56 GMT
The worst behaviour I’ve seen recently was at the Ralph Fiennes/Indira Varma production of Macbeth in Liverpool. Two rows behind me were a school trip of GCSE students, and behind me were a group of two middle aged couples.
The school kids whispered very briefly in Act One and during the interval one of the men in the couples turned around and was extremely verbally abusive to them, swearing at what were effectively children, involving the usher and their teacher. I don’t condone the whispering but his behaviour was totally out of order.
In the second act, his wife and their friend then proceeded to talk loudly to each other, say the lines along with the actors, go on their phones (full brightness), take selfies, and film the action on the stage. It was staggering — like a bingo card of bad behaviour.
I let them go without saying anything at the end because I suspected they were drunk and as a lone woman I didn’t want to confront the man given how abusive I’d seen him be, but I did pull the teacher of the school kids and say they’d been a credit to her in the second act.
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Post by edi on May 1, 2024 19:41:49 GMT
Not so much bad behaviour, but I was surprised last night that while waiting to collect my purchased tickets from the box office for Pippin, two of the (not many) parties in front of me were queueing to ask for better seats. I could overhear that in both cases they had their tickets through the same papering offer, and were politely told they can't be exchanged. Perhaps I am not bold enough, but I would NEVER ask that if I had got my tickets through a booking fee only offer that is very clear to "accept the seats offered" on their website. i dropped my membership for such agencies because the seats were just never really good and prices were never even that great. After one experience when the seat was so bad that I almost just left, I complained to the agency and decided that that was the last straw, I'd rather pay more but actually enjoy the show
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70 posts
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Post by Paulw on May 2, 2024 8:43:39 GMT
Not so much bad behaviour, but I was surprised last night that while waiting to collect my purchased tickets from the box office for Pippin, two of the (not many) parties in front of me were queueing to ask for better seats. I could overhear that in both cases they had their tickets through the same papering offer, and were politely told they can't be exchanged. Perhaps I am not bold enough, but I would NEVER ask that if I had got my tickets through a booking fee only offer that is very clear to "accept the seats offered" on their website. i dropped my membership for such agencies because the seats were just never really good and prices were never even that great. After one experience when the seat was so bad that I almost just left, I complained to the agency and decided that that was the last straw, I'd rather pay more but actually enjoy the show I get that but I guess its how you use such places, I tend to use them for Concerts and fringe things only. Fringe is obviously smaller venues so the chances of a bad seat is reduced and I don’t remember having a bad seat for a concert! Yes they might not be in my preferred place to sit but the difference in what I pay (and usually last minute) and they are charging is a big difference. I guess its down to personal choice but I find them ok for how I use them and would definitely not be asking for a better seat!
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1,644 posts
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Post by fiyero on May 2, 2024 12:38:57 GMT
Stopping audio recording is a lost battle. It’s rare I’m at a show and I don’t spot someone pushing start/stop on their phone at the appropriate times. No value judgement here, but if someone is messing around with Bluetooth microphones, they should expect to get caught. When I saw Sunset Boulevard I think half the front row were doing unofficial cast recordings. Setting up a full on microphone is another level! I was lucky enough to be in Lisbon recently and decided to be brave and take in a show. 'Laura O Musical'. The show was lovely and brilliant but similar audience behaviour - sweet wrappers and a huge bugbear metal bangles. She also fiddled with her hands a lot so it was like tipping out the cutlery tray every minute or so! My glares were powerless. The ushers were really hot on phones though, upper level ushers pointing them out with lasers so the lower floor ushers could dispatch the offenders.
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Post by hannechalk on May 2, 2024 22:24:31 GMT
Was at 'Tim Rice: My Life In Musicals' at the Liverpool Playhouse.
Afterwards I went to stage door, and two twits were waiting for Sir Tim with items to sign. They were actually partially blocking the door, so no-one could leave without them checking who it was first.
One of them kept badgering staff and crew.
They initially completely missed the fact that Sir Tim's chauffeur drove his car to the front of the theatre to pick him up there, and didn't get their autographs. 😂
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