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Post by bellboard27 on May 21, 2016 7:51:29 GMT
At the Open Air Theatre last night. The whole venue is no smoking, so smokers are directed to a place by the gate. A woman lit up near the loos and was asked to go the smoking area by a member of staff. Instead she put out her fag. Once he left, she just continued to chain smoke through the interval! Other staff did not react. I can understand someone innocently lighting up as they are in the open air and assume it should be fine. But once their mistake is pointed out, it's different.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 21, 2016 8:17:35 GMT
When the interval started I went straight for my bag to get my programme as I wanted to look something up. It wasn't on top of my bag, so I looked inside, but it wasn't there. I then looked under both seats but no programme to be seen. I saw the people in the row behind us were reading a programme so decided, you know, just in case they had mine to make it obvious I was looking for my programme. I got up, went to the end of the row, checked under the seats again, still no programme and I definitely mentioned the word programme a few times. I was not looking forward to having to pay for another one but I decided if I had to buy another one I would do it at the end of the show just in case my programme mysteriously reappeared. That would have killed the second act for me. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 21, 2016 8:18:42 GMT
Bad behaviour, and dangerous, as there is a lot of wood around the Open Air Theatre. Worth emailing them, bellboard27, as it is something they'd want to know about. And that's just the acting... fnarr-harr  |
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 14:31:29 GMT
Last night at Romeo & Juliet. Second act, Nurse and mother about to leave Juliet to drink her potion, suddenly blood curdling screams erupt from rear stalls. Cast stop and stare ahead and a hush descends as the woman leaves hurriedly. Usher informs us afterwards, she'd fallen asleep and woken up not knowing where she was.
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Post by kathryn on May 22, 2016 15:53:41 GMT
:-) Sorry, I'm sure it was disturbing at the time, but it's f***ing hilarious to read about!
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Post by Jon on May 22, 2016 17:01:46 GMT
Last night at Romeo & Juliet. Second act, Nurse and mother about to leave Juliet to drink her potion, suddenly blood curdling screams erupt from rear stalls. Cast stop and stare ahead and a hush descends as the woman leaves hurriedly. Usher informs us afterwards, she'd fallen asleep and woken up not knowing where she was. I wonder if she had a bit too much to drink. Can't imagine anyone not realising they were at the theatre.. |
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 17:12:11 GMT
Last night at Romeo & Juliet. Second act, Nurse and mother about to leave Juliet to drink her potion, suddenly blood curdling screams erupt from rear stalls. Cast stop and stare ahead and a hush descends as the woman leaves hurriedly. Usher informs us afterwards, she'd fallen asleep and woken up not knowing where she was. I wonder if she had a bit too much to drink. Can't imagine anyone not realising they were at the theatre.. I dunno, imagine waking up from a dream and expecting to be in bed and you're in what seems like another super-real dream. Would be pretty terrifying. I felt a bit sorry for her. |
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 17:12:49 GMT
Unless she suddenly realised she should have been at the Savoy
Not theatre but at the nft today - guy in front of me STANK and someone to my left was sniffing every 30 seconds. I'd been shopping and actually had deodorant and tissues with me so considered offering them round
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 17:21:12 GMT
I'd been shopping and actually had deodorant and tissues with me so considered offering them round OMG that would have been fantastic. |
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Post by Steffi on May 22, 2016 19:23:24 GMT
King Lear at Birmingham Rep on Friday. People arriving late, then taking ages to settle into their seats all the while whispering to each other. About 30 minutes in they then got out a box of Celebrations and proceeded to eat them for the rest of act one passing the box between them. It was a constant rustling of sweet paper. Cue lots of evil stares from my friend, me and others around them. They did not return for act two (something to be thankful for I guess).
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Post by telscombe59 on May 24, 2016 16:10:56 GMT
Kinky Boots - matinee on Saturday afternoon, had nice seats in stalls row P19-22 no one in row in front of us then just before the show started a woman and small child of about 7/8 years old came and sat in front of us. The child was too young for this show which has a recommended age of 10+ and was bored to tears, up down, standing up sitting on woman's knee with their heads so close together that the person behind couldn't see anything at all and at that point tapped her on the shoulder and mentioned that is they did this it completely blocked the view and was not acceptable behavior. Got a mouthful of abuse and "the finger" above her head which was completely out of order. I thought we may have a bit of a disagreement at the interval but woman and child shot off pretty quickly but unfortunately came back. Child playing with hair,scarf, sweets, you name it. Spoiled the show for us and the woman just couldn't care less and I think was there because she wanted to see the show and the child could just get on with it. I am not sure whether theatre staff watch the audience for children for whom the show is not really suitable because they are too young or that the age recommendation is just for guidance only. Thought of getting the management because of the mouthy aggressive attitude and finger gesture but what's the point.
Have been a life long theatregoer but it is all becoming a bit too much as far as behavior in the theatre is concerned what with talking, aggressive behavior, alchohol, mobile phones, texting, social media, filming, it seems nigh on impossible to attend a production and just quietly watch it and I agree with a prior comment that musicals are worse than plays. What with the cost of about £150 for two decent tickets, rail fares, something to eat etc, the price is too high knowing that you are on a fairly decent chance of having a rotten time because someone near to you does not know how to behave and the time has come for us to cut back on the money spent on London theatre because it just isn't worth it. Got tickets for Showboat next month which may be better but who knows!!!!!
Chichester Festival Theatre is not too far from home and the behavior there does seem to be a bit better but that can sometimes be a bit hit and miss as well. Heigh ho!!!! |
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2016 18:41:52 GMT
Last night at Romeo & Juliet. Second act, Nurse and mother about to leave Juliet to drink her potion, suddenly blood curdling screams erupt from rear stalls. Cast stop and stare ahead and a hush descends as the woman leaves hurriedly. Usher informs us afterwards, she'd fallen asleep and woken up not knowing where she was. Gripping production then? |
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Post by 49thand8th on May 24, 2016 20:23:00 GMT
I am not sure whether theatre staff watch the audience for children for whom the show is not really suitable because they are too young or that the age recommendation is just for guidance only. Thought of getting the management because of the mouthy aggressive attitude and finger gesture but what's the point.
They'll try to reseat you and maybe kick out the offender, that's the point. |
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 7:39:11 GMT
Yeah with unsuitable kids, unless they do something actually dangerous there's nothing that can be done to remove them (as it's just a guidance not like films where there is a legal element) but most of the time they can move the person (s) being disrupted by said children.
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Post by telscombe59 on May 25, 2016 9:44:51 GMT
I am not sure whether theatre staff watch the audience for children for whom the show is not really suitable because they are too young or that the age recommendation is just for guidance only. Thought of getting the management because of the mouthy aggressive attitude and finger gesture but what's the point.
They'll try to reseat you and maybe kick out the offender, that's the point. The front of house staff didn't seem particularly on the ball, they didn't get the house open until just gone 2.15pm, the foyer was packed. |
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Post by PhantomNcl on May 25, 2016 9:53:31 GMT
The front of house staff didn't seem particularly on the ball, they didn't get the house open until just gone 2.15pm, the foyer was packed. To be fair this isn't generally the fault of front of house staff - we normally open the house as soon as we get clearance from the stage, but if there are checks still going on with staging/lights/sound etc., or a quick run-through for a cover who's been bumped up to a different role it can delay the opening of the house. |
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 12:45:32 GMT
Trust me nobody wants to get that house open and audience out of the way more than FOH staff  they have to wait for clearance from the Stage Manager before the House Manager can open, the amount of times I've had people bitching at me about being let in... |
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Post by firefingers on May 25, 2016 12:51:28 GMT
Yep, it is normally us tech people holding it all up. Each department does a rig check when they get in, and if a light/speaker/projector/truck etc is broken they will most likely not be able to open the house until it is fixed. And these things always take longer than you think they will.
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Post by showgirl on May 25, 2016 14:45:43 GMT
So from the above posts, delays are understandable and to be expected at times, but why on earth doesn't someone make an announcement to the waiting audience members? It is well known that whilst people don't like delays (e.g. on public transport), they object more to a lack of information about the reason and likely duration.
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 14:50:23 GMT
So from the above posts, delays are understandable and to be expected at times, but why on earth doesn't someone make an announcement to the waiting audience members? It is well known that whilst people don't like delays (e.g. on public transport), they object more to a lack of information about the reason and likely duration. Because if they start announcing "technical difficulties" being the reason for the delay, the audience are going to start betting on which member of the cast is drunk! |
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 14:53:23 GMT
Nobody likes a delay, but I hate it when there's a delay and the waiting crowds start getting REALLY ANTSY, like FOH have simply forgotten to let us all in, and even though the auditorium is empty, they're going to start the play without us. If we haven't been let into the auditorium, there is doubtless a good reason, and shouting and complaining and tutting isn't going to make anything better, it's just going to make people hate you.
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Post by musicallady on May 25, 2016 15:49:28 GMT
I can remember seeing a production of 42nd Street in Sunderland. Some idiot had parked his 4x4 across a fire door. Countless announcements were put out in the theatre for its owners to move it. By 7.45 the car was still there. By 7.50 despite more announcements it was still there. So it was towed away. At the interval the cars owners were found in the foyer blasting the poor house manager for having their car towed. The female said the theatre should pay all costs as it was parked okay.
At this point the manager produced photos of the car parked in front of the fire door and pointed out it was a hazard. When asked why they had ignored the announcements the female said they were having a drink with friends and didnt hear them! Realising the theatre weren't going to pay, she grabbed her partner and dragged him out yelling at him saying it was all his fault.
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Post by showgirl on May 25, 2016 17:38:20 GMT
So from the above posts, delays are understandable and to be expected at times, but why on earth doesn't someone make an announcement to the waiting audience members? It is well known that whilst people don't like delays (e.g. on public transport), they object more to a lack of information about the reason and likely duration. Because if they start announcing "technical difficulties" being the reason for the delay, the audience are going to start betting on which member of the cast is drunk! I know you are joking, Ryan - and the idea wouldn't occur to me even now, though I understand the reference - but I genuinely do think announcements are not only courteous but necessary if there is a notable delay, either in opening the auditorium or starting the performance. Many's the time I've been annoyed at venues like the Park, Southwark Playhouse, etc, who issue frequent and stern warnings about not admitting latecomers, but who appear not even to think it worth mentioning if the hold-up is on their side. Meanwhile some of us will be kissing goodbye to the chance of catching a particular train home or hastily revising our travel plans. |
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Post by 49thand8th on May 25, 2016 18:07:48 GMT
I've never experienced it at a Broadway house, but I have been at shows in smaller theatres where they announce there's been something like a technical problem or a public transport delay (due to accident or mechanical problem) and the audience reaction has never backfired.
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Post by showgirl on May 25, 2016 18:32:15 GMT
At some really small venues, like the Finborough, the Landor, the Union and so on, you can often hear the cast still rehearsing shortly before the auditorium is due to open - which of course is fine, and avoids the need for explanation, so is possibly one of the benefits of going to fringe theatres, for all they also have drawbacks such as grotty loos, inconvenient locations and so on.
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they have to wait for clearance from the Stage Manager before the House Manager can open, the amount of times I've had people bitching at me about being let in...
