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Post by theglenbucklaird on Mar 1, 2023 19:44:31 GMT
Matinee of Mother Goose at the Liverpool Empire. Right near the end, and about three quarters of the way through John Bishop’s sonnet someone shouted out “stick to the jokes, John.” He carried on for a few seconds, then he decided he wasn’t going to let it go and said “shut up, knobhead.” Got a round of applause from the audience. McKellen didn’t say anything, but had some furious looks in the direction the shout came from. Is that bad behaviour? It’s an interactive show by all accounts (from our thread), if audience members are being subjected to waterguns, inflatable balls, ad libs etc etc isn’t it ok for someone to return the favour to one of the actors? Sounds like John Bishop was being a bit of a stroppy diva, supported by the dreadful McKellen. Dreadful??!! |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 2, 2023 6:19:40 GMT
Yep. Unpopular opinion… I don’t like him.
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Post by anxiousoctopus on Mar 2, 2023 17:02:18 GMT
Is that bad behaviour? It’s an interactive show by all accounts (from our thread), if audience members are being subjected to waterguns, inflatable balls, ad libs etc etc isn’t it ok for someone to return the favour to one of the actors? Sounds like John Bishop was being a bit of a stroppy diva, supported by the dreadful McKellen. In my opinion there’s a difference between classic panto interactions (‘he’s behind you’ and booing villains) and straight up heckling a performer and distracting their performance. John Bishop is a seasoned standup, he can obviously tell the difference between a fun shoutout and someone being (as he said) a knobhead. |
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Post by richey on Mar 3, 2023 0:52:56 GMT
Three annoying women in the middle of the row in front at Oklahoma tonight, clapping along to the songs they recognised.
Then they got up to leave during the final reprise section, making everyone stand up to let them out. Totally ruined the mood of the ending.
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Post by sukhavati on Mar 4, 2023 6:59:37 GMT
Sounds like it's on the Empire front of house staff, but I question the wisdom of bringing an infant to the theatre in the first place. They had a minder for their toddler. Why not leave the baby at home as well?
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Post by sph on Mar 5, 2023 4:30:48 GMT
Sounds like it's on the Empire front of house staff, but I question the wisdom of bringing an infant to the theatre in the first place. They had a minder for their toddler. Why not leave the baby at home as well?
I mean, tbh it's probably just a good thing they got them out before the show started. Totally inappropriate to bring a 6-week-old baby to the theatre. Yes, staff should have stopped them before they reached their seats, if that's what happened, but whether they were stopped at the door or stopped in the auditorium the outcome would still be the same. I honestly wonder why people think it's ok to bring a newborn to somewhere like that? |
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Post by steve10086 on Mar 5, 2023 8:10:50 GMT
I honestly wonder why people think it's ok to bring a newborn to somewhere like that? Because the theatre’s own rules said they could? |
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Post by steve10086 on Mar 5, 2023 8:17:08 GMT
I was impressed with the efforts made at The Woman in Black yesterday, with FoH staff going through the audience offering plastic cups to decant any food from rattly packets, and a “turn off your phone” announcement that actually explained that the light and sound from phones is distracting to both the actors and the audience. Generally you get some stupid “this show is set in 1950 and there were no mobile phones” rubbish, but actually making it clear to people that there are good reasons for turning them off, and that using them does cause issues, is much better.
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Post by sukhavati on Mar 5, 2023 8:38:31 GMT
I honestly wonder why people think it's ok to bring a newborn to somewhere like that? Because the theatre’s own rules said they could? Just because the rule says it's acceptable doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. If a baby starts fussing, it's a distraction to others around them, and likely the actors on stage. I don't even want to think about the smell of a nappy filling up close to me when I've paid for an evening out.
At our music venue, babies and toddlers are allowed, but they must have a show ticket, even if they're in a sling. You see the parents carrying them in with their little headphones to protect their ears, but I guarantee you, most don't make it through the entire performance, so one or the other has to stand in the atrium or the hallway holding the fussy child while the other one (usually dad) enjoys the music. If your budget is so tight that you have to cut costs for a date night, why not take homemade sandwiches/drinks to enjoy on the way, and then spend what you would have spent on dinner out on a child minder instead? At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old fart, you don't have to share all your activities with your children. Adult time away from the sprogs is always a good thing. I understand panto is a family activity, but honestly, the baby has no clue and will have no memory of being there.
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Post by marob on Mar 5, 2023 9:02:55 GMT
I thought kids having to have a paid-for seat of their own and “no babes in arms” were common T’s & C’s.
But then if you’re scouring through the small print to check if it’s prohibited, that suggests that you know you probably shouldn’t really be doing it in the first place.
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Post by A.Ham on Mar 5, 2023 9:34:05 GMT
Totally ignorant and selfish behaviour from the parents taking the 6-week old. As others have said, the baby clearly won’t get anything out of the performance, and may even have been upset or scared by loud noises or the general volume of the show.
No consideration for other audience members who’d be distracted should the baby start crying for some reason. Yes they’d booked an aisle seat to leave if need be, but by that point they’ve disrupted the show with the baby crying and them getting up to leave. And as for the nappy… ! I don’t understand why if the grandparents were child-minding the toddler, they didn’t have the baby for a few hours too.
Ultimately though as the parents have said, their attendance WAS in line with ATG’s T&Cs so it was wrong of the venue staff to remove them from the show. But that just says to me that ATG need to re-write their rules asap!
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Post by fiyerorocher on Mar 9, 2023 22:02:07 GMT
Kids in shoes that light up when they move/kick the floor... why on earth would a parent think those were a sensible thing to let their child wear to the theatre?!?!
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Post by mkb on Mar 9, 2023 22:25:54 GMT
Matinee of Mother Goose at the Liverpool Empire. Right near the end, and about three quarters of the way through John Bishop’s sonnet someone shouted out “stick to the jokes, John.” He carried on for a few seconds, then he decided he wasn’t going to let it go and said “shut up, knobhead.” Got a round of applause from the audience. McKellen didn’t say anything, but had some furious looks in the direction the shout came from. The most disappointing thing there is that, out of a whole arsenal of heckler put-downs a comedian can muster, "Shut up knobhead!" was the best Bishop could manage. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 11, 2023 6:04:07 GMT
Sounds like it's on the Empire front of house staff, but I question the wisdom of bringing an infant to the theatre in the first place. They had a minder for their toddler. Why not leave the baby at home as well?
There’s only one comment under that article but it’s a good one: I couldn’t agree more! |
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Post by stagebyte on Mar 11, 2023 23:02:24 GMT
Just when you think we’ve covered most bad behaviours in this thread...
What in the fresh hell is supplying audience with small cans of mixers to go with alcohol at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry?
Went to see The Shawshank Redemption on Wednesday. In the quieter moments all you could hear was the sound of cans being cracked open. At the very least the bar staff should open the cans at the bar? A new low has been reached.
Same show, I also felt appalled for the actors onstage. This straight, serious play opens with three naked prisoners onstage (a bundle of clothing protecting their modesty) and I kid you not, a whole bunch of people reacted with laughter, whistles and leers. This wasn’t even contained to one part of the theatre. Pretty general reaction. Astounding.
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Post by lonlad on Mar 12, 2023 15:13:50 GMT
Same at SHIRLEY VALENTINE where the mostly-female audience was busy out-drinking Shirley, though whether they were also drinking Riesling, I couldn't tell. They got tanked before the show and during -- ATG must be making a mint ! The last half hour contained more than one intrusive sound of crushed glass .... I feel so sorry for the theatre staff.
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Post by sph on Mar 12, 2023 15:39:25 GMT
Are people drinking more at the theatre than they used to then? It seems so. The UK has always had a big drinking culture around every social occasion, but why the increase? Is it a carry-over from the pandemic where people were drinking more and now want to do it every time they go out?
Every show I go to seems to be packed with groups of women trollied on prosecco. Theatres are pushing alcohol sales to make money on the bars and there are musicals where the police have to be called to deal with violent and drunk patrons.
Maybe people just can't tell the difference in how they should behave in a theatre compared to a concert or a football match.
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Mar 12, 2023 15:48:39 GMT
Are people drinking more at the theatre than they used to then? It seems so. The UK has always had a big drinking culture around every social occasion, but why the increase? Is it a carry-over from the pandemic where people were drinking more and now want to do it every time they go out? Every show I go to seems to be packed with groups of women trollied on prosecco. Theatres are pushing alcohol sales to make money on the bars and there are musicals where the police have to be called to deal with violent and drunk patrons. Maybe people just can't tell the difference in how they should behave in a theatre compared to a concert or a football match. What a great word trollied is and very underused. I’m going to try to use it today |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2023 15:57:15 GMT
Could it be a combination of more "jukebox/let your hair down/singalong" type shows being produced and shorter intervalless ones where to make up for lost bar sales theatres are permitting drinking to be allowed in the seats?We don't seem to hear of rowdy audiences at the more serious stuff.
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Post by A.Ham on Mar 12, 2023 22:27:42 GMT
Same at SHIRLEY VALENTINE where the mostly-female audience was busy out-drinking Shirley, though whether they were also drinking Riesling, I couldn't tell. They got tanked before the show and during -- ATG must be making a mint ! The last half hour contained more than one intrusive sound of crushed glass .... I feel so sorry for the theatre staff. When I went last weekend I was thankful (but surprised) for the generally quiet and respectful audience - but no thanks to the way ATG was pushing the glasses/bottles of Veuve Clicquot at every concession stand, particularly the one in the main entrance lobby. I didn’t look to see the price, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Veuve sales are rivalling the box office for this show! |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Mar 14, 2023 12:49:02 GMT
The Guardian's chief theatre reviewer just posted this ridiculous piece. www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/mar/14/snobbery-about-audience-behaviour-stifles-theatre-its-a-collective-experienceIt isn't snobbery for anyone to want to enjoy theatre without being distracted by others in the audience. It isn't snobbery to expect people to act respectfully. It isn't a race or class thing. If she had looked at this thread she would see how bad things can be and how the theatregoing experience is ruined by the thoughtless behaviour of others and the lack of enforcement by some theatres. |
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Post by FairyGodmother on Mar 14, 2023 12:59:41 GMT
I always thought it was either an ice cream at your seat, or a drink at the bar. That's still what I do to be honest!
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Post by intoanewlife on Mar 14, 2023 13:39:23 GMT
The Guardian's chief theatre reviewer just posted this ridiculous piece. www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/mar/14/snobbery-about-audience-behaviour-stifles-theatre-its-a-collective-experienceIt isn't snobbery for anyone to want to enjoy theatre without being distracted by others in the audience. It isn't snobbery to expect people to act respectfully. It isn't a race or class thing. If she had looked at this thread she would see how bad things can be and how the theatregoing experience is ruined by the thoughtless behaviour of others and the lack of enforcement by some theatres. I don't know wtf is going on at the Guardian, some of their opinion pieces have been absolutely ridiculous recently. That's not mention their 'watch-alongs' for the Oscars and H&M Netflix series accompanied by the kind of commentary I'd expect by a pimply 15 year old on The Daily Beast. If I was paying for the sh*t I'd be revoking my subscription. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Mar 14, 2023 16:14:36 GMT
Press nights will, on the whole, will be attended by far fewer 'ordinary' theatregoers than a regular performance. Audiences of critics, mates of the cast and cronies of the producers are less likely to indulge in some of the behaviours chronicled on this thread (and on the previous one on the old forum - this is not a new issue)
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Post by alessia on Mar 14, 2023 16:31:20 GMT
I have seen that article and frankly chuckling at the responses under it, I bet she wasn't expecting so many negative comments. It is utter drivel and (not for the first time) quite snobbish of Akbar.
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