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Post by greatauntedna on Mar 16, 2024 22:10:02 GMT
Today’s For Black Boys matinee, about 5 people in row H of the stalls had a big share bag of crisps that they kept rustling. And they talked every time it got loud or there was a big laugh, undercutting the whole thing. I wish I had complained, just didn’t have the energy! I’ve no doubt this has been discussed at length here before, but presumably they bought that big share big of crisps from one of the stands in the theatre itself. If so, why oh why do theatres persist in selling snacks that either crunch when eaten or come in rustly bags? It’s infuritiating, and most of the issue could be resolved by them simply not selling these items in the venue. Drives me mad! I’m not sure, possibly! They had a flask as well.
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Post by solotheatregoer on Mar 16, 2024 22:18:37 GMT
A bit random but I was front row centre at The Motive and the Cue. Johnny Flynn comes very close to the front of the stage on several occasions and as is common in theatre performances, sprayed a few sentences and showered some audience members with saliva (I'm exaggerating of course, it was a few rogue bits here and there). This has happened to me on a number of occasions before and I deliberately don't flinch and try to stay as still as possible to avoid distracting the performer. However, the same cannot be said for the lady sat next to me, who very obviously pulled both hands over her eyes, withdrew into her seat in a very exaggerated manner and let out a pretty loud 'ewww' sound mid-performance. It seemed to irk Flynn a little as he looked over and made eye contact a few times to see what was going on. Another lady directly behind gave her a nudge and told her to be quiet thankfully but her reaction was way over the top.
I've seen many 'sprayers' in my time and I think the most respectful thing in this situation is to ignore and remain immersed in the performance. I just wish others did the same. I dread to think how she would have reacted if she saw Sophie Okonedo's performance of Medea last year!
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Post by Dr Tom on Mar 16, 2024 22:30:26 GMT
I've seen many 'sprayers' in my time and I think the most respectful thing in this situation is to ignore and remain immersed in the performance. I know it isn't deliberate and I would ignore it, but I can understand why people react so much now in the post Covid world. There again, I still try and leave space before the person in front of me when I'm queueing in the supermarket.
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Post by capybara on Mar 17, 2024 0:12:12 GMT
Some extraordinary behaviour in the grand circle for Made in Dagenham tonight. Firstly, a woman seemed to spend the majority of the show shouting the lyrics in her children’s faces.
Secondly, a man next to me proceeded to get more and more drunk as the evening progressed and therefore became increasingly obnoxious. He was talking, poking me to get my attention for no apparent reason (I know, I should have said something but he seemed on the verge of causing a big commotion). I felt so sorry for his boyfriend who seemed quite normal and mortified by his partner’s behaviour.
Also noticed lots of filming at Italia Conti’s Legally Blonde this morning every time Emmet was on stage. Come on, you’ve got to tell your mum not to whip her phone out every time you enter the stage…
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Post by Dr Tom on Mar 17, 2024 0:27:17 GMT
Also noticed lots of filming at Italia Conti’s Legally Blonde this morning every time Emmet was on stage. Come on, you’ve got to tell your mum not to whip her phone out every time you enter the stage… I was at Conti where a woman filmed the whole show, with her phone part-shielded by her programme. No one said anything, but she was on the front row, so the whole cast must have been able to see. It can be tricky in that type of environment.
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Post by capybara on Mar 17, 2024 0:38:44 GMT
Also noticed lots of filming at Italia Conti’s Legally Blonde this morning every time Emmet was on stage. Come on, you’ve got to tell your mum not to whip her phone out every time you enter the stage… I was at Conti where a woman filmed the whole show, with her phone part-shielded by her programme. No one said anything, but she was on the front row, so the whole cast must have been able to see. It can be tricky in that type of environment. From that description, it was the same woman. I didn’t say anything because, as you say, it’s hard to know what has been agreed beforehand but it came across as very rude to the other performers.
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Post by cartoonman on Mar 17, 2024 10:35:09 GMT
The Guildhall School has some really good shows. I was at the Milton Court Theatre to see the American bass player Rufus Reid together with the Guildhall Jazz Orchestra. It was a very good show the students are really talented and Rufus was as good as I hoped. Every time there was applause the young man next to me would clap and whoop as well. I found the whooping annoying. I could hear a few other whoopers in the audience as well. I didn't say anything. This seems to be a young person's thing. Have I turned into a grumpy old man? I realise that this was not a play but it was in a theatre. The Guildhall also has plays as well as music at very good prices in a lovely modern theatre or concert hall, I would recommend them.
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Post by ceebee on Mar 17, 2024 10:57:37 GMT
No cartoonman I hate whoopers too. High up on the scale of irritation.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 17, 2024 11:32:05 GMT
Whooping in quiet bits is even worse. Attention seeking &*@#*’s
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Post by Dr Tom on Mar 17, 2024 12:07:19 GMT
The theatre school shows often have other students in the audience who are very enthusiastic. Yes, I do find it annoying as well.
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Post by amyja89 on Mar 17, 2024 13:18:46 GMT
Whooping during moments of general crowd applause, no problems with that at all. Whooping mid song, however, is a very different story!
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Post by richey on Mar 17, 2024 13:40:15 GMT
Very annoying whoopers during the bows after A Taste of Honey at Royal Exchange last night. Was very noticeable, it's not really the kind of play to induce such a response. Got a feeling it was a relative/friend of one of the cast who was seeking attention.
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Post by hannechalk on Mar 17, 2024 19:07:21 GMT
At 'The Woman in Black' at Theatre Royal Bath last night.
The play is only two hours long, including the interval.
Woman behind me rustling through her handbag for part of act I.
Literally right after the matinée several people near me noisily unwrapping sweets, rummaging through bags.
The play is fairly quiet as it is -it just didn't help the ambience.
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Post by ladidah on Mar 18, 2024 8:01:34 GMT
A row of young boys in front of me yesterday. The one in front of me constantly balanced on the top of his seat, then falling with a thump.
In the end I just kept putting my foot on the back of the seat to make him stay still.
The Mum's were very middle class, happy to ignore the fuss and gave out homemade treats at the interval, so I also got to enjoy the rustling of the bags during Act 2.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 18, 2024 8:10:30 GMT
A row of young boys in front of me yesterday. The one in front of me constantly balanced on the top of his seat, then falling with a thump. In the end I just kept putting my foot on the back of the seat to make him stay still. The Mum's were very middle class, happy to ignore the fuss and gave out homemade treats at the interval, so I also got to enjoy the rustling of the bags during Act 2. “Peregrine, please stop being greedy and share the hummus and crackers with Ophelia!”
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Post by ladidah on Mar 18, 2024 8:23:55 GMT
It was honestly very close to that.
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Post by ladidah on Mar 18, 2024 9:17:52 GMT
Just saw Gabriel Vick's Instagram and the group of kids are on it! Can't stop laughing.
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Post by mrmarmelstein on Mar 18, 2024 10:28:52 GMT
Had a few days in London with some free show slots and decided to squeeze in Mrs Doubtfire and Frozen, both shows I quite wanted to see but had been putting off for fears of audience behaviour. I find it really difficult committing to expensive tickets when there is the fear of being distracted by bad behaviour, but even with last-minute rush it was still frustrating. Generally there seem to be great efforts to improve pre-show announcements (Mrs Doubtfire did a very good job!) but I do wonder if they should specifically start telling people that it is distracting and rude to the actors and fellow audience members not to talk during the show. It seems like people have got so self-absorbed that whilst some of them may not listen regardless, others may actually not realise there is anything wrong with it.
At Mrs Doubtfire on Thursday matinee, there was a large group of school kids probably around 8 years old, who all behaved immaculately and were a very pleasant surprise. A group of French teenagers behind me sadly did the opposite, talking the whole through which only seemed to get worse when I turned round to shush them.
Frozen was something else, sat in a decent rush seat in row G stalls but the constant talking and rustling of food packaging added to the whole theme park vibe. Their pre-show announcement welcoming first time theatregoers was lovely, but again see my comment above. Add to that the box office selling tickets after the show has started for seats that people had to push past others to reach (I know because I got my rush seat just before curtain and this was 15-20 mins in) and it was not a fun theatre going experience, although the renovation of Drury Lane is gorgeous.
Even at Dorian Gray on Thursday night, a woman next to me decided to get her phone out halfway through to take a photo.
I know it’s so difficult for front of house to enforce good behaviour, and post-pandemic people seem to have lost all sense of manners, but it’s sad that I’m starting to think they should actually start selling specific ‘good behaviour’ performances!
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Post by ceebee on Mar 18, 2024 11:33:10 GMT
mrmarmelstein This is SUCH a good idea. I'd gladly pay more not to have to share space with some people.
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Post by amyja89 on Mar 18, 2024 11:47:33 GMT
I fear that some people are so unaware of their behaviour that they wouldn't understand such performances were intended to dissuade their attendance!
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Post by fiyero on Mar 18, 2024 12:39:43 GMT
This is slightly off topic but show that signs and announcements wouldn't have a big impact on behavior! I was at Marwell zoo yesterday. They have a lovely big tropical house that you walk through in a zig-zag. It is one-way. This was strictly enforced during covid but yesterday I noticed so many going the 'wrong' way inside. It irked me, I wondered if it had changed. It hadn't. By the exit door was a massive no entry sign on a fence you had to awkwardly walk around to get in that way and on the way to that a massive EXIT sign and smaller writing directing you to the entrance. So many people were ignoring it!! One family even commented on the people coming out going the wrong way when they were the ones going the wrong way!
Whatever you do people will think it doesn't apply to them!
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Post by starlight92 on Mar 18, 2024 12:43:45 GMT
Had a few days in London with some free show slots and decided to squeeze in Mrs Doubtfire and Frozen, both shows I quite wanted to see but had been putting off for fears of audience behaviour. I find it really difficult committing to expensive tickets when there is the fear of being distracted by bad behaviour, but even with last-minute rush it was still frustrating. Generally there seem to be great efforts to improve pre-show announcements (Mrs Doubtfire did a very good job!) but I do wonder if they should specifically start telling people that it is distracting and rude to the actors and fellow audience members not to talk during the show. It seems like people have got so self-absorbed that whilst some of them may not listen regardless, others may actually not realise there is anything wrong with it. At Mrs Doubtfire on Thursday matinee, there was a large group of school kids probably around 8 years old, who all behaved immaculately and were a very pleasant surprise. A group of French teenagers behind me sadly did the opposite, talking the whole through which only seemed to get worse when I turned round to shush them. Frozen was something else, sat in a decent rush seat in row G stalls but the constant talking and rustling of food packaging added to the whole theme park vibe. Their pre-show announcement welcoming first time theatregoers was lovely, but again see my comment above. Add to that the box office selling tickets after the show has started for seats that people had to push past others to reach (I know because I got my rush seat just before curtain and this was 15-20 mins in) and it was not a fun theatre going experience, although the renovation of Drury Lane is gorgeous. Even at Dorian Gray on Thursday night, a woman next to me decided to get her phone out halfway through to take a photo. I know it’s so difficult for front of house to enforce good behaviour, and post-pandemic people seem to have lost all sense of manners, but it’s sad that I’m starting to think they should actually start selling specific ‘good behaviour’ performances! They used to have an extended pre-show announcement at Frozen, asking people to please refrain from talking or singing during the performance. No idea why they would stop doing this as it's more important than ever!
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Post by Dr Tom on Mar 18, 2024 12:45:12 GMT
Frozen was something else, sat in a decent rush seat in row G stalls but the constant talking and rustling of food packaging added to the whole theme park vibe. Their pre-show announcement welcoming first time theatregoers was lovely, but again see my comment above. Add to that the box office selling tickets after the show has started for seats that people had to push past others to reach (I know because I got my rush seat just before curtain and this was 15-20 mins in) and it was not a fun theatre going experience, although the renovation of Drury Lane is gorgeous. Were you at the Sunday matinee, as that sounds exactly like my experience (Row F Side Stalls through TodayTix rush), a family had to get through to the end seats on two separate rows? The children were quite well behaved, but the family (grandparents I think) seemed determined to check they were enjoying themselves and would eat the healthy snacks prepared. By contrast, there was a family with two male parents and two young girls at the other side who were perfectly angelic. To be fair, this was very good for a Frozen audience in my section. There was a lot of noise coming from the rear Stalls that I largely managed to filter out, but outdoor voice level of talking.
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Post by Dr Tom on Mar 18, 2024 12:46:22 GMT
They used to have an extended pre-show announcement at Frozen, asking people to please refrain from talking or singing during the performance. No idea why they would stop doing this as it's more important than ever! The announcement is still there, but goes over the head of a lot of people, especially the ones who arrive after the announcement.
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Post by A.Ham on Mar 18, 2024 13:44:13 GMT
They used to have an extended pre-show announcement at Frozen, asking people to please refrain from talking or singing during the performance. No idea why they would stop doing this as it's more important than ever! The announcement is still there, but goes over the head of a lot of people, especially the ones who arrive after the announcement. That’s the problem - the ones who need to act on what the announcement is asking and adjust their behaviour accordingly are too ignorant to listen to the announcement to start with!
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