Refund for a terrible play?

People certainly tried it when I worked in Box Office though because that venue was largely 'those witches weren't green enough' and 'Faye off of Steps was a bit sh*t' (she wasn't) we never granted them. HOWEVER we did at the Sherman when a regular had a horrible experience at one play, which in part was a sound (i.e it was unexpectedly loud) and in part was content wise he found very uncomfortable. The latter was an example of a smallish venue and a regular customer, but still.

I do think, and I'm pretty sure I've heard of some theatres refunding for unexpectedly upsetting works where people have had to/wanted to leave (but that's more into trigger warning territory than 'it was just so bad')

Actually been wondering the same recently.
If you went to a restaurant and weren't happy with the meal (undercooked meat for example) you'd bring it up and expect compensation to some extent but I don't think this culture exists in theatre, yet. Actually probably a good thing it doesn't exist because it brings up the questions of moral implications.... There are people out there that would take advantage of a venue actually offering refunds if you said you didn't enjoy a production.
It also comes down to taste to some extent. How do you quantify a 'terrible play'? Whats dire to one could be amazing to another. Back to the resteraunt example but you wouldn't get a refund for a meal if you merely didn't like it.
However, if a production is not up to scratch, eg poor sound design meaning you can't hear whats going on, should you be entitled to compensation of sorts?

I mean really. You chose to see a play with Gillian Taylforth as the star then you ask for a refund. If I were the Box Office Manager, I'd have said that you got everything you deserved.

Thank heavens you didn't have to stop in a lay-by on the way home and saw her again. Then you'd really have something to complain about!

I wish I could have done this with Pippin earlier in the year. I’ve only ever done it a couple of times with films, before I had the Unlimited card. I was tempted to do it for Avatar when I only paid £1 uplift for 3D at the time.

If it’s that bad I’d be gone by the interval.

Maybe that’s a better strategy? “I’m leaving halfway through because it’s crap, now I’d like my money back please”.

That’s assuming Clint from the BO isn’t now on ice cream duties.

I should have asked for the money for a play I saw in Oxford in the 70's starring Gerald harper and Anne Aston from The golden shot. The paly was called The Sing of the times, and there were understudies on but even the regular cast were shaky beyond words. ….literally. Everything about it made the Noises Off 'Nothing On' look like a polished performance. They were dying on stage and I felt sorry for them. Simply the worst thing I have ever seen, and I have been scarred by it
since. 
I would have liked my money back for a performance of the Maureen Lipman / Hugh Jackman Oklahoma which ground to a halt just before the dream ballet and that was that. A huge amount had been spent getting me and my sister there, but I gather a performance has to run under a certain length before they will refund.

I knew that name rang a bell.

It's a shame there's not a way they could do that with people who misbehave. Well, there are several ways, but not ways that are legal.

I complained about the Ghost the Musical Tour at the New Wimbledon theatre with Sarah Harding. Mainly because they were using production images and footage from the original West End production to advertise the show on social media, and what we got was a complete money making scam of a show with the worst sets, 'effects' and performances I've ever seen on a stage. They gave me top price tickets to any other show that I chose in compensation.

A crossover into Bad Audience Behaviour - a few years ago at Jersey Boys my sister and her friends' enjoyment was ruined by two shrieking, shouting women in the row in front of them, who when asked to be quiet became shrieking, shouting, snarling abusive women. My sister's party complained to staff, who asked the miscreants to quieten down (I don't think they did) but also moved my sister and her friends to another part of the auditorium. They were also given comps for a performance later in the run, which they fully enjoyed problem-free.

An hour seems a bit much unless that includes ads and trailers especially films that are only 90-100 minutes! My local it's 40 minutes including ads and trailers.