Bad Behaviour at a Show

[eatbigsea]

It takes a special kind of chutzpah to literally tug on someone’s hair for the crime of moving their head (it’s the lower stalls at the Dominion, there is no rake, deal with it). And then, after the interval, to leave your coat on the chair in front and not only not remove it when the people in front have returned (and given plenty of time whilst standing for coat removal) to comment, “thanks for pressing it for me”. Yes, it’s the Devil Wears Prada.

[ladidah]

They touched your hair!?

[nash16]

The Dominion is definitely going to be London’s version of the Palace Theatre Manchester for the next 6 months in this thread. I can’t imagine Fridays and Saturdays there.

[BurlyBeaR]

Oct 29, 2024 22:38:23 GMT eatbigsea said:

It takes a special kind of chutzpah to literally tug on someone’s hair for the crime of moving their head (it’s the lower stalls at the Dominion, there is no rake, deal with it). And then, after the interval, to leave your coat on the chair in front and not only not remove it when the people in front have returned (and given plenty of time whilst standing for coat removal) to comment, “thanks for pressing it for me”. Yes, it’s the Devil Wears Prada.

Assault. 

[ceebee]

If thye had done that to me, it would be a minor miracle. Joking aside, absolutely wrong and should have been raised with FOH.

[eatbigsea]

It was my friend - she didn’t want to make an issue of it and only told me at the interval. I would have been all for raising it with FOH but she didn’t want to make a fuss. I think my loud comments when we got back to the seat settled matters and there was no more activity in the second half. But for heaven’s sake, this should not have to be said!

[bengal73]

the below is copied and pasted from Facebook it was accompanied by a picture of the 3 men in question Aside from one person suggesting they are part of the shows team and my own comment that I'd be annoyed too the comments are very supportive of the poster I've always been of the opinion that you don't sing along to musicals in general but maybe times are changing

Could anyone help me identify these 3 men please? I was at Blackpool Grand Theatre last night with my family watching Heathers the Musical and the very rude ADULTS along with the very confrontational woman they was with made my son who is a child cry!! Because they told my son that he had to shut up singing along to the songs (of the musical) because he was ruining their experience!! My son wasn't singing loud or making a fuss- just enjoying the show that he was so looking forward to for a long while. They then went to get the attendants to tell us off!! Grown adults.....telling a child to stop singing at a musical!! I just want you all to apologise to my child and realise that causing a problem last night has extremely affected my poor son and his experience!! I am heartbroken for him and very unhappy!

[marob]

I’m firmly in the “sit down, shut up” camp. The fans screaming during certain moments is bad enough, don’t need anyone singing along on top of that. And if the lad is that young that he doesn’t know to be quiet then he’s too young for Heathers.

[bengal73]

Nov 3, 2024 7:39:36 GMT marob said:

I’m firmly in the “sit down, shut up” camp. The fans screaming during certain moments is bad enough, don’t need anyone singing along on top of that. And if the lad is that young that he doesn’t know to be quiet then he’s too young for Heathers.

my thoughts exactly. I've just looked back and there's people suggesting those complaining would've hated the David Essex concert. I just had to point out that concerts and musicals are very different

[jake]

Nov 3, 2024 7:39:36 GMT marob said:

I’m firmly in the “sit down, shut up” camp. The fans screaming during certain moments is bad enough, don’t need anyone singing along on top of that. And if the lad is that young that he doesn’t know to be quiet then he’s too young for Heathers.

That's certainly my usual pov.  I find it quite depressing the extent to which a minority can't grasp that most of us have paid to see the people on stage perform - not to see/hear random audience members join in/comment/chatter etc.

That said, I've always been glad that I don't generally want to see musicals because the impression I have is that many of them are a lost cause.  The last one I remember was Made in Dagenham (couldn't resist the appeal of writer Richard Bean and lead Gemma Arterton) and I'm pretty sure the house staff were encouraging people to join in the chorus (admittedly this was only at the end but you can sort of understand how people get the idea that singalongs are encouraged).  I've also seen shows advertised as 'karaoke' musicals - which is effectively an invitation.

Another caveat is that I generally find adults are worse offenders than children.  Of course. my sample is biased because at the kind of plays I see the audience is overwhelmingly adults.  But I've often been pleasantly surprised at how well-behaved children are.  In fact the biggest problem is usually parents frequently tapping little Tarquin or Jocasta on the shoulder and telling them what to look out for - which I've always thought likely to spoil the child's enjoyment as well as that of the wider audience.  At some operas (eg Hansel and Gretel, The Cunning Little Vixen) there is almost bound to be a large contingent of children - but I've usually found the most flagrant and thoughtless misbehaviour comes from adults.

[BVM]

The phenomenon of parents being blessed enough to have children who sit beautifully engaged with a show making no noise at all, yet who then cause a disturbance by talking to the child themselves +/- pointing and endless moving is truly the most baffling things in the audience behaviour discussion.

As for singing along, don't even get me started. But I fear times are changing as the general public acceptability of this is only moving in one direction. I blame ITV lol.

[SilverFox]

Nov 3, 2024 9:31:48 GMT jake said:

Nov 3, 2024 7:39:36 GMT marob said:

I’m firmly in the “sit down, shut up” camp. The fans screaming during certain moments is bad enough, don’t need anyone singing along on top of that. And if the lad is that young that he doesn’t know to be quiet then he’s too young for Heathers.

I've also seen shows advertised as 'karaoke' musicals - which is effectively an invitation.

Either that or "The biggest / best party in town". Plus allowing / encouraging alcohol in the auditorium.

What could go wrong?

[matthew90]

I would question why a child is even at Heathers in the first place given it is rated 14+ and deals with murder, suicide and rape.

Unless advertised as a sing along performance, singing along is never okay, it's a theatre not your lounge. The self entitlement of people today is so infuriating.

[happysooz2]

Nov 3, 2024 8:38:26 GMT bengal73 said:

Nov 3, 2024 7:39:36 GMT marob said:

I’m firmly in the “sit down, shut up” camp. The fans screaming during certain moments is bad enough, don’t need anyone singing along on top of that. And if the lad is that young that he doesn’t know to be quiet then he’s too young for Heathers.

my thoughts exactly. I've just looked back and there's people suggesting those complaining would've hated the David Essex concert. I just had to point out that concerts and musicals are very different

I regularly point out to people singing along at concerts that I didn’t actually pay to hear them sing.

[lilgirlbigcity]

Well that was one of the worst audiences I've had in a long time. Balcony of Drury Lane for the Robin Windsor memorial/celebration.

We had the latecomer who simply couldn't go up and round to the middle section so instead made everyone stand up for her to cut all the way through. Leaners in front, who, to be fair, did very politely move back when I asked but then had the women behind me (who talked through most of the show) ask me to tell the people in front to lean back again. Reader, they weren't leaning forward any more, they were just tall. Not sure why but one woman was removed by an usher, we had a shouting match over other leaners, people filming and taking photos, the other people behind me grumbling when same sex dancing was discussed (did they not know Robin was very outly gay?!) And the grand finale - a woman just draped her coat over my head and when I turned round to see what it was she just smiled at me, no apology.

Whilst it was a celebration and I expected dodgy clapping (1 and 3,
every time 😜), cheering, maybe even a bit of singing along; it was also a memorial and I expected at least some respect

[ceebee]

Absolute witch, dealt with superbly by the excellent Old Vic front of house staff tonight.

For anybody unfamiliar with the production of A Christmas Carol, there is lots of light and shade. In the "stage stalls" seats, a woman spent most of the first half flicking through her phone, culminating in her creating a nice bright glow during the pre-interval blackout scene where Scrooge says "I am a greatcman, do you hear me? A great man!"

Having been distracted numerous times, I discretely sought a front of house person at the interval and advised them of the distracting phone usage and asked if they could keep an eye out in the second half.

A FOH manager went and had a polite word, before the aforementioned witch kicked off and started berating me, telling me "you are a nasty man". Fortunately several people backed me up and said it was a distraction. She denied being a nuisance and basically told eight people they were wrong and she was right.

No phone appeared in the second half... The Old Vic's handling of the situation was magnificent.

[ladidah]

Well done to them - why do people bother going then ruin it for everyone else!?

[ceebee]

Nov 15, 2024 9:15:59 GMT ladidah said:

Well done to them - why do people bother going then ruin it for everyone else!?

I was quite shocked by her behaviour - not just the brazen phone usage in a fairly intimate show, it was the bright glow as the set lanterns slowly flicker out during Scrooge's big moment of self-doubt and the choir singing "O Holy Night" - usually a breathtaking piece of theatre, spoilt perhaps for a few by the absolute selfishness of this cretin.  She proceed to berate me across the aisle telling me I was "nasty" and "just like Scrooge".  Perhaps the funniest moment was when she turned to the person next to her saying "was my phone bothering you?" and the person next to her just put her hands up and looked the other way, not wishing to get involved.  The witch on the phone actually said to me: "If you don't like it, why don't you just leave" at which point I said "you have a choice, either watch the show or go on your phone, but not both at the same time - the exit doors are at the front and you are welcome to leave.  It's simply, just put your phone away - and Merry Christmas."     I can't quite find the words for her vitriol but she was virtually foaming at the mouth with affrontery.  My moment of happiness came midway in the second half during Scrooge's redemption scenes and all that follows, where she genuinely looked to be having a lovely time.  I felt happy for her and a degree of vindication - once the phone was put away, she could immerse herself in the joy and beauty of the production, along with her fellow audience members.  It's just a shame that there had to be cross words to achieve that outcome.

[matthew90]

I have to congratulate the incredibly friendly and professional FOH staff at Richmond theatre from last week. There was a lady who was wearing about 20 bangles on her arm which she kept shaking every 30 seconds and was driving everyone in the dress circle insane as they were so loud. A few people complained to the FOH in the interval and they dealt with it so swiftly and asked her to remove the bangles if she wanted to stay for the 2nd half. Credit to the lady herself as well, as she did remove them right away.

Sadly though we also had a family in front who thought it was appropriate to bring a child (probably no older than 6) to Murder on the orient express who proceeded to cry when there was a dead body on stage. But they still stayed for the 2nd half where the child proceeded to cry and be traumatised even more by further dead bodies and stabbings.

[SilverFox]

Awful audience in Nottingham Playhouse for the matinée yesterday - I was dismayed to see that the large school party who were congregating outside were sat directly in front of us - but it turned out rather needlessly, as apart from one who crunchingly ate crisps from a crinkly bag in Act 2, they were impeccably behaved. It was the elderly contingent who were the problem. Despite a warning to turn off phones, within 5 minutes of the start, a woman behind me had her jingly ringtone at full blast and didn't even recognise it was hers! I turned round and glared, and the friend next to her said "I think it's your phone" before she took it out and attempted to turn it off. Then someone else, I think part of the same group, had their phone buzz for SIX calls till the caller ran out of time during Act 1, and another phone across the theatre rang, AND the phone was answered. But worst of all, there was a clicking beat throughout the play (sounding like two drumsticks hitting each other as in counting in a band) - turned out it was "a gentleman with issues" according to the ushers. At the interval the f-o-h staff were inundated with complaints, and annoyingly (it was not a designated 'relaxed' performance) did not intervene, other than to offer to move people to another part of the theatre - that would have made little difference.

[altamont]

Giant this afternoon - Roald Dahl has just begun the phone call at the end. There is a sudden persistent beeping from the back of the stalls. It goes on so long that a few of us talking afterwards wondered if it was somehow part of the play.

Eventually, after maybe 30 seconds, muttering can be heard and the source of the beeping gradually gets quieter as presumably the device responsible is taken out the back doors. I assume it was a phone but if so, its owner had no idea how to turn it off.

Thankfully this happened in the earlier part of the scene, before Dahl puts the phone on speaker. Even so, if John Lithgow had stopped the scene, I wouldn’t have been surprised.

[properjob]

Nov 15, 2024 13:56:32 GMT SilverFox said:

Awful audience in Nottingham Playhouse for the matinée yesterday - I was dismayed to see that the large school party who were congregating outside were sat directly in front of us - but it turned out rather needlessly, as apart from one who crunchingly ate crisps from a crinkly bag in Act 2, they were impeccably behaved. It was the elderly contingent who were the problem. Despite a warning to turn off phones, within 5 minutes of the start, a woman behind me had her jingly ringtone at full blast and didn't even recognise it was hers! I turned round and glared, and the friend next to her said "I think it's your phone" before she took it out and attempted to turn it off. Then someone else, I think part of the same group, had their phone buzz for SIX calls till the caller ran out of time during Act 1, and another phone across the theatre rang, AND the phone was answered. But worst of all, there was a clicking beat throughout the play (sounding like two drumsticks hitting each other as in counting in a band) - turned out it was "a gentleman with issues" according to the ushers. At the interval the f-o-h staff were inundated with complaints, and annoyingly (it was not a designated 'relaxed' performance) did not intervene, other than to offer to move people to another part of the theatre - that would have made little difference.

I like a school audience as
I find school children are generally impeccably behaved probably because they have had the riot act read to them beforehand. Also children give good reactions possibly in part because they don't know the show. (Gasps when people die in West Side Story)
On the other hand I find the older audiences who are old enough to know better are a nightmare as they don't know how to turn their phones off and talk through the show. I hate a midweek matinee for that reason.

[SilverFox]

Nov 16, 2024 18:58:26 GMT properjob said:

Nov 15, 2024 13:56:32 GMT SilverFox said:

Awful audience in Nottingham Playhouse for the matinée yesterday - I was dismayed to see that the large school party who were congregating outside were sat directly in front of us - but it turned out rather needlessly, as apart from one who crunchingly ate crisps from a crinkly bag in Act 2, they were impeccably behaved. It was the elderly contingent who were the problem. Despite a warning to turn off phones, within 5 minutes of the start, a woman behind me had her jingly ringtone at full blast and didn't even recognise it was hers! I turned round and glared, and the friend next to her said "I think it's your phone" before she took it out and attempted to turn it off. Then someone else, I think part of the same group, had their phone buzz for SIX calls till the caller ran out of time during Act 1, and another phone across the theatre rang, AND the phone was answered. But worst of all, there was a clicking beat throughout the play (sounding like two drumsticks hitting each other as in counting in a band) - turned out it was "a gentleman with issues" according to the ushers. At the interval the f-o-h staff were inundated with complaints, and annoyingly (it was not a designated 'relaxed' performance) did not intervene, other than to offer to move people to another part of the theatre - that would have made little difference.

I like a school audience as
I find school children are generally impeccably behaved probably because they have had the riot act read to them beforehand. Also children give good reactions possibly in part because they don't know the show. (Gasps when people die in West Side Story)
On the other hand I find the older audiences who are old enough to know better are a nightmare as they don't know how to turn their phones off and talk through the show. I hate a midweek matinee for that reason.

Yes, I have come to agree - I had a nightmare experience at the Blackpool Grand with a school party at a Mark Ravenhill play, where the two teachers "in charge" b*gg*r*d off together to the rear stalls, away from their 'charges'. I don't think the poor house manager knew what had hit him when so many audience members cornered him after the performance, and I was so angry I wrote to the (private) school to complain. I don't know how the cast managed to cope with all the comments and sniggers, it must have been very audible.

A similar inappropriate reaction from a (Boys) school party at the all male R&J at the Arts Theatre in London also adversly coloured my view. 

But recently school parties at matinees have been very little problem compared to my generation of theatre-goers. They (the kids) have a tendancy to give standing ovations at mediochre productions but that is a mild irritation! My generation on the other hand find it difficult to stand after sitting for an hour +

Was the  'old enough to know better' comment a jibe? 

[fiyero]

Today I visited the Yvonne Arnaud theatre in Guildford for the first time for the matinee of the new tour of Pride and Prejudice* (sort of).
99% of the audience were exactly what I would expect at a matinee, old or families there to enjoy the show. 1% were there for a piss up. Around row e (I was row a) with a bottle of wine and lots of glasses. I had a few causes to turn round in the first act but mainly just excitabl stuff like loving some of the props based jokes (no spoilers).
The second act though it went to pot. Loud whispering throughout, talking and singing along! Badly. I saw the house manager come talk to them but he and my glares were useless. After the show they were still loud and came to the front and asked my friend to take their picture!

On the way out I spoke to the manager who was with another front of house and jokingly asked if this was normal for a Guildford audience. While he was explaining that the production had raised a complaint about them and they were keeping an eye on them it was not normal! Just then the banshees climbed up onto the stage, for a better photo I assume, so the manager ran down and 2 more male staff appeared from the wings! The lady FoH carried on chatting and said she had worked there 2 years and seen nothing like it. Both staff were very apologetic and I got the impression they didn’t want to remove them causing more disruption and probably hadn’t had to deal with much similar!

[nancycunard]

Nov 16, 2024 19:20:59 GMT SilverFox said:

Nov 16, 2024 18:58:26 GMT properjob said:

I like a school audience as
I find school children are generally impeccably behaved probably because they have had the riot act read to them beforehand. Also children give good reactions possibly in part because they don't know the show. (Gasps when people die in West Side Story)
On the other hand I find the older audiences who are old enough to know better are a nightmare as they don't know how to turn their phones off and talk through the show. I hate a midweek matinee for that reason.

Yes, I have come to agree - I had a nightmare experience at the Blackpool Grand with a school party at a Mark Ravenhill play, where the two teachers "in charge" b*gg*r*d off together to the rear stalls, away from their 'charges'. I don't think the poor house manager knew what had hit him when so many audience members cornered him after the performance, and I was so angry I wrote to the (private) school to complain. I don't know how the cast managed to cope with all the comments and sniggers, it must have been very audible.

A similar inappropriate reaction from a (Boys) school party at the all male R&J at the Arts Theatre in London also adversly coloured my view. 

But recently school parties at matinees have been very little problem compared to my generation of theatre-goers. They (the kids) have a tendancy to give standing ovations at mediochre productions but that is a mild irritation! My generation on the other hand find it difficult to stand after sitting for an hour +

Was the  'old enough to know better' comment a jibe? 

When I saw the Fiennes Macbeth in Liverpool last year I was two rows in front of a school group who were broadly well behaved, bar a couple of whispers. A man behind me, who I suspect was drunk, turned around to them during the interval and was just extraordinarily abusive, I’ve never seen anything like it, and because he was the complainer and it was teenage boys on the other end, you can imagine whose side the usher took. I should’ve intervened but I was really quite taken aback and being by myself I didn’t fancy him turning on me. Ironically, his wife then spent the second act on her phone, taking selfies, recording, and talking through the show.

I felt so bad about it I spoke to their teacher afterwards to say I thought they’d been a credit to her - she was clearly really disappointed by the whole thing.