vendors in theatre aisles

[spike3]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 11:21am

any thoughts on this practice? They are not ushers selling the water and such, they are people hired by the companies that provide bar service for the theatres.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 12:10pm

Tacky and much more suited for a circus or Sesame Street On Ice.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 12:17pm

This is going much too far. I'm fed up with people sitting around me and shaking their ice cubes in empty drink glasses--to say nothing about the damned cellophane wrappers that you hear all during performances. Dammit, I go to the theater to see a play or musical. I go to restaurants to eat!

[billyboyA]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 12:22pm

Hate it. There's a certain class and sophistication that has been lost with the advent of snacks and drinks being allowed inside the theater. I swear I'm ready to kick the people that spend the show fishing out gummy bears from the little plastic bags and offering them to their friends.

Somehow I just don't believe that anywhere in the fine scripts being performed on Broadway that there is a sound cue that says: "plastic crinkling noise is heard from the audience"!! and if Stoppard, Kramer, Fierstein, Cole Porter, and even Taymor didn't write those sound cues in, then we sure as hell don't need to hear those sounds during the show!!

[silversurfer2]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 12:25pm

DOllypop: I agree. I can't stand this practice and I don't go to the theater to eat/Drink!

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 12:51pm

It's been a common practice in West End theatres for years.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 1:09pm

If I want to be annoyed by someone chomping ice in my ear or riffling through snack food while I try and watch something I'll pay $10.00 and go to the movie theatre...not $250.00 for a premium theatre ticket.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 1:15pm

"It's been a common practice in West End theatres for years."

I was in London last week, and while I like the fact that I can buy ice cream in the theater, I was also shocked how much trash was left on the floors as the audience was leaving the theater.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 1:51pm

It looks like a baseball game. They'll probably start selling Cracker Jacks and cotton candy.

[Justin D]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 1:54pm

Almost every show I went to see in April had drinks on sale in plastic covered cups with the show's logo on the bottle, I hated it, made the whole thing feel tacky, and when people push the straw things in and out it makes a terrible noise. Yet before the show starts they still told you no food or drink inside.

[spike3]

Posted: 5/17/11 at 5:34pm

I know its done in London. But is it done as crudely as it is done here? I know the whole lot is one big business now, and money is important, but there is no longer a difference between going to a ballgame and having a nice night at the theatre.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 6:16pm

In Richmond,VA at the Wicked tour they sold popcorn and nachos that you could take to your seat. I thought I was in the movie theatre. But in Charlotte,NC you couldn't take any food or drinks in. If someone can't sit through a 2hr show without eating or drinking maybe you shouldn't go see a show.

[OhTossums2]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 7:57pm

They did this in BBAJ; the ushers weren't obnoxious, they just stood there with the boxes of things. I thought that was perfectly fine.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 8:23pm

At a touring production of Mamma Mia! A few years ago they sold CDs and programs in the aisles at intermission. It didn't bother me at all. As long as it's not food, I see no problem with it.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 10:28pm

The whole "Drink at your seat" thing hit an epic fail at Fela!. When people got up to dance, they left (and forgot about) their overpriced alcoholic beverages on the floor, and innocent theatregoers ended up with vodka on their shoes.

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 5/18/11 at 10:38pm

I think the vendors at ROA are the most annoying. I mean one minute I'm watching the show, and the next, a waiter is walking up and down the aisle asking for drink orders while the show is going on. I mean, I understand they want business, but it's annoying after buying a ticket for it, and dealing with that.

[spike3]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 11:48am

It is not ushers that sell the food and drink in the aisles. That junk is being sold by people that work for the companies that rent bar space from the theatre owners. In the case of BBAJ, that was at a Shubert owned house. The company that provides bar service for them is Theatre Refreshment Co of NY. You can complain to them or for a more effectve try, you can contact the Shubert Organization. Please note , all profits from the bar and the aisle vendors is shared by Theatre Refreshment and the Shubert organization

[little_sally]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 12:26pm

As much as this annoys me, it's not as bad as people leaving garbage at their seats and in the aisles after the show. This isn't a ballpark or even a movie theatre. You paid upwards of $150 to see these shows, show some class and respect for the theatre. I was so disgusted as I was leaving the Neil Simon back in March and saw how filthy the floors were.

[spike3]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 12:58pm

Little Sally, that type of behaviour goes under the heading of someone else will pick it up for me, so why should I. I totally agree with you, it is a theatre, not a garbage dump. Some good old home traing might be in order for the culprits

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 1:55pm

I think all the vending money goes to the theatre, so they dont give a f@#k about the production. No skin off their nose.

I think eating and drinking during a live performance is grotesque. Even the dude who was eating a foot long sausage sandwich on the floor at Lady Gaga. Im like, honesty dude, you need to be eating a greasy, slime covered sausage at 10pm when it is wall to wall dancing people standing on the floor. Is this truly the best time? WTF?

[lakezurich]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 6:45pm

All the theatres that Broadway In Chicago owns has people walking down the aisles during intermission selling Twizzlers and water. Why of all things they chose Twizzlers and water seems odd to me. But whatevs. I agree that eating/drinking in the theatre is EXTREMELY annoying.