People Leaving at Intermission- Page 4

[irishgator1]

Posted: 12/11/17 at 10:01am

SweetLips said: "It's like going to a classical concert or the opera and clapping when you shouldn't [what's the rule on that one?]. You don't clap between movements and when in opera?

I was once at a piano recital and some people clapped during a dramatic pause and the pianist turned to the audience and yelled 'shut up' ! When he finished--no one DARED to clap in case there was more--it really was funny as I had taken a friend who had never attended a recital, and probably never will again.

The pianist was Jorge Bolet."

That's hilarious!

My brother-in-law is a concert pianist and if my sister hadn't told me that people don't applaud between movements, I would be the one applauding too and then getting told off.  Having said that, I've always known about intermissions and have to double check when I see that there's not one (like at The Band's Visit).  When you buy tickets, it says somewhere at some point that the show is X number of hours/minutes with X length of intermission.

 

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 12/12/17 at 9:15am

I'll preface this by saying that I adore B.D. Wong.  I have only left at intermission once in my 50+ years of theater going and that was during his one man show Herringbone.  I felt horribly embarrassed for him and just couldn't sit through a second act.

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 4/5/18 at 10:00pm

This happened to me tonight! I was chatting with the girl next to me (student from Argentina, in town for the week, first show ever) before the show. At intermission she says “it was so nice to meet you, have a great night!” And I yelled over “WAIT! WHERE YOU GOING!? It’s not over!!!” Lol. I feel kind of silly but I had to stop her! So glad she said something. Whew. And she loved it so, yay. Day saved.

Updated On: 4/5/18 at 10:00 PM

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 4/5/18 at 10:11pm

Curious to know what show you were at, greenify? Want to know what might’ve made them think it was over or where they would’ve left off at.

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 4/5/18 at 10:15pm

Sorry, I was at Kinky Boots

[Patash]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 8:57am

I think many here are being naive about just how uninformed many audience members are.  I still recall when the curtain went up for one show, the lady behind me loudly saying "look those are live people".   Apparently she thought she was going to see a movie.  

[natashalost]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 1:06pm

When I saw Prince of Broadway in September the lady sitting next to me fell asleep during the first act and then left at intermission.

[B.JAMES]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 1:28pm

Patash said: "I think many here are being naive about just how uninformed many audience members are. I still recall when the curtain went up for one show, the lady behind me loudly saying "look those are live people". Apparently she thought she was going to see a movie."

 

Excuse me while I bash my head into a cement wall.

 

[TNick926]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 2:04pm

My best "leaving at intermission" story...my friend Lee and I were given tickets for a preview of the legendarily bad Broadway show MOOSE MURDERS.  The late great Eve Arden had already dropped out of the show (wise woman!) and her part was being played by someone then new to the scene, Holland Taylor (!)...My friend Lee was a deeply-committed, serious actress...I love the theater, and loved my craft, but I also love a good train wreck!  MOOSE MURDERS did not disappoint in that regard...it's reputation as the worst show ever presented on the Great White Way is well-deserved.  As the first act curtain fell and lights came up for intermission, my friend Lee stood up and shouted loudly and with great passion, "THIS IS AN OUTRAGE TO THE THEATER!"  She turned to me and said, "I just can't submit myself to this any more.  I'll meet you in the bar next door after the show".  And so I met her after, but I just HAD to stay and see how much worse the show could get in the second act...the answer was, PLENTY WORSE!!  Lots of drinks after with Lee made it a night to remember..... :) 

[ilysespieces]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 2:05pm

When I saw the first preview of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child my friend had two empty seats next to her the entirety of Part 1. ~45 minutes into Part 2 a family comes in and [after hemming and hawing over who was gonna split up from their party of 3] sits next to my friend. It was a mother and child, the mother was texting on her phone the entire time. At intermission she grabbed her coat, grabbed her kid, and they left. Not sure what the point of coming to half an hour of a 6 hour two day show was, but I'm not surprised at any way anyone in any audience acts anymore, after seeing how some people have acted at HP.

[Patash]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 3:40pm

Ever since posting about the woman exclaiming the actors were real when the curtain went up, I've been trying to remember what show that was.  Today it hit me -- it was Newsies.  I was in a Premier seat, by the way, so it begs the question -- how much would you pay for a seat to the movie Newsies?

 

[Mediamaven2]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 5:26pm

I find it super sad that people don't know what intermission is. I know it's not very important in the scheme of global things, but here in the USA with people who are fortunate enough to go to a live performance - to go and yet never have been clued in on the concept of 'intermission' I find sad. I have known about intermission for as long as I can remember. But maybe that's me living in some privileged blue coast bubble...

I've been to alot of theater where people don't know how to behave. That's just manners. And I've been to theater where people show up late or don't return after intermission, and I've never judged it as they didn't know. I always assume we never know what is going on in people's lives  . .. and I've walked out of a show at intermission too so I try not to judge . . . 

But the posters here who are retelling of real cluelessness where the concept of intermission is concerned...sad! I mean, the program says there will be an intermission, it's length, and notes an "Act 1" and 'Act 2"...I guess some people don't bother to read either...oh well. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 6:39pm

This reminds me of Norm MacDonald telling Letterman of how he begrudgingly took his mother to see Cats way back when, and how upset he was when he found out it was only "half-time," and he had to sit through even more of it...

[dunebuddy]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 7:42pm

I'm enjoying the stories on this thread.

Regarding the concept of theater-goers not knowing the meaning of the word "intermission" I suggest that before the performance starts an announcement be made:  "When the lights come up, the actors are going to take a break for fifteen minutes because they're tired.  Take that time to get up and pee or go to the refreshment counter to buy a Slushy or bag of chips so you can slurp and crunch your way through Act 2."

A few have mentioned a number of people leaving at intermission during "Into The Woods".  Although I do think it is rude to leave any  show, to these folks leaving ITW I say bravo.  You did the right thing.

[SempreLiberal]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 8:21pm

Into the Woods Act 1 is wonderful. I saw the show in previews on Broadway in the late 80s (summer/fall of 87 or 8 and I wish we left at intermission. Act 2 was horrible. (It was previews)

Updated On: 4/7/18 at 08:21 PM

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 4/6/18 at 9:23pm

dunebuddy said: "I'm enjoying the stories on this thread.

Regardingthe concept of theater-goers not knowing the meaning of the word "intermission" I suggest that before the performance starts an announcement be made: "When the lights come up, the actors are going to take a break for fifteen minutes because they're tired. Take that time to get up and pee or go to the refreshment counter to buy a Slushyor bag of chips so you can slurp and crunch your way through Act 2."
 

“Have a drink and a pee / We’ll be back for Act Threeeee!”

”Two, sire!” 

[FrizzyAnya]

Posted: 4/7/18 at 6:25pm

I’ve been to a lot of Broadway shows, and yet I actually almost left early by accident once. - It was Jerry Springer the Opera and I was genuinely so surprised/confused by the whole thing AND the story felt like it had ended. (To our credit, the second act is like a totally different story than the first.)

 

But when I looked around and saw that everyone had left their coats, we figured it out.

[ilysespieces]

Posted: 4/7/18 at 6:46pm

I forgot, but I actually left at [the first of two] intermission when I saw Accent on Youth with David Hyde Pierce. My friend got a bunch of comp tickets and we figured it'd be a nice afternoon of theater, but we were just so absolutely bored and we could not get into the story, we just left. That's the only time I've ever left a show early and I don't regret it one bit.

[juice23]

Posted: 4/7/18 at 11:14pm

We left the revival of Cherry Orchard at roundabout, and then came back to go to the hiptix party after for the free food and wine... No regrets. We just did not enjoy the first act at all.

[Olivia11]

Posted: 4/8/18 at 3:48pm

It’s sad if people don’t know there is a second act.

I have left at intermission a few times. Twice, because I was bored and once I had tickets to NYCB the night I flew in and was falling asleep. There was nothing wrong with the performance and I always go to theatre the night I fly in, but this time I just wanted to go back to my hotel and sleep more than watching the second act.

I don’t see anything “rude” about leaving at intermission.

[Great Dame]

Posted: 4/8/18 at 5:01pm

I'm finding this thread both entertaining and a bit sad. I guess I take for granted how accessible theater is in Denver where I live. It's not NYC obviously, but we have all the big Broadway tours and tons of local and regional stuff going on all the time. I guess if you're a tourist in NYC from a small town with none of that, it  really just might be something you've never experienced. But also, read the Playbill!? As for intentionally leaving at intermission, I've never seen anything bad enough to justify it for me.

Dunebuddy, I love your announcement haha! Those fricking snack wrappers! Why do theaters sell wrapped snacks at all?! The worst. 

[Ravenclaw]

Posted: 4/8/18 at 9:56pm

Here in Chicago, at least, ushers generally say, as they are tearing/scanning tickets, "The show will run about two hours, including one intermission." Is that not the case in New York? That could easily solve this problem.

And for the record, it's far from uncommon not to look at a playbill before the show. If you're not a theatre person, why do you need to know the names of the other three Broadway shows each ensemble member was in?

And if someone doesn't know how intermissions work because they have never seen a play before, we should be happy that they chose to spend their time and money taking a risk, not ridiculing them for not knowing our traditions.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 4/8/18 at 10:31pm

And if someone doesn't know how intermissions work because they have never seen a play before, we should be happy that they chose to spend their time and money taking a risk, not ridiculing them for not knowing our traditions."

You do know, that countries all over the world have some sort of theater within their own cultures.  It may not be as grand in scale, as the United States, but there is an opportunity around the world to see either a play or a musical, within their own cities. Having seen theater in other  countries (not just the UK) an intermission is pretty standard.  I certainly wouldn't call it merely an American tradition.  

Updated On: 4/8/18 at 10:31 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/8/18 at 11:46pm

Hardly ridicule.

Posted: 4/10/18 at 2:35am

Someone mentioned here how rude it is to leave during the curtain call.  Dame Edna had a solution for that.

As she is taking her bows inevitably a few Type A personalities are rushing up the aisle to beat the crowd. Suddenly the music stops, the house lights go out and a spotlight is focussed on one of them scurrying up the aisle, who suddenly freezes.

"Oh, too bad you are leaving," Dame Edna would sigh. "You were going to win the car." 

I'd like to think the person caught in that spotlight NEVER tried to leave early again. Leave it to Dame Edna to turn rude theater behavior into comedy.