Audience Member Pet Peeve- Page 2

[temms]

Posted: 4/26/19 at 11:33am

Yeah it’s tacky, I say as someone who has been majorly guilty of it in my more impetuous arrogant youth (which was sadly not all that long ago.) At least once I went on a pompous rant about how awful something was while on premises and it made me look like a giant jackass. It wasn’t about the show, it was about me and my own insecurities and blah blah. There’s a time and a place and it’s not there. I feel bad that people enjoyed a show and had to listen to some pompous doucheweasel pontificating about how it didn’t meet his precious standards.

We can learn from our poor decisions and choose to be better.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/26/19 at 12:21pm

Vespertine1228 said: "When someone is giving a loud opinion immediately following the show while people are just trying to make their way toward the exit it’s always about them, not about the work itself. They want people to agree with them. It seems a little classless to me."

Well, was this man just shouting to no one in particular or was he having a conversation with someone he knew and simply not bothering to be quiet about it? I think people have the right to their opinions. Theater should provoke conversation and critical thinking. I'm not really one for passive consumption. And "the lyrics really sucked" is a valid criticism to have about a musical. It's not like he was being personally insulting to the actors. 

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 4/26/19 at 12:57pm

Wow, I couldn't disagree more with what a lot of people are saying. Art should generate strong emotions, both good and bad. I actually love it when I hear someone say they hate a show that I loved. I listen in to find out why- do they have valid arguments? Good theatre should generate discussions, debates and even arguments.

On a side note, sometimes I find shows I've thought I've hated right after the curtain has gone down are shows I remember the most. There are times when reflecting on the piece when I get home, I realize the reason I thought I hated the show was that something in the show hit too close to home and it has triggered a memory  that I had wanted to forget.

[TobiasRagg]

Posted: 4/26/19 at 1:25pm

Holy censorship, Batman.
My posts defending myself and my opinions were either edited or completely deleted, yet the aggressive comments from other people are left untouched.
Thanks for the reminder of why I previously never posted on here, and why I probably won’t in the future.

[Peter2]

Posted: 4/26/19 at 1:46pm

I can see both sides of it, but personally, I think it's nice to wait until you're at the bar next door having drinks to start in with the heavy criticism. There might be that person next to you who spent their life's savings to come to New York and see one Broadway show before they die, and even if in their heart they knew it wasn't any good, they don't want to hear it said aloud. Why not wait a couple minutes until you're out of the crowd?

[magictodo123]

Posted: 4/26/19 at 1:47pm

South Fl Marc said: "Wow, I couldn't disagree more with what a lot of people are saying. Art should generate strong emotions, both good and bad. I actually love it when I hear someone say they hate a show that I loved. I listen in to find out why- do they have valid arguments? Good theatre should generate discussions, debates and even arguments.

On a side note, sometimes I find shows I've thought I've hated right after the curtain has gone down are shows I remember the most. There are times when reflecting on the piece when I get home, I realize the reason I thought I hated the show was that something in the show hit too close to home and it has triggered a memory that I had wanted to forget."

This is exactly how I felt after I saw Oklahoma! at St. Ann's! It was by no means my favorite show I've seen. However, it opened my eyes to how different directors can take on a piece. It made me think. It made me think about how the show was done, the choices made by everyone involved long after curtain call. I believe that is what makes great theater. 

[EdEval]

Posted: 4/27/19 at 8:41am

I was one of the few who actually hated Book of Mormon, but rather disturb others with my opinions I quietly left the theatre at intermission and privately complained to my partner away from other ears.  Others should do the same.

[LxGstv]

Posted: 4/27/19 at 1:49pm

When I was leaving Hadestown a couple of weeks ago, two women behind me were loudly discussing details of their flow, and how one of them prefers pads over the insertable types... trust me, I would have much rather they were loudly discussing their opinions of the show, good or bad...

Updated On: 4/27/19 at 01:49 PM

[TobiasRagg]

Posted: 4/27/19 at 1:55pm

LxGstv said: "When I was leaving Hadestown a couple of weeks ago, two women behind me were loudly discussing details of their flow, and how one of them prefers pads over the insertable types... trust me, I much would have much rather they were loudly discussing their opinions of the show, good or bad..."

I’ll give you that one. There are some things that should not be talked about in a crowd. Lmao

[TobiasRagg]

Posted: 4/27/19 at 1:55pm

LxGstv said: "When I was leaving Hadestown a couple of weeks ago, two women behind me were loudly discussing details of their flow, and how one of them prefers pads over the insertable types... trust me, I much would have much rather they were loudly discussing their opinions of the show, good or bad..."

I’ll give you that one. There are some things that should not be talked about in a crowd. Lmao

[Maybeel]

Posted: 4/27/19 at 3:08pm

I read a book in the lobby during the 2nd act of Book of Mormon. Literally the 1st time in hundreds of nights of theater I had felt like doing that.

But, of course, I didn't pan the show to my husband (who enjoyed it till the end) until we were outside the theater.

Updated On: 4/27/19 at 03:08 PM

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 4/27/19 at 3:19pm

In a similar vein, I dislike when people are performing their reactions during the show: laughing extra loudly so everyone around them KNOWS they got the joke (especially when it’s a meta-theatre joke), wooing when no one else is, etc. At that point, it’s not about your fellow audience member enjoying themselves, it’s about them letting everyone know they’re in the room. The loud post-show complainers are cut from the same cloth, it’s less about them wanting to have a meaningful discussion of what they just witnessed and more about them letting everyone know how elevated their critical eye is (especially when they dislike an acclaimed piece, as if that make them different or interesting). It’s a difficult thing to articulate but I know it when I hear it, because it’s in the tone and demeanor.

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/27/19 at 3:28pm

When I had a Playwrights Horizons subscription, I intentionally attended Sunday matinees, since it was a large percentage of elderly subscription members. As the theater often took wild swings, that was my safety net. If the show sucked, I knew the audience would entertain me with their commentary. During Mr. Burns, someone loudly asked their neighbor, "Are you following any of this?!"

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 4/28/19 at 3:24am

LxG, women can’t discuss their periods? Is it too yucky and icky?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/28/19 at 5:21am

Right?

[LxGstv]

Posted: 4/28/19 at 8:38am

Really? Sure they can, but again, time and place.

The OP was bothered by people making bad remarks of a show, I personally would rather hear about that, great or awful remarks, than to listen about body fluids and genitals.

In this same thread people are saying it’s tasteless to make nasty remarks about a show, but period talk is so tasteful and appropriate right?!

[Lifesmellsweird]

Posted: 4/28/19 at 1:52pm

I don’t think it occurs to most people that one of the actors siblings/parents/friends could be sitting right in front of them. I also think that many people would say “this is what they signed up for. They know people will bash them and their performance.” The actors and creative team are people too. People who are working their asses off I might add. I think it is common courtesy to not act like a jerk, when you don’t know who could hear it. I mean that generally, in life. Yes, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I personally find publicly panning a show or its actors on the way out the door incredibly rude. It’s not a pet peeve of mine, but I just don’t think it’s very nice.

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/28/19 at 4:05pm

Lifesmellsweird said: "I don’t think it occurs to most people that one of the actors siblings/parents/friends could be sitting right in front of them."

Given how often people will tag actors in otherwise bad notices on twitter, I am not certain they care, really.

That said, if you pay top dollar for a bad show... oh well... you may want to mention it to the person you were there with. Not sure we need the theater to be a safe space where people can't discuss things until they are 500 feet away from the theater doors.