Bad audience behavior - revisited- Page 2

[Gypsy2]

Posted: 1/31/06 at 4:35pm

I know the guy couldn't help it, and it's not rude of him at all... but it's relevant.

I was at La Cage with my grandmother, who brought a friend and the friend's granddaughter, and I was sitting between my large grandma, and the largest man I'd ever seen. Side-to-side large, large to the point that he was spilling over the armrests and all over me. Kindof skeeved me out a bit.

Also, my grandma's friend's g.daughter? She's a few years younger than I am, so she hasn't really learned theater etiquette or whatever... she had a huge noisy bag of candy that she'd make noise with for the ENTIRE show! She'd rustle rustle rustle, then chomp chomp crunch. jeez!

[outovfashion07]

Posted: 1/31/06 at 4:43pm

Last time I was at RENT there was this couple in the box and throught the whole show they were standing up and making out against the poles. That is not what the boxes are for. It was gross and extreamly rude.

[Stitch_Stalker]

Posted: 1/31/06 at 6:58pm

When I went to see the Lion King Tour in Boston last October, it happened to be the first game of the world series with the Sox Versus Yankees (That WAS the matchup, wasn't it?) Well, of course, being in Boston, EVERYONE around us whipped out portable televisions during Intermission to check the score. I didn't find it to be particuarly "bad behavior", but it was REALLY funny considering the circumstances.

[Gypsy2]

Posted: 1/31/06 at 9:16pm

And another one! I was at Sweeney Todd on a trip with school, so our seats were considerably far back. Before the show started, one of my school mate people kept tapping me on the shoulder from behind, so I leaned my head back to talk and got kissed on the face. what the hell??

So it was more of a personal trauma, but he was a member of the audience. And it was indeed rude.

[beckie_nyc]

Posted: 1/31/06 at 10:37pm

Just came back from Kids' Night on Broadway, where I took my - perfectly well behaved, theatre veteran - 6 year old to see SPELLING BEE (which we both loved, btw.) Behind us sat this mom with her two teenage daughters. They each had a huge bag of candy, that they cringled against our ears. AND they were whispering constantly. Remembering this thread, I turned around a few minutes into the show, and told the mom nicely how distracted I was by the noise. She said sorry and it stopped for like two minutes. Then the talking started up again and so did the candy noise. It seriously did not stop during the whole show for more than one minute at a time (how much candy can you shove in your mouth in two hours?) It's not a movie (and even there, please don't do it.) I just thought, that people have way to much money. When I spend about $100 for a night out with my daughter, I try to make it a special event (dress up, tell her all about what's going on beforehand etc.) She then adjusts her behaviour accordingly.

[My Name in Lights]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 1:36am

At LENNON: After more than half of the first act had passed, I had to ask a man sitting two seats over from me to please stop talking. While he looked at me in disbelief, I told him that he had talked through almost the entire first act. Needless to say, he didn't utter a word afterward.

At CHITA: A DANCER"S LIFE: A group of women behind me were chattering on and off for a bit; but more than that, one of them kept shuffling a shopping bag on her lap. A man from the couple next to me and I both turned around at the same time and just stared when she did it once too often...her friends laughed and she didn't do it again. Also at CHITA: a man of about 50 or 60 fumbling with a candy bag eating and crackling through the performance.

At CHITTY: There were so many candy wrappers crackling, it was awful, and at the end of the show, the floor looked like a garbage dump. Granted it was a children's show, but the parents are the guilty ones because they should know better.

At ALL SHOOK UP and BEAUTY & the BEAST: Couples who feel the need to put their heads together and/or kiss and cuddle during the show...forget about the rest of us sitting behind them who paid to see the show on stage and not the backs of their heads. This behaviour is adolescent and defeats the purpose of staggering the seats in the theatre. Oh, and when they're not putting their heads together, they are talking.

At RENT: (This weekend)besides the fact that it was very uncomfortable sitting in the theatre surrounded (no exaggeration)by very young children (one little girl still had missing teeth, so I figure she was about 6 years old, and her sister not much older), the parents were doing the candy wrapper twist. I realize the movie has brought in a "new" crowd, but there were so many children there, all I could think about was how do you answer the question, "What's sodomy" when the kids ask. I don't recall there being that many funny moments in RENT either, but this crowd laughed a number of times. Definitely a different crowd.

AT ANY SHOW: people who feel the need to yell out, "yeah" when a performer is singing or delivering dialogue, so as to command the attention that should be given to the stage performer. It really ruins it for the rest of the crowd.

Probably the most annoying thing for me personally is when a performer is singing their heart out and the audience begins to applaud so loudly that you cannot hear the fantastic notes the performer is singing because of the applause. If they wait for the singer to finish, we can all hear the beautiful sounds they work so hard to perform, and then the performer can appreciate the applause that tells them they have done a wonderful job, rather than be drowned out during their moment to shine.

A lot of the crowds seem to be video crowds. They don't seem to get that it's live theatre, we can't stop and rewind to hear it again, and the people performing as well as the people paying to see it deserve respect.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 1:49am

"At CHITTY: There were so many candy wrappers crackling, it was awful, and at the end of the show, the floor looked like a garbage dump."

Well, all the confetti probably doesn't help. I was there after the show one time (left my scarf) and the cleaning crew just vacuums it all up anyway. Not that it excuses the food- I once stepped INTO a bag of popcorn someone had left behind. So much for my suede shoes.

[My Name in Lights]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 2:24am

Confetti would be pretty. I was in the mezz, third row and the confetti pretty much missed us and went down to the orchestra. The mezz was covered beyond belief with juice boxes, candy wrappers, etc. ugh.

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 10:06am

It sounds like you have a good process in getting ready for the theatre, beckie. I wish parents would instill that respect in their kids--I think you're right: they have too much money and don't value the cost of the ticket and the novelty of the evening.

[beckie_nyc]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 12:25pm

Thanks lildogs. I am very big on theatre etiquette with my daughter, because I know that distracting behavior ruins the experience for other audience members and possibly the actors. I completely understand people that are apprehensive when they see children sitting close to them (I am too!) And I definitely don't recommend kids' performances (Young People's concerts, anyone? It's a nightmare.) I'd much rather have mine being one of a very few children in the audience, and people being pleasantly surprised (as for example happened at the Wonderful Life benefit. A great night and very special experience, I was glad to share with her.)

[Anakela]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 2:54pm

I have a couple of stories that I've talked about in the other threads, but I don't think I mentioned this one here yet... Couple of months ago, won the Wicked lotto. Sitting in the front row, the show is going along, we get to Dear Old Shiz, and upon Elphaba's entrance there are screams (yes, with an 's', as in more than one person) of "OMG we love you Shoshana" from the upper level.

Not entrance applause, mind you- they were actually screaming that. Seriously, since when is this acceptable?? Could you imagine (has anyone had this happen) this at another show? I think if I went to Sweeney and started screaming "OMG I love you Patti" that she would quite possibly kill me dead from the stage or something. :)

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 4:10pm

to be honest, i jst cnt understand y ppl who r so rude shud even be near or go 2 theatre in Broadway or West End. coz im not bein funny or anyfin, it's just that it's really skank for the rest of the audience.

I was p'd off when I went 2 c BLOOD BROS at the New Theatre in Cardiff ,UK. It was a gr8 day 4 me coz it was my 16th bday. But as soon as I get to the theatre, some ppl (who I despise badly)at my school were there lookin, laughin and pointin at me 4 no reason. i was so close 2 whackin them 1 but i was restrained. I overheard them in the Lobby sayin that they bet that the show was gonna be ****e.

Then the beginning of the performance was postponed coz they wudnt shut up and were causing chaos in the the seats as we were all sittin in the upper circle. And also they were interupting the performers while they were tryin 2 act. The ushers and the other ppl in the audience below us were complaining as well.

Well the 1 person I hated the most and still do is this selfish thievin bastard named Will Humphry. He was the cause of tryin to make my birthay night a wreck and he made sum of my friends make fun and laugh at me. And what's worse was I had 2 sit in the same row as him but a few seats away. He was throwin paper and skittles at me. Well after the performance, I tripped him up. He got mad and pushed me while going down the stairs, he walked ahead, and I was sooooo closed to bashing him 1. Until my mum (who looked like a weirdo soked on a count that it was pissin down with rain at the time) stopped me. But she didnt know what I attemped to do. I hate him so much for nearly ruining my birthday nite out. I was with him and the other dicks coz it was both a 'Drama' and 'English' trip with my school.

Besides, im goin 2 the West End in Sept 2 c WICKED when it opens there and LION KING. so little bastards better not try 2 ruin the shows im gonna c.

i feel sorry for you all who are tryin 2 have such a good time seein all these shows and ppl r just ruinin your good times by being such losers and idiots. if I was on Broadway performin and sum punks tried 2 ruin my acting, I would go off the stage and hunt them down in the audience.

Well That's all I gotta say. If I do experience more of these issues, I'll let ya kno.

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 4:55pm

Wow that's really bad. I probobly wouldn't be able to take it and in the end would have ended up strangling those people. Anyway, Fortunattly I haven't had any bad audience experiances. Though, I have be clobbed in the face a couple of times trying to get to the bathroom during intermission.

Oh now I remember one...It's not so bad though. When I saw Beauty and the Beast a girl fell asleep in the row in front of me so her friend sitting next to her started slapping her to wake up, then they laughed about it for a while. But other than that the rest of the show was fine.
Updated On: 4/11/06 at 04:55 PM

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 6:27pm

You guys really know which nights to pick, huh? I honestly have never seen rude behavior of such a magnitude in a Broadway theater. I imagine if two people started making out in front of me though, I'd take great pleasure in asking them to stop so I could see the show.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 6:27pm

at a middle school show these kids behind us were literally screaming to their friends below them the entire time.

than at the king and I these two adults behind us made a "beat" to every song and this other guy was like

"oooh she told that son of a b*tch!"

it was sorta funny sorta insulting.

than at Taboo when Raul Esparza made his entrance his girl in the mezzanine said something along the lines of
"AAAH RAUL! I LOVE YOU! MARRY ME! RAUUUL! RAUUUL!"

for a moment there i thought it was Emcee. but she has too much class, she would've appeared at the stage door with her wedding dress and pastor

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 6:46pm

Is food seriously allowed in the theatres? It shouldn't be, period. I can understand out in the lobby during intermission and water in the theatre.

People come on, you can go and hour and a half or 2 hours without taking a piss, you sure as hell can stand that same amount of time without eating.


My other major pet peeve is people talking during the intermission or entr'acte, it makes me so incredibly mad. I'm usually a pretty mellow person, but don't even try this around me.

[downtowndiva84]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 7:07pm

People in front of me during "Phantom" were doing more than making out.

Yeah, it's disgusting.

[MyMeredithMonster]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 7:30pm

Here's some Spelling Bee ones... There was an audience member on stage during Magic Foot who got up and tried to dance with the group. Leaf had to usher her back to the bleachers and sit her down. From there, she continued to kick her legs out and bounce around.

I've also seen people throw candy back at Chip during "Unfortunate E".

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 7:49pm

Wicked tour--

I was sitting in the balcony (only seats they had left) and two girls in front of me during the show kept looking back at the tech booth throughout the entire show. I was about to say "It hasn't gone anywhere!!" They did this about every other minute. Then they proceeded with bringing their back packs out and applying make-up and giggling with one another.

Lion King tour-

before the show even started....I took my seat and no one in the row had shown up 5 minutes prior to the show beginning (there are about 30 seats in the row) so I have to get up and let everyone in. Thats all fine and dandy...then these 3 little girls sit next to me; one little girl looked at me and I smiled to be kind and not give her a look. Then she turned to her friends and talked to them and all three of them looked at me for the remainder of the show. Very uncomfortable, then during every scene I heard talking like no other, So I turned around and I see nothing but 8 year olds bouncing up and down, crying, eating, and parents were encouraging it!!

[Broadway_Boy]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 7:54pm

When I saw Jersey Boys I got the last student rush ticket and was sitting in the front row on the extreme left side and there was a couple two seats away that were obviously never in a theatre before and thought they were at a rock concert. They were jumping up and down in their seats while sining, they even stood for a little bit during SHERIE. And a couple times they had to call for their friends attention who were sitting in the front row center by the right aisle. Even though I thought they were very funny the mother-daughter between us, did not and were telling eachother to smack her and tell her to stop.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/12/06 at 3:50am

At the Willows Theatre in Concord, Calif., they not only allow food and drinks -- they sell it in the aisles during intermission. As weird as this sounds, it actually is not a bad thing.

The Willows has been doing this for years and years, and (possibly because it's such a small theatre), people stop eating and drinking once Act 2 starts -- or they'll grab a sip here or there. Very quietly.

There is very, very rarely any crinkling or spillage in my experience. It's very nice. You can tell people appreciate the concessions and don't want to make a mess of things.

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 4/12/06 at 6:33am

if ppl were gonna b like this and just ruin evenings for evry1, y r they even goin 2 theatre. ppl who r just not interested and think it's crap, then they shudnt b near theatre or go 2 it. there shud b a law that idiots who wanna ruin audiences'good times shud stay away from theatre. but i doubt it will happen. its just a suggstion which wud probably b ignored

[kate2]

Posted: 4/12/06 at 10:36am

LyKe ToTalLiE

[.LittleWing. 0224]

Posted: 4/12/06 at 10:51am

woman and her trillion daughters sitting behind me at wedding singer kept making THE loudest comments through out the show like... "OH!!!!!! THAT WAS A MOVIE FROM THE 80S! ISN'T THAT FUNNY GIRLS?? IT WAS A MOVIE... AND IT WAS FROM THE 80S... BECAUSE THEY HAD MOVIES IN THE 80S... HHHAAAHHHAA" like it was a) the funniest thing she could of said and b) everyone and their mother at the theatre hadn't already figured out there would be 80s references in the WS. shocking, i know.

the girls clearly didn't care at all or maybe they couldnt hear over the loud and obnoxious crumpling of their LAYS chips bags... what?? i shoot them so many nasty looks...

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 4/12/06 at 11:33am

The last time I saw Light in the Piazza, I sat behind a couple that was making out. We were in row F center. DO YOU KNOW how close to the stage row E is in that theater? I know the cast could see them, it was very bizarre.

Pretty much anytime I go see Rent (my fault, I only do lottery) I'm seated beside some socially inept teenager wearing a Mark scarf who bounces up and down the entire time, acting like the entire show is a private joke just for her. And yes, there is more than one of these girls. I've sat beside ALL of them.