Banning Food in Theatres — Page 2

Funnily enough, at Scissorhandz in London this evening, someone in the front row was continually rustling their bag of Maltesers. One of the performers (Emma Williams) turned to another performer during one of the lighter moments of the show and said “sorry, I’m just so distracted by the sweets in the front row… it’s SO loud!” It was a great moment, and the bag of Maltesers was swiftly put away…

I'd imagine food/drink eaten in the front orchestra would distract the actors? If the theaters have a section where no food/drink is allowed (like front orchestra) then I'd gladly save up money and pay for those premium seats.

I tell friends that if they do have to unwrap something, do it while people are clapping or laughing. NEVER do it in the middle of a song or ballad or intense or quiet scene.

We're really seeing the rise of the Nicki Cochrane audience mentality.

I don't remember what actor commented on being overcome by the smell of someone's chicken dinner being passed around in the front row during a performance, but I was stunned by the fact that someone would have the audacity to do that. I went to an Off Broadway show right before covid, and the woman next to me had a big paper bag filled with fried chicken and greasy food, and I thought I was going to throw up. I had been working all week and was too tired to even deal with it, and if I hadn't been with a friend who needed the aisle seat he was in, I probably would have tried to get another seat. The fact that the ushers did nothing appalled me. It was a 3-hour play, and the smell never disappeared from the theater.

I used to go to the theater at least once a week, and I'm so appalled by audience behavior in so many ways that I have not gone in a year and a half, and when I am tempted, and see things like this, it reminds me as to why I stopped. I've become pretty much a recluse since then because public behavior is out of control and I don't feel the need to police it when the people who should don't. I used to leave the theater feeling exhilarated by having escaped from the world, and that fantasy ended quickly as the reality snapped me back. I was looking at the tkts listing today and thought I might go when my retirement kicks in, but reading this, I doubt I'll ever go again. Maybe I just aged out of being able to fully enjoy the experience, or maybe a good portion of the world has just fallen into an ill-mannered, self-centered cesspool. At any rate, I save a ton of money in not going, not only in theater tickets, but in the therapeutic curing of a psychoanalyst or a bartender.

Wouldn’t make a bit of difference. People just don’t care. The rules don’t apply to them. They’ll do what they want and f—— you if you don’t like it. The decline in audiences is startling. It starts with attire. People are slobs. Don’t care what they look like as long as they’re comfortable. Sweats. Flip-flops, T-shirts. Anything goes. Remember when women wore nice dresses and men wore suits? That was a lifetime ago.
Move to manners. There are none. People eat, drink, talk and check their damn phones throughout a performance. I’ve cut back on my theatre going. Just not worth the stress and aggravation of dealing with people today.


Jordan Catalano said: "There needs to be an all-out campaign by Broadway (however you want to label it) to teach audiences how to act in a show. Will it ever happen? Of course not. But at this point it’ll only get worse, not better."

Updated On: 2/24/25 at 08:57 PM

Menken Fan said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Here’s an idea: what if there was a toothless and overly-long letter printed in the program for every show reminding people of how to behave? That would be a quick solve to all problems right???????"

A couple of years ago, right after lockdown, Playbills included something like this. I'm not sure if they still do anymore.

"

They still have that page in the Playbills as of last month. The font is very small and in many theatres the houselights are too dim, making it next to impossible to read this page before the show (even if you wanted to).

I admit that sloppy attire bothers me more than most. But what REALLY drives me crazy is peoples’ inability to go an hour or two without shoving food into their faces. Guess this why the obesity rate is sky high and rising.

TotallyEffed said: "I don’t care what people wear just pleasestfu"

Kad said: "We're really seeing the rise of the Nicki Cochrane audience mentality."

Just don't say that name three times. Last time I think I saw her it was either at Jelly's Last Jam or Titanic at City Center.

Updated On: 2/24/25 at 08:15 AM

The battle was lost years ago when theater owners realized they could charge $30 for a sippy cup on jug wine and make a staggering supplemental profit off of people who already paid a fortune for their tickets. I'll never forget the first show I saw at the Hudson where the couple behind me showed up with a full bottle of Prosecco in an ice bucket and two flutes so they could imbibe continuously during the show. I bet that bubbly cost more than my car note.

chrishuyen said: "I often think that The Frogs's Invocation and Instructions to the Audience should be performed before every show"

Or Elsbeth S2E1: Corey Mach / Nathan Lane’s lovely interaction in the theatre

dramamama611 said: "Telling people and people listening are two very different things."

True

sometimes i just don’t understand how difficult it is to not unwrap candies during the performance, especially in quiet moments

Updated On: 2/24/25 at 01:35 PM