Do NOT Do Standing Room For FINDING NEVERLAND — Page 2

The Lunt is terrible for SRO. Probably the worst theatre for SRO. The same thing basically happened during The Little Mermaid. The ushers/house staff do nothing with the children running up & down the aisles, taking pictures, etc. The management is who is at fault, and I would call and/or e-mail the necessary parties.

I think there was some gorgeous imagery on that stage and there might have even been a good show that I wasn't able to enjoy. But you couldn't pay me to go back and sit (or stand) through that again in order to find out.

Updated On: 4/8/15 at 11:33 PM

It's a new theatre and I can't tell you how upsetting I find it. One of the last shows I attended found my partner and I seated between a woman who brought her dinner to the show (which stank) and another person whose phone glare distracted me throughout the first act even when I kindly asked them to turn the damn thing off. In the row ahead of me was a person holding up their camera device taping the show.

I blame the theatre for allowing such behavior. If I'm not mistaken, there is some way signals can be jammed during a performance if the house desires. Turn it off during intermission if necessary but keep it on during the performance. Or do they fear it would affect ticket sales? Unfortunately the theatre has become a zoo and it's a crying shame.

Sorry to hear of your experience. I was at the Sunday matinee and luckily didn't have too many of those issues. I concur though that many kids will get bored with this show, I fear. It is,a great show and the staging is amazing. I actually loved it. But between those amazing moments there is a story line that I could see losing younger kids. As for bad audience behavior I did experience this at American in Paris tonight. An older and younger woman behind me. The younger woman must have bumped me with her foot several times, even hooking her toe into my sweater. No apologies. She sat there with a bag of God only knows what crackling away for the first 20 minutes of the show. And she was making sounds that sounded like a cow pulling its hooves out of the mud. I finally turned around and gave her a look and the noises subsided. It's amazing though how disconnected some people can be with their environment.

"Was this a problem in Boston? Did they actually let little asshole children run up and down the aisle there too?"

The audience with whom I saw it in Boston were incredibly well-behaved and attentive. Oddly enough, I don't even recall many children being in attendance. Perhaps that's a reflection of the demographics of ART's subscribers.

Auggie, I really like your description of why it's not a kids' show. Bang on.

I never understand how this is a children's show, you wouldn't have brought children to see the film. And yes, in Boston, I felt that the show was fighting whether it wanted to he grown up or not.

I will agree that the aaudience in Boston were without incident both times I saw it...and I was surprised with some of the ages there.

"It's a new theatre and I can't tell you how upsetting I find it. One of the last shows I attended found my partner and I seated between a woman who brought her dinner to the show (which stank) and another person whose phone glare distracted me throughout the first act even when I kindly asked them to turn the damn thing off. In the row ahead of me was a person holding up their camera device taping the show.
I blame the theatre for allowing such behavior. If I'm not mistaken, there is some way signals can be jammed during a performance if the house desires. Turn it off during intermission if necessary but keep it on during the performance. Or do they fear it would affect ticket sales? Unfortunately the theatre has become a zoo and it's a crying shame."

Don't cell phone jammers also adversely affect the wireless technology used to run the show and that's why they're not used?

I do appreciate it when I'm at a theatre like New World Stages (and some parts of the O'Neill, August Wilson, and St. James) where the reception is so bad that it'd be rare that a cell phone could actually go off.

Updated On: 4/9/15 at 09:37 AM

The audiences of today are getting more and more ridiculous.

When I was at Hand to God, I had my phone out before the show and during intermission (as they should be and not during) and was amazed at how I was barely getting any type of signal....it wasn't until reading here that I realized that it is a GREAT thing for a theatre to put a restriction out on a cell phone signal. I don't know if that is what the Booth has, but I must say I saw no signs of cell phone usage during that show.

The most blatant use of a cell phone I have seen recently was during a performance of Matilda last October....otherwise, my biggest issue has been people talking loudly to comment on anything whether it be the show itself or even in the case of people I sat next to during Honeymoon in Vegas, their dinner plans.

Definitely sorry to hear about your experience....especially those annoying selfie sticks.

Why yes, your majesty, It did occur to me. However that doesn't excuse them still starting at the same time since it does take a few minutes to seat over 1500 people. And I'm allowed to address anything I want on this message board since my experience was theater-related and this is a (wait for it) THEATER MESSAGE BOARD.

Now why don't you get a new bowl of Cheerios, since somebody obviously pissed in yours this morning.

The use of cell phone jammers is prohibited by federal law, so no theatre could legally use them. The fines are very large.

Well Jordy, perhaps you would have enjoyed the show a lot more if you had removed that rolled up Playbill outta your ass. Forgive me, I forget you like to think you're a star here and everyone is concerned for you entertainment enjoyment.

And did the other people who've posted here with similar experiences have "playbills in their ass" or am I the only one, just because for whatever reason, you don't like me?