Do you ever leave a show during intermission?- Page 5

[loudasthehelliwant]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 4:56pm

I came the closest I ever have to walking out of a show during intermission this summer. It was an outdoor production of the Merchant of Venice, and it was the worst thing I have ever seen in my life. And I would absolutely have left (something I never thought I would do), if I hadn't been with a school group. My teachers actually called us all together to try to decide whether or not to stay. One of the girl mentioned that it would be best if we left, because we couldn't get through the next half without laughing and that would be rude. (This prediction proved to be true; our teachers got a lot of complaints.) We ended up staying because we paid for it.

I would have paid twice the ticket price NOT to see it.

I think if you're really miserable during a performance, you should just leave (at the appropriate time- intermission). It's better for you, and for the rest of the audience. Me personally, I save leaving for absolute worst-case scenario (a "code black" as we called Merchant). I personally am much more apt to stick it out (although, in my experience, if a show has trouble in the first act, it *usually* falls apart even more noticeably in the second).

[IAMWHATIAM]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 5:01pm

A few people mentioned that they wouldn't leave because they spent so much money on tickets. I don't understand that thinking at all. Personally, if I've already wasted my money on the tickets, I'd rather not waste my time also by sitting through something that I think is terrible. And while I don't often walk out during intermission, I've rarely had an experience where a production truly redeems itself in the second act.

[LI Larry]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 5:11pm

I forgot about Passion. We went as a family. I normally love Sondheim but hated this show. I also forgot about Perfect Crime. I hated that too. But didn't leave. I always am running to catch the LIRR after the shows so if I feel I'd rather get home early, I'd leave.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 5:13pm

All the time! If I'm not enjoying myself, I leave. I paid for my ticket and its my choice if I want to waste the rest of the evening bored to death or go home early to catch up on whatever. Some shows are so excruciating to sit thru, that I book out during a scene change (altho only if I'm sitting on the aisle). I look at it this way ... if the show were on television, would I change the channel. If the answer is yes, I leave. I don't stay anywhere if I'm not having a good time ... a party, a club, a bar, a movie ... why should a show be any different?

[ComingUpRoses]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 5:41pm

I've seen hundreds of shows on Broadway, on the road and in the West End. The only time I have ever departed at intermission was Miss Peters' "Annie Get Your Gun." I am an admirer of hers but thought her performance in that classic musical was about as interesting as watching chrome rust. I found it painful to watch and am glad I left.

[leefowler]

Posted: 8/3/06 at 5:42pm

It might be a little tricky walking out on Passion during intermission...