Kimberly Akimbo to stop serving ice in drinks

[Theatrefan2]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 8:59am

This seems a bit odd. Is it really suddenly that much of a problem

 

https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre-stops-serving-ice-in-drinks-to-prevent-distractions-during-musical_1510317/

Updated On: 7/12/23 at 08:59 AM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:06am

So if you order a cocktail, you're getting it room temperature? Ewww

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:09am

Great. Now start capping the amount of alcoholic drinks patrons can purchase. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:12am

When I saw the show a few months ago they were not serving ice in drinks, so I don't think this is new for this show...?

[willep]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:06am

ACL2006 said: "So if you order a cocktail, you're getting it room temperature? Ewww"

Literally says in the announcement that all drinks will be served pre-chilled.

[mayajayt]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 11:19am

I saw the show last fall and they weren’t putting ice in drinks for this reason and it was literally fine 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 11:26am

Scott Rudin did this on his shows, too.

As long as the drink is more-or-less cool, I don't care and this is a quiet show.

It's a shame the drinks-at-seats phenomenon exists (health emergencies aside), but we have to adapt to the world.

[rubytuesday]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 1:36pm

As long as they keep the "ice" on stage....

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 1:42pm

OP/TheaterFan2, what is odd about this announcement? It's a theater trying to make the theater-going experience better for the audience. What is odd about that? We are in the summer months where presumably, people want more ice in their drinks so it seems like as good a time as any to implement this change. 

I say anything we can do to make eating and drinking in the theater as difficult as possible. Raise the prices. Make the cups super super small. Keep the drinks warm. At intermission: have at it. Cold drinks, lower prices, etc. And then make everyone finish all of it before they go back to their seats. No more sippy cups either!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 2:11pm

For decades we did perfectly fine finishing our drinks or food BEFORE going to our seats (you weren’t allowed to take them to your seats). In the 2000s they started with the sippy cups and snacks and food being permitted to your seats and here we are. None of this was an issue before the 2000s. 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 2:27pm

To me the thing that pushed me over the edge was the people walking around inside the theater selling stuff. Something you would have only seen at a ball game. I'm still shocked when I see them. 

[Theatrefan2]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 2:34pm

Phantom4ever said: "OP/TheaterFan2, what is odd about this announcement? It's a theater trying to make the theater-going experience better for the audience. What is odd about that? We are in the summer months where presumably, people want more ice in their drinks so it seems like as good a time as any to implement this change.

I say anything we can do to make eating and drinking in the theater as difficult as possible. Raise the prices. Make the cups super super small. Keep the drinks warm. At intermission: have at it. Cold drinks, lower prices, etc. And then make everyone finish all of it before they go back to their seats. No more sippy cups either!"

Because I have never once sat in a theatre and thought 'wow that ice is making a lot of noise'.

Of all things to stop bringing into the auditorium so that it is a quieter more pleasant experience for all, this seems very very minor.

[jagman1062]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 2:44pm

These days, so many audience members leave their trash around their seats when they exit the theater. People may finish their drinks, but many don't consume the ice, even if it melts. I wonder if the reason for no ice is that it's more difficult to clean the theater because of the melted ice rather than just picking up an empty cup. Just a thought.

[akhoya87]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 2:54pm

Theatrefan2 said: "Phantom4ever said: "OP/TheaterFan2, what is odd about this announcement? It's a theater trying to make the theater-going experience better for the audience. What is odd about that? We are in the summer months where presumably, people want more ice in their drinks so it seems like as good a time as any to implement this change.

I say anything we can do to make eating and drinking in the theater as difficult as possible. Raise the prices. Make the cups super super small. Keep the drinks warm. At intermission: have at it. Cold drinks, lower prices, etc. And then make everyone finish all of it before they go back to their seats. No more sippy cups either!"

Because I have never once sat in a theatre and thought 'wow that ice is making a lot of noise'."

I have.  During Prima Facie, a man kept drinking out of his empty cup (empty save for the melting ice).  Hard to focus on vulnerable moments when you hear ice sliding back and forth in a cup.   

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 2:54pm

Because I have never once sat in a theatre and thought 'wow that ice is making a lot of noise'.

I've sat next to many a chronic ice-shaker. For me and many others, it's very frustrating to be continually taken out of the moment by seatmates shaking ice, crinkling candy bags, etc. 

[Theatrefan2]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 3:02pm

LuminousBeing said: "Because I have never once sat in a theatre and thought 'wow that ice is making a lot of noise'.

I've sat next to many a chronic ice-shaker. For me and many others, it's very frustrating to be continually taken out of the moment by seatmates shaking ice, crinkling candy bags, etc."

 

Yes I completely agree on crinkling bags etc, plus food (especially smelly food). That's why I had ice way down the list as to me those are so much worse, but fair enough if others have experienced it.

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 3:12pm

Phantom4ever said: "To me the thing that pushed me over the edge was the people walking around inside the theater selling stuff. Something you would have only seen at a ball game. I'm still shocked when I see them."

Aisle sales have been a thing at London theatres for years. The first time I saw Love Never Dies at the Adelphi, I remember being surprised to see them hawking ice cream as soon as the lights came up at the end of the first act.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 3:29pm

Aisle sales also help reduce the lines and the bars/concessions/merch counter elsewhere in the theatre, which is important when space + time is limited.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 4:40pm

Lot666 said: "Phantom4ever said: "To me the thing that pushed me over the edge was the people walking around inside the theater selling stuff. Something you would have only seen at a ball game. I'm still shocked when I see them."

Aisle sales have been a thing at London theatres for years. The first time I saw Love Never Dies at the Adelphi, I remember being surprised to see them hawking ice cream as soon as the lights came up at the end of the first act."

 

Yeah but in London it's just different. It is cute the way they sell ice cream and I don't recall the people yelling like a Yankee Stadium hot dog or beer vendor to get your attention. I only thought of it as charming in London but at Broadway theaters, it just seemed like another chance to remind people they need to always be stuffing their faces with something. 

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 4:49pm

I guess this is fine, but...

Broadway needs to work on policing AUDIENCE members.  One strike, you're out.  No bull****. 

If you put some fear into people with actual, enforceable rules, they'll understand what's expected of them.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 8:08pm

Thank god someone did this, maybe it'll start a trend. The woman in front of me at Shucked last month kept lifting her cup every 1-2 minutes during all of act two to sip on the tiny bit of liquid that melted off the ice, all you heard was ice sliding up the cup, down the cup, up the cup, down the cup...

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 8:11am

Yeah, the sound of the ice In the cup being lifted up and down really annoys me. In fact, at Sweeney Todd, last weekend someone behind me literally took the lid off the cup and started chomping on ice throughout act 1.