My enjoyment of...was ruined by the fans — Page 3

Not really a fan encounter, per se, but a great example of annoying patrons. And there are plenty of them.

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I just hate it when people wear their ugly Adidas sweatpants!

Updated On: 7/20/08 at 12:05 AM

Agree with jaystarr and winston89, but at TLK, well they weren't exactly fans, but they were distracting.

I think some people need to get over themselves, and if an audience is completely "ruining" your ability to enjoy a show, maybe you should just stop attending live theatre with a live audience, or buy out an entire theatre for one night so the cast can perform their show just for you and you don't have to worry about audience members' reactions around you.

My issue with what happened at Sherry tour SF closing was multi-faceted, and it's actually taken me over a year to say something about it...

First, the show was in a bit of a slump -- the producers had extended for 6 months and people stopped being in a hurry to buy tickets. Closing night was a Thursday evening show, and not sold out.

So (second), the rushers seemed to take it upon themselves to scream and try to make up for the lack of butts in the seats as well as the lack of enthusiasm from those who had shown up.

It's different when the entire audience is into the excitement of the night (I was at Benny tour closing [a real closing night] of Rent and it was amazing), but the behavior of the JB rushers that night was obnoxious and embarrassing. Not to mention I was a fairly regular rusher for most of the run, and I was not happy with the possibilities of guilt by association. I'm into celebration and cheering, too, but really? Screaming during "Trance"?

The cast also seemed to be having a bit of an off night, although I'd hesitate to blame that on the distracting screaming of the fans. In all, I enjoyed myself, although I still left somewhat frustrated and disappointed that night.

SF/Chicago closing was much better.

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Updated On: 7/19/08 at 12:16 AM

Should we be sad about that?

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YOUR BACK!!! You have no idea how bored I was without you. Thank You.

Disproportionate audience reaction can really change the arc and flow of a show. Depending on the type of show, it may not matter, but sometimes it does. I saw a new comedy at a preview when critics were there, and there was a vocal group of people in one section of the audience who howled and hooted at every line, regardless of how funny it actually was. It wasn't organic at all, and it also threw the rhythm of the play completely off. I don't know if the group was just enthusiastic fans or people affiliated with the production, but in either case, I don't think I would ever see a comedy for the first time on a press night again.

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"I'm in B1 on Sunday afternoon. Hey, maybe there are enough of us down front that we really can get everyone to stand up during Keys!"

"By the end of the night, my throat was dry from the over-abundance of screaming and cheers following literally every song, actor-entrance, and self-referential joke."

Just two examples from actual bww.com members posts that lend credence to the title of this thread. Theater is live, I get it. I love to share an experience with like minded people and it can be magical when everyone is on the same page and really into what is going on. Those moments are rare and should be organic. (Closing night of The Drowsy Chaperone was a night never to be forgotten) When they are not, it can and does ruin the experience for those engaging in overt, overindulgent behavior. I don't have the time or money to see theater as often as I would like. I think it more than fair to expect reasonable behavior in a theater. BTW there are other factors that could also impede theater watching to the point of frustration: Rude ushers, extreme temperatures, noisy sound/light operators, the distinct lack of personal hygiene of some patrons. The same holds true for a noisy restaurant, a rock concert with screaming, singing drunk fans in the row in front of you, a movie where the next row thinks they are at home on their couch and won't shut up, etc.

I think things can and do affect ones enjoyment of something enough to destroy the essence of why they are there. Frankly I am 'over' anyone who would knowingly take to behavior that would draw undo attention away from the very thing that they are so enamored of. You ain't in the show, so quit acting like it.

I'm totally adding 'Dr. Horrible' to this list. I know it's a terrible thing to say, but I would have enjoyed it SO much more had I not been emailed by five different people IN ONE DAY with variations on the "I don't know if you've heard of this but it's a musical so" theme. But every time I encounter it from now on, the annoyance I feel at this constant shilling (is it shilling if they're not part of the production team? It's annoying enough that it feels like it is) is all I'm going to be able to remember and associate with the whole enterprise.

Srsly, I'm trying to be uncharacteristically nice, but if one more person from my non-BWW internet life tells me about it, I'm going to be cross. And if someone in real life tells me about it, they're literally getting punched.

ARGH! Please, just leave me to watch 'Garth Marenghi' in peace. ;_;

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Updated On: 7/19/08 at 08:40 PM

singingbackup, since I am the author of one of the posts you cite, I feel I should respond. I don't know if you haven't seen Passing Strange or just had a different experience at the show, but Keys has an extended improv call-and-reponse outro that often involves interaction with the audience (Stew pointing the microphone at audience members, etc). The number is directed to have a "rock concert" feel in which the wall between audience and cast is broken. Perhaps you would find it upsetting if audience members are standing or interacting during the number, but IMO it would be a little like being upset if people are standing and dancing in the aisles during the extended "megamix" curtain call at Mamma Mia -- you certainly have the right to those feelings, but those specific numbers are directed in such a way IMO that a certain type of audience response does not seem out of place.

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Those aren't really examples of fan misbehavior, though.

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I have seen PS and while not my fave I do get the broken fourth wall element to the piece. The way I read your post though is that you have the desire to get everyone involved in something you want to do, something they might not feel moved to be a part of. That would be distracting. And, to site your MAMMA MIA example, the megamix is technically an extension of the bows, so standing and dancing is encouraged or at least a logical thing to do. (Same holds true at XANADU, especially when Mary or another cast member invites everyone to 'get up and dance.') If folks got up and started dancing in the middle of the show, that would be way out of place.

If you feel so inclined as to stand up during "Keys" then go for it. Just know that many might not get the whole fourth wall thing.