Walking Out at Intermission - The Thread — Page 3

inception said: "MNNiceorIce said: "My feeling is that if you've walked out of a

I walked out of this comment after only reading half of it, but I completely disagree! "

I laughed at this so I'll take the burn, as invalid as I find it to be

I have left two shows, “Burn This”, I was so bored and Keri Russell’s performance was so unbelievable bad. A friend fell asleep during the first act. There were numerous people leaving when we did. I also left “Tina” at intermission a combination of the uncomfortable seats and a lackluster jukebox musical did me in. I should have left “Paradise Square” and had the dream ballet in “Oklahoma” revival been done prior to the end of act one I would run screaming from the theater.

I have probably walked out of 7 - 8 shows in my life (almost 60 years). I am not sure I ever waited for intermission for most. In the late 60s, I walked out of How to Be a Jewish Mother in its Boston during the first act. It was agony and I was on the aisle in cheap seats, so no one was disturbed. 50+ years ago I walked out on Jimmy, one of the worst shows I ever saw, at intermission, preferring to walk around waiting for the three people I was with, rather than sit through it another minute. They all agreed after the show that I made the right decision.


Since that time, if I really really hated a show, e.g., Dr. Jazz, Onward Victoria, Ulysses in Nighttown (well reviewed, but I hated it), a Pinter play whose name I do not even remember, and a few others. I have always made a point of getting an aisle seat whenever I could, and many of them were also in the cheap seat zone, so no one on stage was going to be distracted.

nowadays, I generally think there are fewer real stinkers than there used to be, and my wife doesnt like to leave, so I have daydreamed through more than a few bad (to me) shows. We’re I alone, if I was bored still, I would still leave. I paid for the ticket and am investing my time; I feel that gives me the right to leave…to the best of my knowledge, the last time I left during the show was Rock of Ages, but I waited for intermission.

Walked out of Chitty, and Women on the Verge (twice)

Around 2010..2011, I saw a touring production of "Spamalot" in Dallas. I was curious about the show. The person behind me knew the lyrics to most of the songs. The only character I liked was "The Lady of the Lake". Other than that, I found the show too precious and tedious.

I left Frozen at intermission. I saw Let It Go, that was enough for me frankly.

I am a little more ashamed to admit I left KPOP at intermission. It was a very sparsely attended show and the majority of the audience were extremely not into it, with a select few trying to make up for it by overperforming their enjoyment. It was extremely uncomfortable. I stepped outside at intermission and never found my way back in.

Updated On: 5/15/23 at 10:41 PM

ColorTheHours048 said: "The Gin Game

Sam Gold’s King Lear

Funny Girl w/ Beanie

This Ain’t No Disco

Wish I’d left: Dear Evan Hansen, Parade (coincidentally both Platt vehicles, but it wasn’t exclusively him that turned me off)"

Two of those were with me! We got Schmakery's instead of seeing the second half of Gin Game, if I recall.

My belief is that if you truly feel you will be happier than at the show you're suffering through, then by all means leave in a respectful fashion during intermission. I haven't left many Broadway shows at intermission, but I used to see a lot of off-off-Broadway and Fringe shows. I can easily say that nothing on Broadway is as bad as a truly bad Fringe show.

Kad said: "Two of those were with me! We got Schmakery's instead of seeing the second half of Gin Game, if I recall.

My belief is that if you truly feel you will be happier than at the show you're suffering through, then by all means leave in a respectful fashion during intermission."

Mmm, Schmackary’s. Haven’t been there in a minute. My time was better served eating cookies than falling asleep on two legendary actors.

I would never leave mid-show unless I was offended, which I never have been by theatre. Intermission is the perfect time to leave without being disruptive or disrespectful.

I wish I had at Noises Off. Oh look! More mistaken identity! And is that a slamming door? How clever!

Left at intermission of The Life (Broadway maybe ‘96?; whole thing played like an extended SNL parody BUT with some great performances), Jekyll & Hyde tour in Chicago (horrid), An American In Paris (tour in Nashville… HVAC wasn’t working well; cast & audience melting and was also sorta bored), also a couple of off-off Loop shows in Chicago in the 90s.

EDIT: Forgot about leaving Flying Over Sunset halfway, along with a few others…

Updated On: 5/20/23 at 05:03 PM

Wee Thomas2 said: "I wish I had at Noises Off. Oh look! More mistaken identity! And is that a slamming door? How clever!"

This kind of sounds like you did leave Noises Off at intermission.

Ive only ever left "Little Women" at intermission. The music was shockingly bad, with the exception of the act one finale, which almost made me want to stay.

I saw "Mean Girls" with some friends and two of them left at intermission. I was tempted to go with them but I stuck it out, thankfully act two was a little better.



I wanted to leave:

"The 39 Steps". It wasn't funny, was kinda confusing, and the (nearly full) audience really wasn't into it so the theatre was oddly silent and devoid of energy. We just kept thinking "why is this a thing? why are we here?"

"After the War" at American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. This was a student matinee I went to with my college theatre class. I have never experienced a more unruly, loud, and inappropriate audience in my life than I had at this show. There was also a lot of innuendo and sexual/racial commentary that didn't go over well with a theatre full of high school/college students who had probably never sat through a play in their lives. I felt so terrible for the actors. I wanted to leave so bad, but I was there on a field trip with my class so I couldn't. I probably would've been happier just waiting in the lobby for the play to be over. The second act got a little more interesting so the audience chilled out a little bit and paid more attention, still one of the most uncomfortable theatre experiences id ever had.

Updated On: 5/18/23 at 08:16 PM