pet peeves in theatre — Page 2

VivaBohemia, actors forgetting their lines doesnt bother me at all, but some people get annoyed by it. i do enjoy hearing stories of improv lines, i dont think ive witnessed any...unless the cover-up was so good.

although when my school did no no nanette, i saw one of the best cover-ups. i was in the house at the sound table, and i had the script right next to me. this scene went by, then the girl who had the script in front of her sais "that was the best cover-up ive ever seen!" and i was like "what cover-up!" turns out the 3 happies were still changing, so billy and jimmy had to say the happies' lines like their character. i had the script right there and i didnt notice! i gave my friend who played billy a huge compliment about that later!

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I have 2:
As an actor I LOATHE when people talk in the audience. I was in a children's theatre production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and played Aunt Polly. We decided to do a show for a local 7th grade. All through "This Time Tomorrow" (one of the most beautiful songs in the show) the kids talked. It was truly distracting as an actor. It wasn't even that our acting in the scene was boring or anything, during the actual shows the audience never talked.

As an audience member I hate hate hate it when people sing in the audience. It's the worst at shows like Beauty and the Beast where people are familiar with the songs... If I wanted to hear the person sitting behind me sing Be Our Guest I'd ask.

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1. Noisy, out of control children
2. People who sneak food into the theatre before or during the show.
3. People who sing along with the show.
4. People who talk during the show.
5. People who sleep during the show.
6. People who don't really seem like they're enjoying the show, but are there anyway.
7. People who don't stand up to let you out of the aisle, they just sit there and move their legs to the side(you have more room to get out if you actually get up).
8. Cell Phones that are not turned off.
9. Rude Ushers
10. People who take entirely too long in the bathroom.
11. People who just assume walk right in front of you at the souvneir stand.
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"Niles: Fraiser, just give him a check. Frasier: Niles you can't give a child a check. Niles: That's what I'm giving him, it has a stage coach on it. Frasier: Niles, Maris canceled your account. Niles: Damn!"

Audience pet peeves:
The usual - cell phones, loud chewers/wrappers, although I cannot fault people for bringing food/drinks in if the theatre allows it. I know some of the theatres do allow certian foods/drinks in the theatre. I have been known, however, to go in with my silent bottle of Poland Spring and bother no one...(the bottle stays on the floor, closed the minute the show starts until intermission and goes back there after Act 2 begins).

Theatre pet peeves:
The lack of ladies room stalls at the Gershwin. Huge theatre, three stalls on the mezz level. An usher kindly walked me to the mens room to pee last time I was there (I really had to go, probably that bottle of Poland Spring - and the ladies in the bathroom hogged up the whoel place putting on lipstick, like anyone cares what they look like in a dark theatre).

Actor pet peeves:
Missing lines doesn't bother me if they cover/improv well. When actors break character though - unless there is a real, legitimate reason - I'm officially irked.

Rude audiences, too many bad behaviors to name them all

Onstage:

Actors in the ensemble/background that start talking amongst themselves. I'm ADHD so stuff like that is ridiculously distracting and I find myself paying more attention to their antics than what the focus of the scene is supposed to be.

Actors that break character during really emotional scenes. If it's a comedic scene, I can deal with them laughing, but if it's at a freakin' funeral, it ruins it for the audience.

I also hate when actors phone in performances. If you're having such a bad day that you can't do your job properly, don't make the whole show suffer and just don't come in. If I wanted to see mediocrity, I'd just go to the local high school show, not pay $100 to see it on Broadway.

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"and ushers who do NOT stop people who bring food into the theater after intermission "

Most theatres allow food (concessions-type, not McDonald's -type) into the auditorium, and I assume it's the food they sell at the concessions you are complaining about. Take that up with management, because it IS allowed.

Although I agree with noisy anything, big 80s hair & big afros seem to me the height of inconsideration, unless there's no one sitting behind your beehive. Especially at popular shows where there might not be another seat to move to.

However, mothball-scented coats fresh out of storage, or too much patchouli, will instantly turn me into a sneezing fool. So next time you're annoyed at the coughing or sneezing audience member beside you, consider whether you've done (or worn or applied) anything that might be exasperating the condition.

oh boy, does the Gershwin need more ladies stalls or what! I had to go at intermission once (or maybe twice) and the queue was just terrifyingly long - that and the fact that intermission was only 15 minutes, not 20, I was truly freaked out I was going to miss the start of act 2. One time, I got back to my seat literally 5 seconds before it started, and when I'd left the bathroom there was still at least ten people in line.

That brings me to another pet peeve - front of house and the stage manager not being coordinated enough to start the show when FOH is *clear*. I get that there will be latecomers, but when people are still finding their seats during the overture - and especially all through the act 2 intro. I work in amateur theatre and we won't give the go ahead to start until the foyer has cleared. If someone's running late and hasn't arrived then sure, don't wait for *them*, but if a group of people are still heading up the escalators, you can hold the show 30 seconds to let them find their seats so that they don't disturb the rest of the audience.

and I don't know what's worse, latecomers filtering in through the first big musical number, or when latecomers are made to wait until the intro is over, so you get a sudden influx when all the action begins and there's more to pay attention to.

Why can't people just be punctual, and why can't they have a few more bathrooms or let intermission run 5 minutes longer so that everyone has time? Oh, and there's another, lol. Places where the 'end of intermission' bell/light/whatever doesn't signal until there's like 30 seconds left of intermission, so people don't realise what little time they have left.

I know its not tall people's fault that they're tall and im short but itreally annoys me when tall people are infront of me and they keep moving so I cant see...

I dont like the singers either...my grandmother always sings....she sings durring like national anthems too when its only instrumental and she sings really loud it annoys me soo much...haha

One of the worst things that can happen, is when kids start asking questions. The last time i saw rent, one little kid, probally five, asked, "Mommy, what's AIDS," and when i saw wicked, another little boy asked, "Is she green in real life," Things like that always ticks me off.

I can't stand it when people wear tons of perfume or cologne to the theatre. I don't care what you normally do, you're sitting in close proximity to others who might have allergies. I never put perfume on if I'm going to the theatre. If I'm going out afterwards, I bring it in my bag to put on later.

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I don't think that any pets are allowed in the theatre.

One someones phone rings, not only that, but they pick it up and have a regular conversation. So it lasts 10 minutes and you dont get your $100 worth of seeing the show. You also cant hear what's going on. To sum it all up you get 10 minutes of a guy talking/screaming on his cell phone and hearing a one sided conversation.

Also kids singing along, like in Chitty. There were kids singing every lyric from the movie, so we couldnt hear Esparza's voice at all.

Updated On: 6/14/06 at 04:04 PM