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  • 2 weeks later...

At last night’s Manon something I haven’t seen before. 

 

Someone takes their phone out at the beginning of the swamp act, takes a picture, and puts it away. I couldn’t believe it! On one level it was actually less disruptive than someone flashing a bright phone screen as the camera screen meant the screen was dark. But the sheer audacity, disrespect to people behind/around for removing the ‘atmosphere’...I really hope this isn’t going to catch on. It would be difficult for ushers to prevent this due to it happening so quickly and also getting to someone sat in the middle. 

 

Another annoyance (more minor) - the lady behind me in high heels had decided to cross her legs. Theatre seats aren’t really designed for this so it meant that every so often the pointy tip of her shoe was in my back!

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4 hours ago, JNC said:

At last night’s Manon something I haven’t seen before. 

 

Someone takes their phone out at the beginning of the swamp act, takes a picture, and puts it away. I couldn’t believe it!


Somebody in the rear stalls lit the entire house up by taking a flash photo just as the curtain was descending at the end, too.

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2 hours ago, RuthE said:


Somebody in the rear stalls lit the entire house up by taking a flash photo just as the curtain was descending at the end, too.

 

Ugh if people are going to do this (which they shouldn’t anyway) at least switch your flash setting OFF in advance (because you’re clearly planning to do this, camera ready!). 

 

I still cant get over someone taking a photo in the *middle* of an act though!!

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8 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

I don't hold Bolle responsible for this in any way, but some dancers seem to attract followers who apparently view them as a celebrity first, a dancer second.

It isn't so bad when they are worth it (as Bolle is) but I can think of at least one other example where the 'celebrity' followers are having a very adverse effect :(

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Possibly because I've been trying different areas of the house over the past couple of weeks, I have encountered some new, unwelcome 'features'.

I do realise that many people come to the ROH straight from work, but there were some very unpleasant smells coming from 3 sides of me last night. It's not high summer on the tube after all.......! And, with the amount of rain we've had recently, there is clearly no water shortage.

Near me, also, was a someone' who moved into an unofficial standing position to get a better view every time Osipova was involved in the action. When she wasn't, this person didn't watch the stage at all.

I have previously seen little groups of "only clapping Osipova" patrons but I think that I was seated amongst some of them last night - one minute springing into excited action, the next sitting on their hands with disinterested body language. Each to his/her own, of course,  but its feels weird. 

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4 hours ago, capybara said:

... there were some very unpleasant smells coming from 3 sides of me last night....

Oh how appalling!  A few performances ago the people next to me smelled very strongly of garlic, so that I had to put my nose inside the neck of my blouse to get a whiff of Chanel instead every now and then.  In the interval they were discussing the lovely meal they'd had in the Hamlyn bar beforehand, so I guess ROH catering was the culprit here :D  However BO is inexcusable and I'm not sure I could've stayed watching.  Poor you.

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I think strong smells in general are a no no. 

 

This includes overpowering perfume. It could be lovely to them but utterly offputting to me (they make me want to sneeze) - or even if it is lovely sometimes it’s just far far too strong and can be a bit oppressive to anyone sensitive to these types of things. 

 

( @maryrosesatonapin - if you have to be that close to smell yours I’m sure it’s not overpowering so this wasn’t intended for you!)

 

I do try and be understanding though - those who aware they smell bad are probably terribly embarrassed and those who are garlicky/over perfumed etc probably aren’t aware. 

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I’m generally a pretty non allergic person so very lucky however I do have to be careful with some perfumes and (more in Dance changing rooms) some spray type body deodorants ... I never use sprays myself..  as they close my throat up and I can’t breathe!! I think it’s more when being freshly applied though when as severe as this ...but really  strong perfume still can make me feel nauseous. I still use perfume but the softer toilette water versions. 
Going  back  a few years now I once took my German penfriend to the ballet and she had just been to the German shop ( used to be in Knightsbridge not sure if there is one now) and bought some VERY smelly cheese. I was very embarrassed about it but didn’t say a thing as I’m not sure she noticed it but pretty sure anyone within a 10 foot radius probably did. 
A lesson in depositing  any such shopping in the  cloakrooms before the performance! 

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39 minutes ago, LinMM said:


Going  back  a few years now I once took my German penfriend to the ballet and she had just been to the German shop ( used to be in Knightsbridge not sure if there is one now) and bought some VERY smelly cheese. I was very embarrassed about it but didn’t say a thing as I’m not sure she noticed it but pretty sure anyone within a 10 foot radius probably did. 
A lesson in depositing  any such shopping in the  cloakrooms before the performance! 

 

I bet the cloakroom staff will love you for that!  lol

Seriously though, sealed and double wrapped a must surely, before depositing such stuff either in the cloakroom or under your seat in the auditorium. 

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On 18/09/2019 at 04:12, SusanR said:

I stopped going to SW when they started allowing food & drink into the auditorium! I did write to them about it but got an unsatisfactory reply. Don't understand why people can't abstain from eating for, at most, a couple of hours!

 

Seriously? Oh dear. Sign of the times, as the “serious” performing arts try to draw in bigger audiences. Here in Washington, I’ve seen food & drink allowed only at annual WB performances of The Nutcracker at the Warner Theater.

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An example of good audience behaviour  - last night during Manon when Steven McRae went off injured  the whole ROH auditorium seemed  properly concerned and sympathetic, patient whilst matters were sorted, and tremendously appreciative of the dancers (plus the stage manageress, the Director of Ballet, and the orchestra)  in being able, so quickly, to carry the ballet on to its conclusion - only about 25 minutes late in finishing. It was great to hear the applause as the curtain went up on resumption, and as posted elsewhere, there was a standing ovation at the end. 

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16 hours ago, JNC said:

I think strong smells in general are a no no. 

 

This includes overpowering perfume. It could be lovely to them but utterly offputting to me (they make me want to sneeze) - or even if it is lovely sometimes it’s just far far too strong and can be a bit oppressive to anyone sensitive to these types of things. 

 

I usually only apply a small amount of perfume when theatregoing but a few months ago I found myself sat next to someone who smelt fairly unpleasant - and it was a pretty cool day in April - so the only way I could get through the performance was to spray fairly copious amounts of perfume on myself before each act to try to drown it out. (Goodness knows what anyone I was near to for the rest of the day thought of me reeking of rose scent!) I've spotted said person at a number of performances since so they must be a regular attendee & I can only hope that I don't end up sat next to them again in the future.

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4 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I usually only apply a small amount of perfume when theatregoing but a few months ago I found myself sat next to someone who smelt fairly unpleasant - and it was a pretty cool day in April - so the only way I could get through the performance was to spray fairly copious amounts of perfume on myself before each act to try to drown it out. (Goodness knows what anyone I was near to for the rest of the day thought of me reeking of rose scent!) I've spotted said person at a number of performances since so they must be a regular attendee & I can only hope that I don't end up sat next to them again in the future.

 

In these circumstances perfectly understandable!

 

Oh dear. If it’s a regular you almost want to have a word but I suppose there’s no polite way of doing it..! I would maybe go for the odd look and pinching my nose but then it gets a bit too pantomime! If they smell that bad regularly you’d hope a friend or colleague would have a word! 

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56 minutes ago, JNC said:

 

In these circumstances perfectly understandable!

 

Oh dear. If it’s a regular you almost want to have a word but I suppose there’s no polite way of doing it..! I would maybe go for the odd look and pinching my nose but then it gets a bit too pantomime! If they smell that bad regularly you’d hope a friend or colleague would have a word! 

Sounds to me like a problem to hand to the Usher's!!!  

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4 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

Sounds to me like a problem to hand to the Usher's!!!  

 

I feel the ushers would feel a bit uncomfortable with this. It’s one thing to tell someone to stop making noise or taking pictures, another to comment on someone’s personal hygiene which could be taken very badly. The others have simple solutions (just stop doing x), the latter can’t be fixed at that point in time anyway, subject to actually asking the person to leave. 

 

I think it isn’t unreasonable to have certain expectations but I feel it would put the ushers in an awkward position! 

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This might be an issue which was discussed with the Front of House staff some years ago and I think that it was maybe understandable that no 'action' resulted.

The problem is that, as in my experience last Tuesday when three people around me absolutely 'reeked', it can mar one's enjoyment of the evening - scented hanky or not!!!!

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No harm in sending a note to the ROH Customer Services email. Just say:

 

- I have recently experienced this

 

- It is not the first time (perhaps including a link to one of the more detailed posts in this discussion)

 

- Can you provide guidance on what I can do if this happens again in the future?

 

At the very least this means the issue will be discussed again internally and maybe we can all learn something. Just a thought. 

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15 hours ago, JNC said:

 

I feel the ushers would feel a bit uncomfortable with this. It’s one thing to tell someone to stop making noise or taking pictures, another to comment on someone’s personal hygiene which could be taken very badly. The others have simple solutions (just stop doing x), the latter can’t be fixed at that point in time anyway, subject to actually asking the person to leave. 

 

I think it isn’t unreasonable to have certain expectations but I feel it would put the ushers in an awkward position! 

 

Oh dear, it's a difficult one, isn't it?

 

My daughter and I were once sitting next to someone who is most definitely a regular attendee, clearly loves both ballet and opera and likes to have the same seat (spotted there many times with a tendency to reek on every occasion).

 

At the end of the performance, one particular usher stopped us on the way out to ask if we would go to customer services to complain about the offending attendee.

 

We indicated that we would prefer not to do this as it seemed uncharitable to the offender, who obviously had no idea of the reeking issue (BO or clothes needing a wash, not overpowering scent).

I would personally feel very uncomfortable complaining about someone for something about which they are clearly unaware. I do not have the same issue about deliberately offensive behaviour and I know that a complaint could solve the reeking issue for others but I just couldn't do it.

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Meanwhile at Cinderella this evening here in Manchester a child came wearing trainers with flashing lights around the soles. Parents oblivious to this for the greater part of the first act until suggested as being a distraction to those around....

 

On a more positive note, ushers stopping people taking photos both during the show and at the curtain call. Only a very few audience members attempted to take photos at the end of the show. How refreshing for once.

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I never had a problem with curtain call pictures, but I'm now starting to get fed up with half the audience seemingly forgoing clapping to get a few nice snaps - especially when they hold up their phone well above head height, oblivious or not caring that people behind them get to watch their arms and screen instead of an curtain call (yes, I mean you, lady at last Tuesday's Manon)

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Yes I think there is a limit. I’m guilty of a curtain call snap as much as the next person (although usually I stop after one or two anyway as I’m so far away the photos really aren’t worth it!) but I do think if we all start taking pictures then who would be clapping...I try to clap the majority of the time to ensure my appreciation is heard and also if I do take a picture ensure it’s not raised above my head (so I put it in front of my face) so it’s not blocking anyone. 

 

I also think there should only be standing for a standing ovation, however the pictures trend means I feel we’ll see more people standing to take a good shot rather than as part of an ovation! 

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