Audience Behaviour

[Erehwon]

Did you see this one from Broadway? Guy tried to plug his phone charger into a fake outlet ON STAGE.

 

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/audience-member-tries-to-use-stage-outlet-to-charge-phone-at-hand-to-god-352658

[alison]

I just had to copy this bit over from Luke Jennings' Observer review of the Ardani Dance Gala:

 

"Set to fado music, played live onstage by Frank Moon, Facada is a riotously entertaining slice of choreography. It certainly seemed to speak to the woman sitting next to me. When Osipova danced maniacally over Vasiliev’s corpse, she looked up from her texting and nodded with profound fellow-feeling."

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/jul/26/ardani-25-dance-gala-review-coliseum-natalia-osipova-ivan-vasiiev-edward-watson?CMP=share_btn_tw

[John Mallinson]

Relevant piece from the Independent about actors' reactions to phones and suchlike.

[Jan McNulty]

Good for Mr Cumberbatch and all the other actors who took action!

[capybara]

The Telegraph has a similar article but also the following editorial which I can’t find online:

 

Lay down thy iPhone

 

To film or not to film, that is the question.

Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind, to sit still

And listen to the words the bard has written

Or to raise arms amid a sea of iPhones

And capture them for YouTube: to film, to watch

No more; and by a ban, to say we end

The heart-ache of a great and longed-for Dane

Shrunk on a tiny screen. Tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wished. To film, to watch,

To watch, perchance to.....what? Aye there’s the rub,

For, in that shaky film, there is no worth.

An actor’s blood thus coming to the boil,

Must make us pause.....

 

No doubt if I have breeched copyright, a Mod will feel free to remove this.

Edited August 10, 2015 by capybara

[Pas de Quatre]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/11793295/Lay-down-thy-iPhone.html?fb_ref=Default

 

Here is the link.  I have copied it onto my FB page without problem, so I can't imagine they are worried about copyright.

[Sunrise]

Having gone to so much trouble to get tickets for Hamlet (hours of queuing on the internet and in person, flying in from the other side of the world etc etc), I'm amazed that anyone would let themselves be distracted from the performance by trying to make a poor recording of it too. It's being filmed live for the cinema in October and there will no doubt be replays of the screening, so they can all relive it on screen in a legitimate way.

[Melody]

The Guardian has an article on the Benedict Cumberbatch situation too (http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/aug/10/benedict-cumberbatch-hamlet-barbican-fans). The comments are sort of interesting - everything from complaints about bad behavior to observations that in Shakepeare's time there were far more distractions from the audience than phones to comments about Cumberbatch not complaining when his groupies hoovered up all the tickets so he shouldn't complain because they want to film him. Interestingly, nothing in the way of justifications from the people who actually do want to spend their time in the theatre texting, tweeting, checking Facebook, and filming. You'd think at least a few of these would show up to defend their behavior if they really think it's appropriate, yet there don't seem to be any. Apparently they know they're being antisocial and disruptive, they just don't care.

[MAB]

Cumberbatch has groupies? !!!

[Melody]

I think they refer to themselves as Cumberbitches.

[Pas de Quatre]

Yes, although some have said they prefer to be called Cumberbabes!

[Fiz]

They are deranged, whatever their nomenclature.

[Ian Macmillan]

A contribution from Florida:

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/performing-arts/article30869652.html

[Sunrise]

A contribution from Florida:

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/performing-arts/article30869652.html

 

I like the point made in the last paragraph, that that most bad behaviour is by people who are probably new to the theatre, and new audiences are a good thing. Also this:

 

"‘Well, you’re just preaching to the choir. Everyone reading this knows that is unacceptable behavior. And the person you are trying to shame is never going to read your post." :-)

Edited August 13, 2015 by Sunrise

[Quintus]

A quick bad behaviour diversion outside ballet  if I may, just to get it off my chest.  Have just returned from a trip to Thailand, which is suffering an influx of tourists from a nearby fast developing country which I shan't name lest I get accused of racism.  Said tourists' behavour has been so bad in Thai temples that their own government has instigated a blacklist banning travel for the worst offenders. Typical and repeated behaviours we observed were rather in restaurants: enter restaurant and wthout speaking to the staff, pick up several tables and join them into one long one to seat a dozen or more. Proceed to order a few dishes while laying out the food brought in from outside shops in carrier bags. Go into the restaurant kitchen to put a few items in their fridge for later. During the meal pop out to buy beer cheaper and bring it back in. Knock the bottle tops off against the table edge (yes, really!). Maintain a series of shouted conversations throughout and let screaming kids run round and under other diners' tables. Treat staff like dirt and leave no tip. One restaurant manager told us of a group that let a child defecate on the restaurant floor then called staff to clear it up. We started looking for restaurants that had heavy 'rustic' wooden tables that couldn't be joined up - this seemed to be the only deterrent!

 

There, I feel better for getting that out. Relating this to one of the points about about bad behaviour associated with newcomers to theatre, these are 'new travellers' from a society only recently becoming affluent, but whether travelling or going ot ballet or theatre for the first time, surely basic decent human behaviour is to observe how a new environment works before joining in, and then to follow the norms?

[alison]

We also have the "Room 101" thread in Not Dance if you feel the need to get anything else off your chest

[Quintus]

We also have the "Room 101" thread in Not Dance if you feel the need to get anything else off your chest

don't tempt me, I might fill up the server! 

[LinMM]

Well you have given a small excuse for the above behaviour.....which did seem pretty dreadful....and perhaps a bit of reverse racism on their part?

However there really does seem NO excuse for the Brits who are causing mayhem in Magaluf in Mallorca who have recently been reading about. These people are not from an "emerging" country so to speak.

Perhaps from another planet disguised as Brits?

[Sim]

I sat in the Upper Circle at the Coliseum last night for the opening of St. Petersburg Ballet's Swan Lake. It was almost like being in the Roman Colosseum. I am so disappointed in how they run the place when it comes to the actual performance time. I was a couple of rows down from the back of the UC, and throughout the performance the door leading out of the Circle kept opening and closing, thus beaming loads of light onto us each time, and making a very audible noise each time it closed again. They also allow people to go in and out the whole time. Twice during the performance a mother and her child (sitting mid-row) got up to go out (including when the lights had just gone down after the interval), thus making everyone have to stand up, and blocking our view, once during a pdd. A few minutes later, when they come back, the whole thing was repeated. Because they let people take their drinks into the auditorium, there is inevitably a consequence, and twice a young man sitting in front of us climbed over his girlfriend in order to get out: once to buy another drink, once to (I assume) relieve himself of said drinks. It was worse than being at the cinema, and I won't be going again unless it's something incredibly special.

 

On the positive side, however, there was a real school marm of an usher who, just before the lights went down, shouted at everyone to turn their phones off. All through the performance she shone her torch on anyone who switched their phone on, and hissed 'turn it off' very loudly. A bit distracting as well, but for this I didn't mind so much! In an ideal world she wouldn't need to do this, but because some people don't know how to behave in a theatre, I'm very glad she did. We could do with a few more like her!

[aileen]

I know the usher you mean. She's marvelously bossy.

Edited August 14, 2015 by aileen

[alison]

It should be noted that the Coli's own T&Cs state: "Latecomers: Once the house lights have gone down, latecomers will not be admitted into the auditorium until the interval or a suitable break in the performance. During this time you will be able to view the performance on a TV monitor."

 

Would they would stick to it, sometimes.

[Sim]

I know the usher you mean. She's marvelously bossy.

She certainly terrified me!! It was like being at school again....as soon as she went away we all started giggling!

[LinMM]

It really is annoying all this coming and going.

It should be felt that only in a dia emergency does one leave the auditorium during performance!

I know very young children can be more difficult but one should at least tempt them into the loo in the interval!

[FLOSS]

Perhaps the answer or at least an answer as far as the Coliseum is concerned is to demand to speak to the front of house manager.Praise the usher who does her job and complain about the ones that don't. Tell him to his face that things have got a whole lot worse since they have allowed audience members to take drinks into the auditorium since now you have to put up not only with mobile phones, but all the to'ing and fro'ing that appears to be connected with replenishing drinks and comfort breaks. Let them know that they are going to lose custom if they don't do something to control the behaviour in the auditorium. Strangely last week where I was sitting for La Sylphide the audience was as good as gold. But that may not have been true in all parts of the house.

 

I know that I have decided that if I have opera performances disrupted by those who take drinks into the auditorium I shall complain in person to the front of house manager and in writing.I don't want performances disrupted by loud slurping,the click of ice cubes, almost as bad as the charm bracelets that were once so fashionable, or being doused in drink, One of these days someone is going to be doused in drink by an audience member who can't survive without a drink of some sort in their hand. It will be interesting to see what the theatre management's reaction will be then particularly if the offending liquid is red wine. 

 

If anyone does decide to take the complaint route perhaps they could let other forum members know giving details of the time and place of the performance at which the incident occurred. That would weaken the "You are the first person to complain" response which I am sure will be the first line of defense.

Edited August 14, 2015 by FLOSS

[Sim]

I will be sending them an email over the weekend, Floss, and will let you know what I get back.

[simonbfisher]

We were at the Coli for the opening of the Petersburg season too - downstairs it was just talkers and jewellery rattlers, no-one actually coming and going... We are serial complainers to theatre management - often about the LOUD sweets that are sold in  the foyers .... And I quite agree about the Coli's "bring in your drinks" policy - it's got really bad, I think. Smells like a pub, lots of slurping, and the danger of being sprinkled at best, drenched at worst. We do also complain about disruptive neighbours and the more people that do so, the better. Often it is not ignorance of behaviour norms but sheer arrogance that makes people think their "whispered" inanities are worth everyone hearing, or that it is their right to come and go as they please. Why don't they just bring their own sofa and six-pack of beer?

Right, I feel a bit better now.

[capybara]

Sim and Simon - I do so identify with your posts. Wherever one sits, the Coli has become an obstacle course and a very smelly and noisy one at that.

 

But, do tell us (on the other thread), what did you think of the production and the performance last night?!

[alison]

Guess the Coli was tolerable last week because it *wasn't* Swan Lake?

[Beryl H]

Yes, the audience for La Sylphide was well behaved, for Cinderella I was sitting in the front row of the Balcony and at both at the matinee and evening the person next to me kept a drink on the board, it could have gone over me or over into the audience.

[Scheherezade]

I have recently been at the Coli for Cinderella, La Sylphide and, yesterday, for Swan Lake. For Cinderella and La Sylphide, the audience was perfectly behaved, and how wonderful to get an upgrade to row H in the stalls for our £10 Sylphide tickets, although my daughter remarked that, although the view was fantastic, she preferred the atmosphere in our usual seats up in the balcony. Last night, at Swan Lake, I was horrified by the loud and ongoing clamour of conversation whilst the orchestra was playing, before the curtain went up, at the start of each act. It was far worse than the murmur that can sometimes be heard. If anything, it seemed to get louder. And people sitting a few rows from the front came forward to balance their glasses on the ledge at the front. As my friend and I did not finish our drinks before the start of the performance, I asked, in the usual way, to leave our drinks at the bar for the interval and was encouraged by the bar staff to take them in. The waitress looked very surprised when I said that I would rather not take drinks in to the auditorium. I did not recognise the bar staff and I have never had this reaction from the usual staff.

 

As to letting people in after the start of the performance, I imagine that this is dictated by the lack of a TV for latecomers. I am not sure whether things have changed recently but, for opera at least, the ushers used to allow people to stand at the back of the dress circle (or, I imagine, other areas if this became too full). They were admitted quietly and discreetly and if there was a suitable break, they were filtered in to free seats near the back and allowed to remain there until the interval. This system seemed to work extremely well.

[FLOSS]

At the Coli there is a television down in the bowels of the earth to which latecomers for opera are usually consigned. I would not have thought that it would have been removed when  there are ballet performances although on second thoughts perhaps the powers that be have decided that the behaviour of the average ballet goer is so bad that they are not prepared to chance it.

[alison]

I am not sure whether things have changed recently but, for opera at least, the ushers used to allow people to stand at the back of the dress circle (or, I imagine, other areas if this became too full). They were admitted quietly and discreetly and if there was a suitable break, they were filtered in to free seats near the back and allowed to remain there until the interval. This system seemed to work extremely well.

 

They used to filter them into both standing areas - dress circle and balcony - and as you said, it worked well.  I think it must have been for Cinderella that people were being let in at several different times - unless it was for the Guillem performance I was at.  They were hardly quiet about it. 

[Jan McNulty]

A bathroom incident in Washington:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/audience-members-behaving-badly/2015/08/18/8935fa58-45e4-11e5-846d-02792f854297_story.html