Jacqueline Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 (edited) Could have done with that at the Russian Icons gala. The wretched woman in front of me, must have been row G in the balcony, was checking her phone between every performance, and I've seen someone on Instagram post multiple video clips which must have been taken from the stalls. Perhaps someone could come up with a small plastic hand that attaches to a selfie stick, so we can clip the ears of offenders in front of us. Grrr. Good idea! Perhaps that small plastic hand could be holding a wet fish? Perhaps the more persistent the offender, the bigger the fish. Edited March 16, 2016 by Jacqueline 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewinelake Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 The Chinese way, with lasers. (Incidentally, this thread was fairly well buried but I found it by using Google with 'audience behaviour balletcoforum'. Could be a useful way of finding half-remembered threads.) Keep up at the back there! http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/1654-audience-behaviour/page-24#entry91908 But I wonder if anyone has read (and remembers!) everything in this thread? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Good to discover that the Chinese powers follow this website - apologies for not acknowledging your suggestion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewinelake Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Nah, no worries, it's just that it led me to think about what a whopper this one is! I can imagine in years to come someone might have, as their specialist round on mastermind, "The Audience Behaviour Thread on BalletCo Forum" ;-) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 If you think that's bad, you ought to see the one on what used to be the What's On Stage forum. It must be 10 times bigger! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coated Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I suspect the new one on the TheatreBoard will overtake this one in a matter of weeks. I wasn't too lucky at Giselle yesterday. One of the St John's ambulance women spent the entire first act fiddling with her phone, the other one kept shifting around to get a good view. The two Russians in front of me had a lot to say to each other, and also needed to check their phones regularly. The two older possibly tipsy ladies provided some light relief by carrying on a conversation SOTTO VOCE during the act 2 overture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Poor you, Coated! I would have been steaming with annoyance if that had happened to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewinelake Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) Where were you sitting? You've made me place an order on ebay for a laser pen. Woe betide any bored paramedics when we go on 29th! Edited March 18, 2016 by thewinelake 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Whoopi Goldberg's experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barton22 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Not sure whether it has already been mentioned, but a new irritant for me was the Apple watch the man sitting next to me at the Coliseum last week was sporting. Every time he moved his arms such that the face of the watch became horizontal, the screen automatically lit up. Unfortunately he was both a fidgeter and a clock watcher so there were constant bursts of light from his arm throughout the performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewinelake Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 So I took my laser along last night but didn't need to use it. One of the more annoying audience members was myself as I had a nasty tickly cough. I tried hard to not cough and muffled it in my jumper, and thankfully I wasn't sitting that near many people (a strangely isolated seat in the corner of the balcony - view slightly obscured by some little safety rail thing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Oh dear, my sympathies. I've had that problem before now, and it seems to me the more you try and muffle it/become conscious of it, the worse it is to control I've worked out that concentrating *very* hard on the stage action/what you're listening to etc. does seem to help, but it's incredibly difficult to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Not sure whether it has already been mentioned, but a new irritant for me was the Apple watch the man sitting next to me at the Coliseum last week was sporting. Every time he moved his arms such that the face of the watch became horizontal, the screen automatically lit up. Unfortunately he was both a fidgeter and a clock watcher so there were constant bursts of light from his arm throughout the performance. Oh yes - I had one of these directly in front of me at Giselle on Monday... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycitybird Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I had a cold combined with asthma when I saw Onegin and I needed to cough soooo badly during Lensky's solo that I missed the whole thing as I was trying to hold it in while turning bright red and nearly exploding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Oh dear - once again, sympathies. I think I was turning red a couple of weeks ago - probably just as the Act II Giselle pdd started, of all the horrendous times to pick! The other day at Giselle, I heard a rustling noise some way to the side of me, turned to look, and found someone eating a sandwich or something! Assuming they didn't turn up a minute before the performance, I did wonder why on earth they couldn't have eaten it earlier - or waited 3/4 hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 That tickly cough sensation is just awful, isn't it? I have found the only thing is either a cough sweet which hopefully isn't wrapped in crackly paper, or little sips from my water bottle which gets rid of the dry throat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Was in the audience last night at a musical and in all honesty I think general manners and theatre etiquette have just disappeared. The first half was disturbed by a family with three pre teen girls and their parents who did nothing but talk loudly, point at stage and lean forward. They were not directly in front of me but in the interval after I tapped the father on his shoulder and pointed out their behaviour was ruining everyone else's enjoyment of the show surrounding audience members said 'well said'. Why oh why if they were close enough to say something during first act didn't they? My companion said it is because we are too British and worry about offending others. Directly in front of us was another couple who half way through first act got out their crisps and sandwiches. Don't think they would do so in a theatre in their home country so why is it acceptable in a West End one? The two ladies sitting between the picnickers and noisy family remained remarkably calm. Must be my age! After the interval apart from looks directed at me from the noisy family they managed to behave so the two Russian ladies behind me took it as on opportunity to chat loudly. They stopped every time I turned around but soon restarted. Think they were worse for drink after the interval. The ushers tried really hard to keep the disturbing audience members quiet but were ignored. I don't think they could have done anymore than they did without evicting them mid act from the middle of a row. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Just a sign of the times, it's all about "me me me" and nobody says cares/anything - soft Johnny English....am growing tired of it. People seem to regard theatres like cinemas nowadays and manners and consideration of others are a rare thing indeed. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 (edited) Well, if management is going to allow people to take food into the auditorium, the obvious next step is that they're going to eat during the performance. It would be nice if crisps weren't sold in theatres if food is permitted in the auditorium, but nice salty crisps are a good way to get people to buy more drinks, and that seems to be the object of the exercise. I suppose that with subsidies being cut everywhere you turn, theatres have to make their profits somewhere. Edited April 9, 2016 by Melody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 Unfortunately my picknickers had not bought their food in the theatre, they were supermarket sandwiches and crisps. We noticed the theatre crisps were sold in very expensive tubs to avoid the packet rustling. The bag searches before you enter are obviously to check for anything that may cause harm and not food that will be disturbing to other audience members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 There *was* someone eating popcorn at my showing of Giselle the other day, but she *was* being incredibly discreet about it. It was the bagged stuff, and I'm pleased to report that it didn't have the nauseating stench that most theatre popcorn has, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billboyd Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 The ROH Facebook and Twitter posts encourage people to eat Popcorn in the cinema. I've sometimes written, 'No Popcorn!' 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Honestly we are mostly so well fed these days....in UK...why can't people just wait an hour or so to eat!! I just cannot get my head around this modern trend in many theatres now I'm afraid .....so I just remain "irritated and trying not to show it" from Brighton! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 It is the most extraordinary thing. Why people can't go to something which lasts maybe two hours without eating is beyond me. I was at my local Vue the other week and this man who was there with lady and three children purchased three hot dogs, huge box of popcorn and three large soft drinks to take into the movie. Cost him £56. Thank goodness he wasn't going to the same film I was watching. And, yes, I too have seen the ROH encouraging people to load up before a live ballet broadcast, Not next to me thank you. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Indeed. At the live screening today- there were TWO 25 minute intervals. Then, 5 minutes into Act 3 and Chudin is beginning an amazing solo- very loud prolonged rustling behind me- let's get the sandwiches out! Crisps! Foil crinkling noises, munching... It just beggars belief really. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Oh my God that is just so gross SPD 444! I think I would have to have left if next to me!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 I have commented elsewhere about the somewhat relentless nature of Katya Novikova's 'hosting' of the Bolshoi relay of Don Q. But she is providing interesting information and she was interviewing people (Fadeyechev and Vaziev) of very considerable significance in the ballet world. So why did most of the quite large audience in my cinema feel the need to shout their conversations over her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 It's one of the reasons why I wouldn't consider going to a cinema showing of ballet here in Brighton as they are mostly shown in the town Odeon (The one in the Marina is even worse) We do have a lovely arty cinema here The Duke of Yorks but haven't seen these ballet showings being offered there or I would go. I know other ballet friends here do sometimes go to them but then they don't very often go to ROH .....easier for me as am retired... I feel I spend enough money already at ROH so the cinema showings are not so attractive for me anyway. How annoying though that people cannot enjoy the whole experience.....it's still not cheap to attend these cinema shows.....I'd just be SO irritated ......just hope I'm not turning slowly into my dad!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted April 11, 2016 Author Share Posted April 11, 2016 I think there were around 20 people in the cinema showing of Giselle that I attended - mixed genders and ages - and everybody was rapt throughout. It was a pleasure to share the auditorium with them! (Odeon Switch Island, Liverpool) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 My experiences have been very good too (except that people don't applaud - just me!). And I can't say that I would object to a bit of quietly eaten popcorn. I don't think we can expect exactly the same conditions in the cinema as in the theatre, and if 'normal' cinema-goers get to see ballet as a result that's fine with me. Though I'd draw the line at noisy talking over the intros. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusanR Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 I used to go to the Duke of York's too Lin. I think they now show the ballets, Opera etc in their other cinema but I can't remember what it is called.... I went to Cineworld in Chichester & the audience was very well behaved! They usually are there or I wouldn't bother going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moomin Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 I don't have a problem with eating at the cinema, the volume is generally so loud that it's rarely an inconvenience. If the screening starts at 7 a lot of people wouldn't get time to eat before due to work/ family etc. Talking or loud rustling (and strong perfume????) is I agree inconsiderate. Worse happens at work and around the family though so I can usually screen it out pretty successfully! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Unusually for me I went to the cinema twice last week, I saw Giselle at Brighton Odeon and Don Quixote at Dukes at Kommedia, which is the strangest little place (you pick your ticket up at the cafe till) but has 2 state of the art cinema screens, the Bolshoi screenings are shown in the small 100 seater screen 2 now and are sold out, but I like the larger Odeon, there were about 60 people there last week so lots of empty seats, audiences were quiet and well behaved, although a girl in front of me couldn't sit still and must have left the cinema and returned about 10 times. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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