Willie Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 I am originally from NY, so I have no class ( ). My sister (NYC resident) and I saw ABT perform Swan Lake at the Met Opera House on a hot summer day a couple years ago. We had box seats which had three rows. My sister and I were in the back row. At some point during the performance, a gentleman in the front row turned around and said to the gentleman in the second row: "Stop breathing down my neck!" "I’m not breathing down your neck!" A few minutes later: "I feel you breathing down my neck. Knock it off!" "Listen buddy, I’m not breathing down your neck!" Several people from several boxes were shushing the gentleman. The exchange between the two guys continued for some time. Then the last exchange just before the interval: "Breath on me one more time and we’re gonna take it outside!" "You want a piece of me?!?!" Another person finally yelled: "Someone get the attendant!" During the interval, the attendant investigated and interviewed everyone in the box. Before the performance resumed, the guy in the first row apologized to everyone in the box. As it turns out, the air conditioner vent was "breathing down" his neck. Near fisticuffs over an air condition vent. Only in New York! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 I'm glad he had the grace to apologize at least!! Ha ha, that is a typical NY story; thanks for sharing, Willie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuli_Bai Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 I have sometimes found the drama in the audience more entertaining than the drama on stage. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieW Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Oh Willie - that's really made me chuckle :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 When booking tickets (especially matinees) it might be worth checking when the school holidays are... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 I was at the ENB matinee in Liverpool today and there were a lot of children around where I was sitting. It is all to easy to complain about issues that have affected our enjoyment but I thought I would post some good behaviour for a change! All the children around me were impeccably behaved and it was a pleasure to hear their obvious enjoyment at the end of the performance. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 (edited) I had a go at someone (supposedly a devout Christian) in church once - he had been complaining about several little children who had been noisily playing during the service. I asked him whether he thought Jesus might have been annoyed at the interruption, or whether He would welcome children into church with open arms... Edited for spelling Edited November 1, 2012 by taxi4ballet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Open arms, surely - but then I suspect He would also have expected them to give him a fair amount of attention when he was talking. Seriously, children's behaviour can be a problem during services if they're being so loud as to drown out the sermon or whatever. Anyway, back to audiences: how about the guy who, admittedly in a theatre which was far from full, put his legs up on the back of the seat in front of him?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuli_Bai Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Open arms, surely - but then I suspect He would also have expected them to give him a fair amount of attention when he was talking. Seriously, children's behaviour can be a problem during services if they're being so loud as to drown out the sermon or whatever. Anyway, back to audiences: how about the guy who, admittedly in a theatre which was far from full, put his legs up on the back of the seat in front of him?! Well, at least he kept his socks on and didn't play with his toes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farfallina Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Open arms, surely - but then I suspect He would also have expected them to give him a fair amount of attention when he was talking. Seriously, children's behaviour can be a problem during services if they're being so loud as to drown out the sermon or whatever. Anyway, back to audiences: how about the guy who, admittedly in a theatre which was far from full, put his legs up on the back of the seat in front of him?! Wow, now they're bringing movie manners to the theaters ! And I thought the buckets full of popcorn at the Bolshoi cinema transmissions were annoying..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 A good one from the Friends' General Rehearsal on Saturday. My better third & I were sitting in the second row of the stalls circle, central section, (which aren't the best seats for short people as the rake is not overly steep). Anyway, as Infra begins the two ladies in front of the gent beside me were talking. Slightly distracting but Infra starts with a lifted black curtain onto a drak stage with one Opie figure walking across the on-stage screen). The bloke leans forward and plants his hand on the shoulder of one of the ladies - I think (and gratefully hope) that he is going to ask them quietly to stop talking. Oh no; in a normal talking voice, he says "Please stay still." A voice from the front row says: "Still?" to which the man replies: "Yes, really still." Admittedly, they didn't talk again after that - and my better third & I stood for Fool's Paradise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 must be difficult to talk when you're petrified... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Admittedly, they didn't talk again after that - and my better third & I stood for Fool's Paradise. And what did your better third say about being demoted from 50% to 33.3%? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 And what did your better third say about being demoted from 50% to 33.3%? It's measured by volume... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Could not help but think of this thread the other day when at a Xmas fair I came accross spectacles with little lights attached to the outer edges. They were being promoted as ideal for wearing to 'dark venues like the theatre or cinema'. Just imagine how distracting that would be for the dancers/actors on stage!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Your mention of Christmas made me think for a minute they were "chasing" lights like the annoying ones you get on outdoor Christmas lights, but presumably they weren't that bad?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 no it was more like the sides of the frame but facing forward (ie edge of face rather than nose area) lit up quite brightly - it was quite disconcerting looking at someone wearing them in daylight as they were quite bright and you found yourself avoiding eye contact. Would have been horrendous in the dark. Cannot imagine them being very comfortable to wear either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomuchtallent Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I had to listen to wolf whistles watching the dying swan being performed!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Re lights in the auditorium, I find it really disconcerting at pantomimes etc where they sell flashing fairy wands and other gizmos for kids to wave. Sometimes there is a whole sea of them in front of you and it's incredibly distracting. Heaven knows what it looks like from the stage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Tonight we had the ultimate....in the middle of the Black Swan pdd, someone was violently sick on the floor in stalls of the Opera House....a horrible noise and sight, and loads of people had to get up and leave the auditorium. Most of them were back after the interval when it had been cleaned, but blcchhh...very unpleasant! This was in addition to the person loudly unwrapping sweets during the White Swan pdd (and they had been doing it during Act 1, too). I finally shushed them very loudly and they stopped. I mean, don't people have any perception of the noise they make? And in the quietest moments of the whole ballet? Unbelievable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regattah Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Ooh, Sim, how awful! That's actually my ultimate nightmare, to the point I could be writing in our 'phobias' thread about it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Graham Spicer reports on his blog about a mobile phone incident (or 2) at a theatre performance in Milan: http://gramilano.com/2012/11/leading-actor-leaps-from-the-stage-to-confiscate-a-persistent-cell-phone/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 I've just got back from seeing Paco Pena at the Lowry. A few minutes in to the second half a man on the second row of the stalls (about 5 rows in front of me) started taking photographs with some sort of tablet device. It was incredibly distracting. At a suitable point the duty manager was able to get to him and ask him to desist. He did for about 5 minutes and then started again. At the next suitable point he was asked to leave the theatre. Unbelievable! I thought the Lowry personnel were superb in their handling of the situation. They were very discreet and didn't cause any further disruption by their action. I don't think I have ever seen anything quite so blatant before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 A different use for mobile phones: using the light from them to read the cast sheet during the performance! Please, if you can't read the casting by ambient light, wait until the end. The amphi audience behind you would very much appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim b Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 hear hear Alison!! - you've hit the nailhead of my pet hate of the moment - by the time they've worked out the dancer concerned, the variation is usually finished anyway and we're on to the next fairy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 A different use for mobile phones: using the light from them to read the cast sheet during the performance! Please, if you can't read the casting by ambient light, wait until the end. The amphi audience behind you would very much appreciate it. ditto stalls circle standing, to those in the posh seats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Just had a wonderful night at The Mariinsky- despite announcements in Russian and English and notices to reinforce the message, several camera flashes went off during the second half. Very surprised at such behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrischris Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Interesting article about the increase in disruptive behaviour. http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2013/may/21/disruptive-behaviour-theatre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie 2 Milner Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 At "Pricilla Queen of the Desert". Two woman arrived late, 20 mins odd. Their friend took a phone call from them and went to get them. Then used their phone torch to get to their seats.They then chatted as if no performance on. Checked their phones continually. Then started eating. Mobiles as torches seem to be too common now so people walk in late and use them. I get so fed up. Obviously Pricilla is pretty loud but still it was disruptive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 This looks like a fairly old thread now have just been reading. Yes surprising what people get up to in the theatre.....including alarm clocks going off....mea culpa...but a long story! .I do find noisy sweet unwrapping annoying enough in the cinema let alone at the theatre and people at intervals standing around talking nearby but then only deciding to take their seats after the lights have actually gone down(twice last week by same people at Bayadere) just as everyone is settled! However I would like to urge a bit of caution with too loud a shushing!! Sometimes I hear the shusher but didn't hear what is being shushed!! So that can be annoying too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrischris Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 I noticed a few mobiles ringing during La Bayadere last night, and a lot of talking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonbfisher Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 So did I, and a camera flash in Act 2 from somewhere in the Balcony Boxes. I've seen La B 3 times this season so far, and there has ALWAYS been chat , especially during the first entr'acte music - much more so than in any other production. I wonder why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Yes, there has always been talking over every entr'acte when I've been. New audiences, perhaps? Very disrespectful to the orchestra, if not to the composer (depending on whether you think it's "only Minkus", I guess). Oh, and there was something at BRB the other day that I was going to post here, only can't remember what it was at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts