Audience Behaviour

[MAB]

Clearly the acoustic meant everyone heard it. What a t****r!

[Ann Williams]

I really feel that the best solution to the ringing phone problem would be  a firm no-nonsense pre curtain-up request for silenced 'phones from an on-stage theatre administrator,  and don't understand why this isn't done as a matter of course.  I do remember one gala where Paul Ross (brother of the more-famous Jonathan) was the link-man.  He started by quietly mentioning the problem of ringing 'phones and ended by bellowing ".....SWITCH THE BLOODY THINGS OFF NOW!!".  It got a laugh, but there wasn't a single 'phone heard during the lengthy performance. 

[Marieve]

I really feel that the best solution to the ringing phone problem would be  a firm no-nonsense pre curtain-up request for silenced 'phones from an on-stage theatre administrator,  and don't understand why this isn't done as a matter of course. 

Yes and it should be done after every interval too. Am sure most people would take more notice of someone speaking from the stage than over a tannoy.

[alison]

Don't think I've known that done in any theatre, and I don't see it happening, to be honest.  There have been a few theatre productions I've been to where it's been reasonably appropriate for one of the actors to address the audience at the beginning, but I really can't see "Two households, each alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene ..." being preceded by someone coming on stage to request people to turn their mobiles off! (or, for that matter, the 3rd act in the ballet - it would ruin the mood totally).

 

I do suspect, though, that part of the problem is this habit people have got into of not exiting Twitter/Facebook/whatever until the house lights start going down (very noticeable down in the stalls/front amphi last night).  Their minds are elsewhere, and any tannoy announcement would probably pass them by.  I do notice that the Festival Hall does make the announcement before the second half of a concert, which does seem to work - by and large.

 

PS: Apologies if my Shakespeare quote isn't 100% accurate - my collected Shakespeare is at home, and I'm not!

[Shmendrick]

As happened at the Mariinsky broadcast tonight, audience member humming along out of tune and out of time as well as pretending to conduct. The cygnets tune isn't hummable!

[Jan McNulty]

Welcome to the Forum Shmendrick!  We'd love to hear your thoughts on the broadcast performance.  David W has started a thread here:  http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/4071-mariinsky-swan-lake-in-3d/#entry48623

[Ritaza]

Yes and it should be done after every interval too. Am sure most people would take more notice of someone speaking from the stage than over a tannoy.

Agree totally. After drinks at intermission people can become careless.

[Jan McNulty]

I got a new phone a couple of months ago - imagine my horror when I couldn't work out how to put it on silent and every time I switched it off, the on/off switch proved to be so sensitive that as I was trying to put it back into its case it was switching itself back on!  Fortunately I did manage to switch it off in the end but I did have some panicky moments!  Touch wood, I have mastered it since!

[Aruna S]

I have a cough which is triggered mainly by cigarettes, so that people going out to smoke during the interval and coming back permeated with the odour sets me off, as does strong perfume. I always take cough lozenges with me and unwrap them (if I have to) in the moments of applause/loud music. In Rome last week the gentleman sitting next to me removed a particularly crackly wrapping in the moments when the Sylphide was dying...and I know he knew what was going on because he'd been telling his companion the story beforehand and seemed to be a frequent ballet-goer. I'd never heard of Potter's and am checking them out now. 

[LinMM]

Well I'm off today to finally see Ravens Girl programme not even sure whose dancing....but fully armed with both Potters and Olbus oil Pastilles!! Luckily the cough has calmed right down now but you never know whether it's got one final attack left for a nice quiet bit in the ballet!!

[ChocChip]

One of my major complains is small kids chit-chating through the whole performance.
I usually buy tickets for 2nd or 3rd balcony, this is what I can usually afford unless my favorite prima ballerina is dancing then I buy tickets in the stalls. Tickets in 3rd balcony are the cheapest and groups of children or teenagers with their teachers are always present there. Teenagers talk load in the intermissions and are quite during the acts but small children always talk during the acts. It is annoying and I myself have several times asked children sitting next to me to shut up. Some of the children are from the ballet school and very often I see how excited they are. It's like the fairy tales their parents read them at home have come to live in the opera house. Their talks are something like the narrative of a fairy tale indeed. It's annoying but when I see how excited they are I kind of feel guilty to make the shut up and "burn" their ballet enthusiasm.

[JennyTaylor]

Isn't it fascinating that this topic runs to 10 pages now!  This is clearly something that hits people's nerves and personal values.  Potters'pastilles might be trending on Twitter if we were so inclined, but yes, they really do work as they are so strong.

[alison]

Regarding coughing - my absolute phobia; thanks for the advice on Potters Pastiles.  I used to take Tunes to every performance but they seem to have gone out of business.  I have been taking Strepsils but they are in blister packs and make a noise when you get them out. 

 

I meant to mention this when I first read it, but I've managed to find Strepsils in a plastic tube before now - in the last couple of years.  I think they were wrapped in waxed paper.  They are a bit difficult to find, though.

[taxi4ballet]

Yes, I've found those strepsils too. They're really handy.

 

I think I already mentioned this on this thread (umpteen pages ago!), but if people prefer not to be distracted by other peoples' children during performances, then it might be a good idea to avoid matinee performances during the school holidays and half-term weeks if possible.

[Coated]

I dream of official 'noisy child' performances for people to test whether their squirmy or talkative off-spring is ready for the theatre yet. If they are spellbound and reasonably quiet through those performances, excellent, take them to any age-appropriate show. Otherwise, give it a few years and definitely avoid the evening shows.

 

I wasn't impressed with he child in Hansel and Gretel constantly fidgeting behind me. Or the fact that someone brought a child.

[ChocChip]

Coated could you please describe the age ranges of small children and children for me? Teens start from 13+.
When I was talking about small children I meant 8-10 years old. Probably those should be described as just childrne.

[Bluebird]

I dream of official 'noisy child' performances for people to test whether their squirmy or talkative off-spring is ready for the theatre yet. If they are spellbound and reasonably quiet through those performances, excellent, take them to any age-appropriate show. 

ENB used do have child friendly performances during their Christmas season at the Coliseum.  Parents were encouraged to bring under fives.  I don't know if they have one planned this year.  Might be worth enquiring.

[zxDaveM]

I really dislike those people to whom the shower is a stranger. Especially when the theatre gets very warm. We had one in the Stalls Circle standing area the other night - and he was in a suit too!

Edited June 9, 2013 by zxDaveM

[Anna C]

ENB used do have child friendly performances during their Christmas season at the Coliseum.  Parents were encouraged to bring under fives.  I don't know if they have one planned this year.  Might be worth enquiring.

Also they have their marvellous "My first..." series of ballets, aimed at children of 3 and up if I remember rightly.

[Coated]

Coated could you please describe the age ranges of small children and children for me? Teens start from 13+.

When I was talking about small children I meant 8-10 years old. Probably those should be described as just childrne.

Anyone under 14 qualifies as child for me, my next category would be under 10s (~primary school age) and then small children which includes anything above toddler and below 5/6.

 

I know one 8 year old who would tear the house down if you took him to the theatre, and I've taken 5 year olds to the cinema who sat more quietly than the adult population, so I don't think age is the only predictor of behaviour (otherwise there'd be no need for this thread )

[taxi4ballet]

A child's age is no indication of whether or not their attention span is sufficient to last an entire performance. A good few years ago, were were watching tv and the Mary Poppins film came on.

 

My daughter sat motionless and watched spellbound throughout the entire film. She was 18 months old.

[Anna C]

I agree taxi. My dd was 3 and a half when we took her to see ENB's Gerald Scarfe designed Nutcracker. She sat enchanted without moving a muscle through the whole ballet. During the interval she said she was bored and wanted the ballet to come back.

[Don Q Fan]

With children it depends on the parenting skills of their parents - the majority seem to behave - as did the little girl next to me yesterday  who was about 9. Children are either taught how to behave in public or they are not.  E.g. a guy on the bus yesterday with 2 little kids probably 2 and 4 were allowed to scream in the highest pitch possible with him giving his smart phone more attention... you get out what you put in.  The worst ever situation I had was at ROH a few years ago for Sleeping Beauty.  I had "clocked" this hyperactive boy of about 10 running around the Hamlyn Hall and I thought to myself "oh oh you're trouble".  Imagine my horror when he tipped up in the seats next to me front row Balcony!  He was with his sister, who as marginally more interested in the ballet than him, and a middle aged woman.  She certainly had no control of the children and as she never clapped at any of the dancing I wonder if she even liked ballet.  The boy proceeded throughout the whole of Act1 to stand up pull himself back and forth on the safety rail, sit in the footwell and generally not sit still -  the poor people behind!  Anyway at the interval I went to complain to the Duty Manager as did the couple behind me.  As I returned to my seat the gentleman next to naughty children really shouted at them and told them to behave - the woman still doing nothing - the boy did calm down a bit but not much and after the next interval they did not return.  ROH did have a policy of removal if children are causing a disruption so I wonder if this was invoked?  It totally ruined the ballet for me that day and the cost involved it is not fair to inflict badly behaved children on others.

[LinMM]

Happy to say no naughty children and no cough at all came out to play last night so didn't even need the Potters or Olbus Pastilles.

 

As a teacher when have taken Junior age children to the theatre......but only the Dance and Drama club so were interested in going they have been very well behaved and these were children from estates in North London. I always collected the sweets in at the interval and there was no fuss about this because they expected it. And they knew not to talk under pain of death during the performance! The other secret is they were well prepared for what we were going to see.

The only thing I remember as being slightly embarrassing was once when we went to see Giselle and one of the bits we had practiced was the bit in the second act where the queen of the Willis takes off Giselles veil....one of the children sitting a couple of places a way leaned over and said in a loudish whisper "psst miss is that the queen of the Willies" !!

 

Also once at a schools performance given by the then Festival Ballet.....again Gisellle(not that suitable for the mostly teenage audience)

Beryl Grey came out to give a brief talk before the performance including demonstrating a few steps. Well when she did a grand battement the whole theatre erupted in wolf whistles and the like!!

[SusanR]

A similar thing happened to me a couple of years ago when I was watching Giselle. Next to me were two little girls, the parents were sitting 2 rows behind us. the younger child kept fidgeting & waving at her mother. To my horror, the mother clambered over the seats, sat down & put the child on her lap, all this during the ribbon dance.....I was not amused! The child was a complete nuisance & at the interval I remonstrated with the mother, who replied 'she is only four'.........The child was still being a pest & I lost my temper & told her to shut up & the mother told me I should not abuse children! I retorted that she had abused me. The mother obviously complained about me & an usher came to speak to me. I was furious. I spent good money on my ticket & had a two hours train journey to get to the opera house. I actually wrote to Tony Hall but didn't get a very satisfactory reply. I love children to love ballet & would always encourage them, but this child was ill behaved & too young, in my opinion.

Susan

[Jan McNulty]

That's appalling Susan.  I agree that 4 is too young for most children.  I didn't start taking my nieces to the theatre till they were 7.

 

I have seen some impeccably behaved young children over the years but children's attention span may not be long enough to sit through a whole act, particularly if they are not engaged with the action.

[Anna C]

It's not so much the age of the child - see my earlier post - but the personality of the child AND the attitude of the parents. I always explained to my dd when she was little that when it goes dark in the theatre we all have to be very quiet, because talking is rude to the performers and annoys other people.

 

When we took her to see the Nutcracker matinée it was during the Christmas holidays and - if I remember rightly - was one of ENB's child-friendly performances, so had she been a bit fidgety I don't think it would have annoyed many people. Fortunately she was utterly silent and still throughout.

 

I'm always so annoyed at parents who let their child/ren behave badly in theatres or cinemas. Plus - returning to Susan's post - why on earth would you sit two rows behind your four year old!?

[SusanR]

I imagine the family got last minute tickets & couldn't sit together, although it would have been better if one parent sat with one child! After the interval the mother & 4year old were seated in the orchestra stalls [ I was in the stalls circle] but the father & older child [who was very well behaved] sat next to me. The father was charming & said I will try to behave.......no more problems after that I am pleased to say.

Susan

Edited June 9, 2013 by Janet McNulty
Edited to increase size of font

[LinMM]

Four is a bit young on the whole especially if they have no relationship to ballet. I always think about 7 is the right age but its difficult for parents if you have say an 8 year old and 4 year old if you want to go out as a family....but I would advise matinees in this scenario and they are cheaper!! Giselle is definitely not a 4 year olds ballet anyway! And I have no conception whatsoever of parents not sitting with their children.....definitely setting up trouble!

I remember this age problem at the Little Angel marionnet puppet theatre in Islington...a really lovely little theatre and show....when friends came with their varying aged children some shows were for under 7's and some for 7-11 so had to split into two groups etc. but this was in the children's interests.

[SusanR]

I was in bed last night & I realised I'd made a mistake in my post, 289. I was watching Fille, not Giselle........

Don't think there is a ribbon dance in Giselle  

Susan

[LinMM]

Well Fille is a bit more child friendly than Giselle at any rate!!

[Aruna S]

This reminded me of the two youngish (about 7 and 8, I would guess) children in the row in front of us in the Orchestra Stalls at ROH a few years ago. Their grandmother had brought them to see Sleeping Beauty as a treat but they were both clearly uninterested. The little girl kept yawning and asking to leave, her younger brother kept standing up until my husband started tapping on the seat back and then he'd sit for a few minutes. During the intervals the granny apologised to all of us in the row behind, saying that they were small children and we should make allowances. We were all too polite (fools!) to say anything back but judging from the expressions nobody was placated.

 

OTOH I still cringe when I remember the one and only time my son, who has been carefully trained to be absolutely quiet, asked a question during R&J about the name of the instrument Juliet was playing. The Medusa stare I turned on him shut him up after the first few syllables but I have never got over the shame.

[aileen]

Obviously there are exceptions, but I would say that as a general rule children are too young to be taken to any type of performance in the theatre before they are six unless it is The Snowman, a pantomime, a play or ballet (which will usually be quite short) created for young children (eg NB's Ugly Duckling) or a family friendly performance to which very young children are specifically invited (ENB had a couple of these earlier this season). The Nutcracket is a good first ballet; it's colourful, involves Christmas and a party and is only two hours long including a twenty minute interval. Sleeping Beauty and Romeo and Juliet (quite a grown up theme) are both very long ballets with two intervals which stretches out the afternoon or evening. Parents often make the mistake (and I've done this myself) of taking their children to performances, places and events when they are just too young. Even if the experience is not a total disaster it's usually quite stressful or tiring and the children rarely enjoy it as much as the parents had hoped, which is disappointing given the time, money and effort involved. Children's enjoyment and behaviour is also very much affected by things like hunger, thirst, tiredness, temperature, position in the theatre and the people around and in front of them (if they can't see well they lose interest quickly) some of which are out of parents' control.