Changing seats?

[Geoff]

Perhaps this has already been discussed in Audience Behaviour but what are people's experiences / opinions of changing seats after a performance begins? I was in the Upper Circle of the Coliseum on Saturday (Song/Sylphide) and in the first interval - ie after Song had finished -  I saw a couple go into an empty box, from where they were evicted a short time later by an usher, presumably as they had moved there from other seats. 

 

Full disclosure: when standing at ROH I have often slipped into empty seats, and indeed have been encouraged to do so by nearby staff, so it seems this is a crime sometimes but not at others.

 

Are there theatre policies which change from theatre to theatre or is it down to individual staff discretion? At the opera in Vienna the staff policing the stalls all carry plans of the auditorium so they can note empty seats at the start of the performance: anyone moving into one of those seats is immediately identified and told to go back to their paid for seat.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 15, 2018 by Geoff

[trog]

The only time that I have changed seats during a performance, is when somebody I know leaves early and offers me their seat if it is better than mine. I general I don't see any problem with somebody moving to an empty seat but the ushers have the final say.

[Lizbie1]

The few times I've moved seats it's been because I know I might have to make a quick/discreet exit to catch a train, and it's generally been a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

 

I often wonder whether people who grab better seats consider whether they might be obstructing someone's view by doing so.  (This is one of the things that holds me back.)

[Jan McNulty]

I have occasionally needed to change seats (obstructed view or other reason) and I usually wait till the interval and speak to the Ushers.  This has worked well in the Coliseum and Birmingham Hippodrome.  

 

Occasionally someone has told me a friend can't come and I have sat in their unoccupied seat.

 

The only time I had a problem was the first time I went to Norwich many years ago.  Not knowing the theatre I had booked about half way back in the stalls (which was fine).  Another chum had booked the front row and was sat there all on her own.  She suggested that I joined her so I did and the Usher told me to go back to my own seat even though the front row was in a cheaper price band.  In fact the first 3 rows used to be cheaper and my friend was the only person within the first 3 rows! 

[_emeralds]

I had a very strange experience at the ROH several years ago - I think it may have been a Macmillan triple bill; Concerto/Judas Tree/Elite Syncopations.

I was visiting the theatre alone, and was seated in the Upper Slips. In the second interval another lady who was visiting the show alone approached me and said she was not staying for the third piece. Would I like her amphi ticket for Part 3. (A slight seat upgrade) She'd seemingly spotted me and didn't want her seat to go to waste when someone else could use it. I was delighted and very touched, thanked her and took her seat about half way through that second interval. 

Straight away I was approached by an audience member from about two or three rows behind aggressively questioning why I was there, I wasn't sitting there before. 

I explained the situation but I was rather dismayed, I thought this person rather rude and nosey!  

And I very much stayed put! 

 

And I am not tall, with a tall hairstyle or hat, or a fidgeter so that was not their concern.

[junedancer]

Recently I turned up to take my rather pricey ROH seat - birthday gift from DH - to find someone in the seat.  It was just before 7.30pm but time to settle before curtain up.  I had to get an usher to speak with them as they said they had a ticket.  They said the same to the usher but when asked to show the ticket said their seat was elsewhere - thankfully they just walked off but no apology.  Everyone around was quite shocked at just how brazen she was.

[Ian Macmillan]

It must be at least 10 years ago now - we set off to drive to the ROH and got locked into an enormous gridlock encompassing the M11 and M25.  Once in, there was no way out.  We duly crept towards town and, as it was a 4-part bill that night, decided to see what might be salvaged from the evening.  When we finally reached the ROH, the third ballet Monotone had just begun.  The front-of-house staff were most understanding and found a box that was empty that we could use till moving to our seats for the final work.  We were escorted to the box and crept in - to find a chap there already, clearly unknown to the staff.  As the ballet finished, this fellow rounded on us "How dare we etc etc, especially it being Monotone."  We explained our situation and, in the ensuing conversation, my wife (most unusually) felt compelled to mention that she had been a member of the Company, whereupon the tone changed completely.  The attack on our crass interruption (when he shouldn't have been there) turned to fawning.  We went off to find our seats, fortunately they had not been commandeered in our absence and, whilst our exceedingly late arrival must have seemed a little strange to others roundabout, nobody chose to ask about it.  (I probably put on a bit of huffing and puffing and muttering  "At last etc etc.")  And then, as we left, we bumped into the chap again on the stairs to the foyer, when there was further fawning.  An interesting evening!

[GailR]

A few years ago I had my first experience of the 'Kirov' at the Mariinsky theatre. I treated myself to good seats, first circle almost centre. As the lights went down it was as though the starting gun for the 60 second dash had sounded and there was a massive charge of people grabbing/changing seats. This was amplified as the seats were wooden chairs on a wooden floor  joined only by a simple wooden bar. Within a few seconds all was absolutely still - even now the memory is making me smile.

[assoluta]

6 hours ago, Geoff said:

Are there theatre policies which change from theatre to theatre or is it down to individual staff discretion? At the opera in Vienna the staff policing the stalls all carry plans of the auditorium so they can note empty seats at the start of the performance: anyone moving into one of those seats is immediately identified and told to go back to their paid for seat.

 

This varies very much from theatre to theatre. What you are describing in Vienna seems really awful but I saw this also at other places, big and small. From the point of performing artists it is always nicer to see in front lots of people rather than empty rows, which happens a lot when a smaller company tours and the local organizers have a completely wrong idea about pricing. I witnessed this many times.

[zxDaveM]

like most i imagine, I'll occasionally 'improve' my seating - on Saturday for example at the Coli, I moved back a row (G to H) and over the aisle to be more central (so avoiding both the front rail and a nearby patron with BO). And very occasionally i'll take a seat at ROH (from a standing place), as long as my view not hindered. What I dislike though, are those that hover deliberately awaiting the lights dimming, seizing upon a vacant seat (or better standing place). They have obviously bought a cheap ticket, and are doing their utmost to get a MUCH pricier one. Bloomin' vultures!

[Blossom]

3 hours ago, junedancer said:

Recently I turned up to take my rather pricey ROH seat - birthday gift from DH - to find someone in the seat.  It was just before 7.30pm but time to settle before curtain up.  I had to get an usher to speak with them as they said they had a ticket.  They said the same to the usher but when asked to show the ticket said their seat was elsewhere - thankfully they just walked off but no apology.  Everyone around was quite shocked at just how brazen she was.

I have seen that happen before to people sitting near me. Unbelievable!!

[Pas de Quatre]

Many years ago I went with a friend to see the Spanish Riding School of Vienna at Wembley Arena.  We had mid price seats and went to them in good time.  With little time to spare a very loud brash American man came up and told us that we were in his seats.  We assured him we had the right seats and all compared our tickets.  It turned out there was a genuine mistake, we had printed tickets from the venue, he had hand written ones from a London ticket agency.  Anyway he continued to be rather obnoxious even when an usher came over to try to sort it out.  In the end the usher asked if we wouldn't mind moving while he went to consult higher powers and we graciously let the American party have the seats. So the usher took us to two vacant places close by and disappeared.  A couple of minutes later he reappeared and conducted us to two top price ringside seats.  I resisted the urge to turn round and smirk!

[Anon2]

We once found a couple in our seats, once they checked their tickets they realised they had the correct seats but were a day early for their booked show!

[zxDaveM]

29 minutes ago, Jane said:

We once found a couple in our seats, once they checked their tickets they realised they had the correct seats but were a day early for their booked show!

 

better than  day late! :-)

 

[pompalompa]

I was at a Bolshoi performance at the ROH about 10 years ago (Bright Stream I think). We had seats in the amphi, very close to the stage so a really poor view.  We could see lots of vacant more cental seats below us. 

 

At the interval I asked asked an usher if we could move. He recommended we go to the desk in the foyer and ask if there were any returns. They were very kind and we ended up in the stalls - very much on one side but definitely a better view than we’d had. 

 

There had been a girl standing behind us who had heard me ask and so asked too. She ended up in the seats beside us ... and has been one of my dearest friends ever since. In fact we’re going to see ENB at the Coli this Friday. 😀

[Don Q Fan]

Last year we got last minute tix for BRB at the Bristol Hippodrome we were pretty much on our own in the left circle but after the first interval were surrounded by seat pinchers including some i front which impeded but previously clear view.  I wasn't too pleased as we were in our allotted seats and these people were not.

I was once at an ENB pre-show learning event which included a ticket which to my horror was way off to the right and was row D stalls so a poor view of the stage for me so I got up and went right to the centre back of the Manchester Palace no one around me heaven.  Likewise at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff for Peter and The Wolf I had a woman with baby next to me as well her other small child and husband - that was me off to the very back row the highest in the auditorium. I think I got the best sound experience of the Mariinsky under Gergiev's baton ever! 

[alison]

I did it only the other day at the Coliseum: a very helpful box office assistant allocated me a seat that he thought would be comfortable for me, but it wasn't, so I moved.  I did - as far as I know - stay within the same price band, though, just further out to the side but nearer the front Plus a number of times when there have been a fair number of seats free and I've arrived close to curtain-up and decided not to disturb half a row to get to my allocated seat - or gone to the in-auditorium toilet and then done the same thing.  Or, of course, when another audience member is threatening to ruin your appreciation of the performance for whatever reason and it's easier to move elsewhere.  But I don't usually go and grab a single empty seat between occupied ones, for example, although I've seen others do it.

[Coated]

I will reseat myself when they close the balcony at the Coli and I'm plonked right behind people obstructing my view instead of getting row A of the balcony. Though last week I then had a woman sit herself right in front of me in the first interval. Somewhat rude, I thought, so I moved one row further back and didn't tell her about the fidgety lady who would be sitting down in front of her once the intermission was over. Rude lady moved shortly after curtains down...

[alison]

Oh, and if space permits, I try not to sit directly in front of anyone else

[RuthE]

I'm always perfectly happy to reseat myself if there are vast swathes of empty ones within reach, but very rarely if there are just odd ones here and there (unless, for example, a member of staff has explicitly encouraged me to do so).  I know a couple of people who are absolutely brazen about always buying the cheapest ticket they can and upgrading themselves; I wouldn't do that on principle, and always book a ticket for a place I am intending to remain in.

 

If I have a valid reason to be reseated beyond just wanting a better view than I paid for, such as an obnoxious neighbour, I usually ask front-of-house and do it formally.

[alison]

On 1/15/2018 at 06:46, Geoff said:

Full disclosure: when standing at ROH I have often slipped into empty seats, and indeed have been encouraged to do so by nearby staff, so it seems this is a crime sometimes but not at others.

 

Once - it must be over a decade ago now - I was standing in Balcony row D and the usher told us we could go and occupy some empty seats, so we did.  There was a change of usher at the interval, and I don't know if someone had complained, but this person actually came over and asked to see our tickets, and made us go back to our standing places.  I started to go "But ..." and then stopped, because I wasn't sure I wouldn't get the original usher into trouble if I continued, but it was rather embarrassing.

 

And there was the case back in the 90s, at a Royal Festival Hall performance of "Cinderella" by ENB where the balcony was very sparsely populated, where I actually moved forward to be with some other people because I thought that being stuck on my own would constrain me in how much I applauded.  The usher wasn't at all pleased, though.

[MAB]

Very much a grey area, the last time I moved seats was after an altercation broke out between a group of people in the upper slips.  I mentioned it to a member of staff because I hoped they could keep an eye on the situation so it didn't spill over into the performance and to my surprise I was not only re-seated but given a real upgrade.  A couple of years ago, together with the others in my row and the row behind, I was moved nine rows forward at the Opera Bastille by a member of staff at a POB performance.  I've occasionally asked staff if I could move further back in the balcony at the Coliseum as there are times when my asthma makes those steep steps a challenge.

 

Back in the days of Fonteyn and Nureyev there were two fans who only turned up for F&N in the triple bills, so I always knew their seats (front row stalls on the aisle) would be empty for the other two works: it seemed criminal to waste them.  I've been told a story (apocryphal?) about a man who always buys two seats in A row stalls and leaves the one next to him empty as it's for the ghost of his late wife.  If true the guy needs bereavement therapy rather than wasting a perfectly good ticket that could be used by a fan.  The box office should make a point of just selling him a single if he habitually wastes the second.  Anyone know if this story is true or not?

[Lizbie1]

8 minutes ago, MAB said:

If true the guy needs bereavement therapy rather than wasting a perfectly good ticket that could be used by a fan.  The box office should make a point of just selling him a single if he habitually wastes the second.

 

You sentimental old thing!

[Geoff]

What interesting comments. They have triggered a (not entirely relevant) memory of my time in New York in the 1970s, when I went to the Met all the time but could only afford to stand. Every single performance somebody or other, on their way to a seat in the stalls, asked me to join them as they didn't want their second seat to go to waste. 

 

US hospitality and egalitarianism, certainly. And also perhaps a reflection of whatever the rules covering the reselling of subscription tickets were in those days.

[Minxette]

8 minutes ago, MAB said:

I've been told a story (apocryphal?) about a man who always buys two seats in A row stalls and leaves the one next to him empty as it's for the ghost of his late wife.  If true the guy needs bereavement therapy rather than wasting a perfectly good ticket that could be used by a fan.  The box office should make a point of just selling him a single if he habitually wastes the second.  Anyone know if this story is true or not?

 

If this is the same man I see regularly in row A OS (elderly, quite formally dressed), my take is that he buys the extra seat to act as an exclusion zone to keep members of the public at bay.  The seat acts as a kind of buffer zone.  I once saw someone try to carpet bag the seat next to him and he swatted them away like a fly with great irritation and excessive vigor.  He then placed his coat and bag on the seat to make the point that he had purchased the seat and could do whatever he liked with it.  Must be torture to mix with the general public when you loathe it so much.  Is there a word for this - a phobia for interacting with the general public?

[MAB]

9 minutes ago, Minxette said:

  Must be torture to mix with the general public when you loathe it so much.  Is there a word for this - a phobia for interacting with the general public?

 

Moneyed?  Rather like business class on planes where the middle seat is empty.

[ninamargaret]

I inadvertently did a bit of seat changing some months ago. Got myself comfortable in my SC seat. About 3minutes before the performance a couple came in looking at their tickets. The man said, very politely 'i think you're in my seat'. I took my ticket out of my pocket and confirmed I was in the right seat. The man got an usher who looked at our tickets and, embarrassingly, I suddenly realised my ticket,which I had taken from my pocket,was for a previous performance. The correct ticket was sitting comfortably in my bag. Profuse apologies all round, and the couple, on their first visit , were good company. 

[Sunrise]

When I used to usher at a theatre in London, when the auditorium was not well filled we were encouraged by our supervisor to move the audience forwards. This was in part not to waste perfectly good views, but also to give a bit of support to the actors so they didn't have to perform to empty seats!

[RHowarth]

9 hours ago, Sunrise said:

When I used to usher at a theatre in London, when the auditorium was not well filled we were encouraged by our supervisor to move the audience forwards. This was in part not to waste perfectly good views, but also to give a bit of support to the actors so they didn't have to perform to empty seats!

Me too, as an usher at a prestigious Edinburgh theatre amongst other places. And now, as a marketing person, I would encourage it myself! Which probably influences my rather brazen approach to it as an audience member, although I always stick to empty rows and never sit in front of someone who’s paid more than me. In fact, that was always the rule for us as ushers: we didn’t have to remain in the usher seat if the house was thin, but weren’t permitted to move further forward than the rearmost paying customer.

Edited January 17, 2018 by RHowarth
To protect employer’s anonymity!

[capybara]

In some theatres, the Coli being one, the brass numbers on the back of any empty seats shine so brightly that they are clearly visible to the artists. Not a good look!

 

Edited January 17, 2018 by capybara
typo

[junedancer]

14 hours ago, ninamargaret said:

I inadvertently did a bit of seat changing some months ago. Got myself comfortable in my SC seat. About 3minutes before the performance a couple came in looking at their tickets. The man said, very politely 'i think you're in my seat'. I took my ticket out of my pocket and confirmed I was in the right seat. The man got an usher who looked at our tickets and, embarrassingly, I suddenly realised my ticket,which I had taken from my pocket,was for a previous performance. The correct ticket was sitting comfortably in my bag. Profuse apologies all round, and the couple, on their first visit , were good company. 

 

We had an incident recently when after already moving people further along the row so we could get our seats someone came to say we were in their seats.  She showed us the tickets which were our seat numbers.  Despite my rather poor eyesight I picked out that although they were the seats they were for the following week.  I have to say we felt very sorry for them as they were all dressed up for a night out with no doubt travel and dinner costs and would have do the same the following week.

[alison]

5 hours ago, RHowarth said:

Which probably influences my rather brazen approach to it as an audience member, although I always stick to empty rows and never sit in front of someone who’s paid more than me.

 

Can you imagine what a nightmare it would be working that out somewhere like the ROH amphitheatre, where the price bands change both horizontally and vertically?

 

4 hours ago, capybara said:

In some theatres, the Coli being one, the brass numbers on the back of any empty seats shine so brightly that they are clearly visible to the artists. Not a good look!

 

And at Sadler's Wells I think all the seats are visible from onstage (even the back row of the Second Circle).  Ditto.

 

4 hours ago, junedancer said:

We had an incident recently when after already moving people further along the row so we could get our seats someone came to say we were in their seats.  She showed us the tickets which were our seat numbers.  Despite my rather poor eyesight I picked out that although they were the seats they were for the following week.  I have to say we felt very sorry for them as they were all dressed up for a night out with no doubt travel and dinner costs and would have do the same the following week.

 

Oh dear   If that was the ROH, I'm sure they would have done their best to find them some other seats: I've seen it happen at some performances.

[junedancer]

1 hour ago, alison said:

 

Can you imagine what a nightmare it would be working that out somewhere like the ROH amphitheatre, where the price bands change both horizontally and vertically?

 

 

And at Sadler's Wells I think all the seats are visible from onstage (even the back row of the Second Circle).  Ditto.

 

 

Oh dear   If that was the ROH, I'm sure they would have done their best to find them some other seats: I've seen it happen at some performances.

 

It was for a different performance so maybe not!