Audience Behaviour - Thread 2

[Richard LH]

3 hours ago, Sophoife said:

 "No talkin' in the ballet Daddy!...... they are PEOPLE dancin'. They might hear you and fall over!" 😂 Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings......!

 

[Dawnstar]

6 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

I would really love to see ENB's Giselle (by Mary Skeaping) but may well be giving it a swerve due to their choice of London venue

 

I'll probably still go, as I really want to see Frola as Albrecht, but I'm now already dreading what the audience might be like. Does a venue really want audience members to approach attendance there with considerable trepidation rather than what should be pleasurable anticipation?

[JNC]

27 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I'll probably still go, as I really want to see Frola as Albrecht, but I'm now already dreading what the audience might be like. Does a venue really want audience members to approach attendance there with considerable trepidation rather than what should be pleasurable anticipation?

Indeed.

 

I’m wondering if it’ll be worse or better evening or matinee. I may not have any choice anyway. I suppose evening is more likely have drinking, lunchtime more loud children. Both probably equal risk of munching food…

 

I guess equally any seating area is as likely to be as bad as another (my choice would be the Balcony or the one tier down due to price anyway).

Edited March 15, 2023 by JNC

[cackles]

The behaviour in the Balcony was dreadful during the performance of  Swan Lake that I attended. It was a Sunday matinee. I was one of the many who said "never again", but I too would really like to see Frola in this role. Depending on casting dates I will try to avoid matinees and the weekend if possible.

[OnePigeon]

Well if they’re not munching popcorn they’ll probably be scrolling through their phone with the light catching your eye and distracting you.  When I went to the Nutcracker at the Coliseum in December, we had several people in front of us fidgeting and sitting forward, blocking out our view and the girl next to us came in stinking of perfume and proceeded to put her earphones on and scroll through her phone the whole way through the performance.   I fear we might be in the minority in finding this annoying though, a bit like how I’m driven to stressful distraction by people playing their loud music on the train, when other people appear completely nonplussed .  I’ve been going to the theatre since I was 4 years old and am working class, but funnily enough I was taught how to behave around other people and I also have an attention span longer than a gnat, so that I can watch a whole performance without thinking about my mobile phone or my filling up my stomach. 

[Sim]

17 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

Well if they’re not munching popcorn they’ll probably be scrolling through their phone with the light catching your eye and distracting you.  When I went to the Nutcracker at the Coliseum in December, we had several people in front of us fidgeting and sitting forward, blocking out our view and the girl next to us came in stinking of perfume and proceeded to put her earphones on and scroll through her phone the whole way through the performance.   I fear we might be in the minority in finding this annoying though, a bit like how I’m driven to stressful distraction by people playing their loud music on the train, when other people appear completely nonplussed .  I’ve been going to the theatre since I was 4 years old and am working class, but funnily enough I was taught how to behave around other people and I also have an attention span longer than a gnat, so that I can watch a whole performance without thinking about my mobile phone or my filling up my stomach. 

Aha...another working class person who would be consigned to the 'snobby cultural elite' class by the Guardian's writer, just because you enjoy watching a show in peace and without disturbance.  How dare you?!!  

[Dawnstar]

3 hours ago, JNC said:

I’m wondering if it’ll be worse or better evening or matinee. I may not have any choice anyway. I suppose evening is more likely have drinking, lunchtime more loud children. Both probably equal risk of munching food…

 

I guess equally any seating area is as likely to be as bad as another (my choice would be the Balcony or the one tier down due to price anyway).

 

The only way of trying avoiding people eating, drinking & talking I can think of is if you know several other people who want to go & you can all get a box together! No help for someone like me though, as I do almost all my theatregoing solo.

[alison]

11 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

As for the Coliseum's food/drink policy in the auditorium, I guess you could say it is vaguely making sense re the half time queues (though my guess it would be the very same people just stocking up for the 2nd part) - but 'for medical reasons'! What tripe!

 

Sorry, Dave, but that is a valid reason.  I have a friend who suffers very badly from migraines, and needs to eat regularly or is likely to get struck down (in deference to Dawnstar I won't go into details), so sometimes she may have to eat during a performance, because waiting until an interval might be too late.  But she would be very discreet about it, and just take a few bites of a bar or something.  Definitely not popcorn!

[bridiem]

2 minutes ago, alison said:

Sorry, Dave, but that is a valid reason.  I have a friend who suffers very badly from migraines, and needs to eat regularly or is likely to get struck down (in deference to Dawnstar I won't go into details), so sometimes she may have to eat during a performance, because waiting until an interval might be too late.  But she would be very discreet about it, and just take a few bites of a bar or something.  Definitely not popcorn!

 

I don't think it's a valid reason for such a policy; if someone has a medical need to eat something and can do so discreetly (as is obviously the case with your friend) an exception can be made (and no doubt always has been). It doesn't justify the policy as a whole.

[Dawnstar]

19 minutes ago, alison said:

Sorry, Dave, but that is a valid reason.  I have a friend who suffers very badly from migraines, and needs to eat regularly or is likely to get struck down (in deference to Dawnstar I won't go into details), so sometimes she may have to eat during a performance, because waiting until an interval might be too late.  But she would be very discreet about it, and just take a few bites of a bar or something.  Definitely not popcorn!

 

Thanks for sparing me but I have relatives who suffered from migraines so I know what they can do! I myself am prone to get straightforward headaches if I don't drink enough. Because of that I always take plenty of bottled water with me when theatregoing. I assume that likewise anyone who needs to eat for medical/health reasons will make sure they take something suitable, and easily portable, with them. I doubt they'll be the ones crunching on popcorn!

[LinMM]

I agree Bridiem. 
Also I know migraines can come on suddenly but surely not that suddenly as most people do get some kind of forewarning. Sometimes migraines can arise because a person has left too big a gap between meals ( eating erratically generally) so need to be a bit more aware of what might bring on an attack!!  
However annoying for a particular individual and I say this as a former migraine sufferer myself it’s still not an excuse to allow everybody else to munch away to their hearts content!! 

[Guest]

Last Saturday evening I travelled to Notingham's Royal Concert Hall to attend a BBC Symphony Orchestra performance there. I nipped out at the interval with many others and on returning to my seat noticed a distinct stream of liquid flowing from what appeared to be my neighbours coat folded tidily under her chair. Someone behind her had left a reatively full beaker of Beer on the raked floor of the auditorium and someone else (presumably) knocked it over. Hence the flow which was now making it's way further down the stalls. My neighbours coat was soaked and stunk of stale hops. There's a good reason for not allowing drinks into an auditorium.

Edited March 16, 2023 by Robin Smith

[art_enthusiast]

On 12/03/2023 at 03:50, Scheherezade said:

And for anyone who is wondering (sorry, I haven't put this in the opera section) do go and see the performance. It was quite wonderful in every respect: conducting (Pappano at is absolute best), singing (with a big shout out for Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha's Liu), staging (how rare it is to be able to say that these days). And how good to see the ushers taking decisive action for once.

Turandot was indeed brilliant! Also seemed to be a relatively well behaved audience from what I saw tonight.

[bridiem]

7 hours ago, Robin Smith said:

Last Saturday evening I travelled to Notingham's Royal Concert Hall to attend a BBC Symphony Orchestra performance there. I nipped out at the interval with many others and on returning to my seat noticed a distinct stream of liquid flowing from what appeared to be my neighbours coat folded tidily under her chair. Someone behind her had left a reatively full beaker of Beer on the raked floor of the auditorium and someone else (presumably) knocked it over. Hence the flow which was now making it's way further down the stalls. My neighbours coat was soaked and stunk of stale hops. There's a good reason for not allowing drinks into an auditorium.

 

Yes - I once had a cup of wine knocked over just by my seat and it got on my bag; fortunately I was holding my coat. This sort of thing is absolutely bound to happen.

[JNC]

11 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

I don't think it's a valid reason for such a policy; if someone has a medical need to eat something and can do so discreetly (as is obviously the case with your friend) an exception can be made (and no doubt always has been). It doesn't justify the policy as a whole.

indeed, I would imagine someone who needs to eat so regularly is more likely to bring their own food to guarantee it is something that would help them and is more affordable! Then if you bring your own food - no queues you can just eat at the start of the interval. Unless theatres have a no outside food policy, then the entire argument about medical needs and reasons falls apart. 

@Robin Smith your story is what troubles me - bad enough for anyone but for those that dress up nicely who will pay for their dry cleaning bills? I doubt the offender will. If this happened to me at the theatre I think I would demand they did - after all it’s their policy to allow this and this is one of the risks!

 

I once saw someone enter ROH auditorium early before a performance, they had a plastic smoothie bottle with them. I can’t remember how it happened but it ended up spilling everywhere - this bright blue or green coloured liquid all over the surrounding area and seats! “Luckily” as it was pre performance no one was actually sat there at the time, I think they went to get some tissues to attempt to clean it up (I don’t even think they admitted it and told an usher, in hindsight maybe I should have done but I assumed they were leaving to report it). I felt bad for the person that had to sit in those seats after, and also for roh who will have had to clean them.

 

water is one thing but any other liquids are smelly, stain, and will require professional cleaning! 

[LinMM]

Well perhaps I should put it to the Coli who no longer want to run a cloakroom that if somebody should spill wine or whatever on my coat because I’m forced to put on the floor etc. then they should be responsible for the cleaning bill 🤔 

[Sim]

51 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Well perhaps I should put it to the Coli who no longer want to run a cloakroom that if somebody should spill wine or whatever on my coat because I’m forced to put on the floor etc. then they should be responsible for the cleaning bill 🤔 

Very good point.  I would definitely point that out. 

[alison]

4 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

Yes - I once had a cup of wine knocked over just by my seat and it got on my bag; fortunately I was holding my coat. This sort of thing is absolutely bound to happen.

 

Even more so when the ballet is at the O2, which doesn't allow you to take capped bottles of water in.  But at least it was only water, and it didn't get very far  

[FionaM]

13 hours ago, Robin Smith said:

Last Saturday evening I travelled to Notingham's Royal Concert Hall to attend a BBC Symphony Orchestra performance there. I nipped out at the interval with many others and on returning to my seat noticed a distinct stream of liquid flowing from what appeared to be my neighbours coat folded tidily under her chair. Someone behind her had left a reatively full beaker of Beer on the raked floor of the auditorium and someone else (presumably) knocked it over. Hence the flow which was now making it's way further down the stalls. My neighbours coat was soaked and stunk of stale hops. There's a good reason for not allowing drinks into an auditorium.

And a good reason to have a cloakroom … another reason to avoid the coliseum, at least in winter.  
 

which are these ‘other theatres’ that no longer have cloakrooms?
 

 

[MildConcern]

A very dicey moment at the Royal Festival Hall yesterday! I sat in first row of the choir, directly above the last row of the brass section. The Southbank Centre has also changed their rules so that food and drink are allowed in the auditorium. A lady a couple of seats along had a small plastic glass of wine placed on the ledge above the orchestra (you can see where this is going)

 

As people were shuffling back in after the break, someone's coat arm hit the glass and it wobbled back and forward very rapidly while the lady panicked and cried "watch out!". Mercifully the glass stayed upright by the finest of margins, thus narrowly avoiding upending directly into the inner working of the French Horn directly beneath it...

 

A fantastic performance of Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony otherwise

[Linnzi5]

9 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

Yes - I once had a cup of wine knocked over just by my seat and it got on my bag; fortunately I was holding my coat. This sort of thing is absolutely bound to happen.

I was at the theatre recently (seeing a musical, can't even remember which as I see so many!) when a woman carrying an espresso martini stumbled as she was going back to her seat behind me and she splashed her cocktail all down my coat and back. She did apologise but not as much as I would have! I was very gracious about it and rationalised that at least I smelt of boozy coffee and not something worse! 😂

[Sue J]

I also complained to the Coliseum about people eating during the performance of Swan Lake and particularly about the Coliseum encouraging it by selling a noisy snack like popcorn. I received the same standard reply as Balletbloke with the addition "Popcorn has proven popular amongst many of our customers, and therefore from a customer satisfaction, as well as from a financial standpoint, it has proven to be a successful venture. I am however disappointed to hear that you do not agree and will be passing on your feedback." All I can say is they will have to sell a lot of popcorn to make up for lost ticket sales. I will definitely think twice about going back.

[alison]

Welcome to the forum, Sue J.  May your onward balletgoing experiences be better!

[Richard LH]

On 15/03/2023 at 18:31, OnePigeon said:

I fear we might be in the minority in finding this annoying though, a bit like how I’m driven to stressful distraction by people playing their loud music on the train, when other people appear completely nonplussed .

Not only distractions from playing loud music..... On  the train, in cafes, in the street, wherever, people are now apparently talking  abstractedly into thin air, seeming like  they have some sort of a problem condition until you realise you are having to listen to one half of a stranger's hands-free mobile phone  conversation. Maybe the Coliseum should be allowing this during performances as well, to further "enhance one's enjoyment". 

Edited March 19, 2023 by Richard LH

[zxDaveM]

25 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

On  the train, in cafes, in the street, wherever, people are now apparently talking  abstractedly into thin air, seeming like  they have some sort of a problem condition until you realise you are having to listen to one half of a stranger's hands-free mobile phone  conversation.

 

This is why I'm beginning to despise people in general, especially anyone vastly younger than me...

Thinking about it, it's more of a reinforcement of that

[Sophoife]

36 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

This is why I'm beginning to despise people in general, especially anyone vastly younger than me...

Thinking about it, it's more of a reinforcement of that

 

🤣 I remember when the first mobile phones aka bricks became available. Someone using one on public transport was stared at and most users in my experience spoke specially loudly and clearly. "Look at ME, I have a MOBILE PHONE I'm so IMPORTANT" 🤣

 

Today it's more "I don't care if you're disturbed, irritated, upset or annoyed - it's my right to do whatever I want as loudly and odoriferously as I want wherever and whenever I want".

 

 

Edited March 19, 2023 by Sophoife
Added last paragraph

[art_enthusiast]

2 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

 

This is why I'm beginning to despise people in general, especially anyone vastly younger than me...

 

See your point but there can be older people who don't know how to use phones responsibly as well. I had a woman next to me in one Giselle last season (probably the Hayward/Campbell one, now I think back) who looked to be about 10-15 years older than me, yet she was blatantly filming parts of Act 2 on her phone. And the ushers did nothing! Hopefully they're more aware of things now, it would seem.

Another woman older than me seemed unable to put her iPhone on silent, which then caused interruptions in Act 1 of La Traviata. She was assisted in fixing the problem during the next interval, by a younger audience member sitting behind her. 

[Dawnstar]

This article made me wince https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64999417

 

Quote

A siren-like alert will be sent to mobile phone users across the UK next month to test a new government public warning system.
...
The test is expected to take place in the early evening of 23 April.
...
A message will appear on the home screens of people's devices during the test, with vibration and a loud warning sound that will ring for about 10 seconds, even if the phone is set to silent.

 

Any performances taking place that evening are going to be horribly disrupted as you can bet half the audience won't have their phones turned off so there will be alarms going off all over the place.

[LinMM]

It’s a Sunday so probably not too many performances on!! 

[Dawnstar]

3 minutes ago, LinMM said:

It’s a Sunday so probably not too many performances on!! 

 

Checking a couple of listings, there's 5 West End shows that have regular Sunday evening performances & 3 major London music venues (Barbican, RFH & Wigmore) with concerts scheduled that evening. So I imagine if that's multiplied throughout the country then, while there are fewer performances than Mon-Sat eves, there will still be quite a few performances that could be disrupted depending on the exact time of the alert.

[alison]

Not to mention people attending evensong in church, no doubt.

[LinMM]

Well presumably if your phone is switched off you won’t get the warning …I’ve also read that you can opt out of it if you want to. 

[Fonty]

I have just read that article by the Guardian's chief theatre critic.  Well, I am glad she thinks it is perfectly ok to scroll through your phone, casting occasional glances at the stage, provided the light is dimmed. I can only assume this phone wasn't directly in her eyeline.  Or maybe she is one of the phone users, scrolling through to pick up important messages or even typing out her review of the performance while it is taking place?

 

Perhaps we should all start requesting the sale of things such as nuts in their shell, or fruit such as apples and pears.  We could then pelt the stage with the remains if the performance isn't up to our elite standards.  After all, isn't that what they used to do in the good old days?  Before snobbery came in?  And think about how this could support the British fruit farmer too.  Win win all round, I think. 

 

Of course, the performers might not like it very much, but hey, there is so much unemployment in the entertainment business, you can always get somebody to trill nicely or stick on a pair of tights and kick their legs.  After all, they only have to compete with the latest video of a cute kitten playing with a ball of string.