1842 replies to this topic

[Richey]

Awful girls sat behind us at  Manchester Opera House for Priscilla last night. Talked all through first few songs and when  my mate asked them to be quiet she threatened to punch him.
At the interval when we tried to explain to them why it was wrong to talk they had no concept that it was wrong and had the gall to accuse us of ruining their night!

[Duncan]

Richey, on 13 February 2013 - 10:20 AM, said:

Awful girls sat behind us at  Manchester Opera House for Priscilla last night. Talked all through first few songs and when  my mate asked them to be quiet she threatened to punch him.
At the interval when we tried to explain to them why it was wrong to talk they had no concept that it was wrong and had the gall to accuse us of ruining their night!

A criminal threat of violence for which she could have been arrested. Surely grounds to get FOH and have them removed?

[Backdrifter]

craftymiss, on 10 February 2013 - 07:22 PM, said:

I went to see The Phantom of the Opera tour in Southampton last night and the performance was superb. However, there were a group of about 6 people behind me who kept doing the following:
1. making noises as if flicking the corner of a book; like a flicker book. I turned around a number of times to glare but the were oblivious
2. retelling the whole story to the person sat next to them. It was like a delayed time feed
3. coughing really loudly as if trying to bring up a lung. Didnt try to conceal it nor bought a drink/bottle of water in the interval. In fact I think the whole show took place in a consumption ward as the coughing echoed constantly across the auditorium.

I did turn around at the interval to say that there was someone "flicking paper" I didnt know which person it was out of the 6 so only aimed it at the whole group, but it didnt stop them.

Well done for saying something, in both this and your Wobble Head story. I get a bit frustrated by many of the stories on this thread with often detailed accounts of behaviour ranging from niggling to outrageous, but topped off by the poster not wishing to say anything to the offenders. I can understand that - too often the offender is rude in response and you don't want to add unpleasantness to the irritation. I'll generally say something though, as politely as I can, even knowing things might get heated. Many of us also seem unwilling to bring in a member of staff where necessary but we really should - some of the stories in this thread would have warranted it, espcially the Priscilla threatened punch.

"Consumption ward" - that made me laugh but that aside it's a hugely annoying thing, yes we all know that explosive coughs can suddenly take you unaware and you don't have time to stifle it, and people can't help having been ill and saddled with a persistent cough, but most of the time we can easily muffle or stifle it yet so many people don't bother and go for the full lung-busting hacking outburst.

The flick-flick-flick thing is infuriating, I had to stop someone behind me doing this a few years back, they were flicking the corner of their ticket with a fingernail and because of the seating rake it was right in my ear. Other times though I've heard it but been unable to see who it is. It's on the same spectrum of annoyance as plastic cup/water bottle cracking and ice rattling. At the NT, Mrs Backdrifter had to ask the woman behind her to stop rustling her rain mac on her lap - an example of a perfectly friendly exchange, where the woman smiled apologetically and said she'd had no idea she'd been doing it, and tucked the mac under her seat.

[craftymiss]

Backdrifter, on 14 February 2013 - 10:07 AM, said:

so many people don't bother and go for the full lung-busting hacking outburst.

Now that made me laugh too; I'm often concerned with coughing behind that suddenly someone's lung will end up on my shoulder like an octopus out of water struggling to breathe.

Backdrifter, on 14 February 2013 - 10:07 AM, said:

At the NT, Mrs Backdrifter had to ask the woman behind her to stop rustling her rain mac on her lap - an example of a perfectly friendly exchange, where the woman smiled apologetically and said she'd had no idea she'd been doing it, and tucked the mac under her seat.

I also think this is often the case as people never tune into their own noise do they?  Please don't get me started on ice or crinkling water bottles!  Still it's nowhere near as bad as the rather smelly picnic some guy brought into Her Majesty's which was revolting. He was about 6 seats up from me in Stalls A and right behind the poor conductor. I wont go into details as that was posted previously! But you can possible forgive someone not realising their mac was rustling and being apologetic when their attention is drawn to it, but actively bringing in bags of smelly food is more than inconsiderate; bet the orchestra got a right nose full. Warm pasty anyone?

[KevinUK]

I was once at The Old Vic, and as soon as the lights went down the person next to me pulled a Big Mac out of her bag and began to eat it. I couldn't believe it.

[theaterfan14]

Yesterday at the Privates on Parade matinee, one man was stood in the stalls eating a sandwich and waving to the circle, I should just add this was before the show.

[craftymiss]

theaterfan14, on 14 February 2013 - 09:21 PM, said:

Yesterday at the Privates on Parade matinee, one man was stood in the stalls eating a sandwich and waving to the circle, I should just add this was before the show.

I'd have loved to have seen SRB reaction had it been during the show!

[Backdrifter]

I'm sure I recall somewhere further back in this thread accounts of both pizza and steaming hot curry being eaten in auditoriums.

[craftymiss]

Backdrifter, on 15 February 2013 - 09:16 AM, said:

I'm sure I recall somewhere further back in this thread accounts of both pizza and steaming hot curry being eaten in auditoriums.

THUD!!!!! Head hits table in despair!

[xanderl]

I saw someone eating what appeared to be a bowl of cereal with milk during a show at the Littleton