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Post by amyja89 on Mar 17, 2024 13:18:46 GMT
Whooping during moments of general crowd applause, no problems with that at all. Whooping mid song, however, is a very different story!
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Post by richey on Mar 17, 2024 13:40:15 GMT
Very annoying whoopers during the bows after A Taste of Honey at Royal Exchange last night. Was very noticeable, it's not really the kind of play to induce such a response. Got a feeling it was a relative/friend of one of the cast who was seeking attention.
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Post by hannechalk on Mar 17, 2024 19:07:21 GMT
At 'The Woman in Black' at Theatre Royal Bath last night.
The play is only two hours long, including the interval.
Woman behind me rustling through her handbag for part of act I.
Literally right after the matinée several people near me noisily unwrapping sweets, rummaging through bags.
The play is fairly quiet as it is -it just didn't help the ambience.
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Post by ladidah on Mar 18, 2024 8:01:34 GMT
A row of young boys in front of me yesterday. The one in front of me constantly balanced on the top of his seat, then falling with a thump.
In the end I just kept putting my foot on the back of the seat to make him stay still.
The Mum's were very middle class, happy to ignore the fuss and gave out homemade treats at the interval, so I also got to enjoy the rustling of the bags during Act 2.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 18, 2024 8:10:30 GMT
A row of young boys in front of me yesterday. The one in front of me constantly balanced on the top of his seat, then falling with a thump. In the end I just kept putting my foot on the back of the seat to make him stay still. The Mum's were very middle class, happy to ignore the fuss and gave out homemade treats at the interval, so I also got to enjoy the rustling of the bags during Act 2. “Peregrine, please stop being greedy and share the hummus and crackers with Ophelia!”
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Post by ladidah on Mar 18, 2024 8:23:55 GMT
It was honestly very close to that.
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Post by ladidah on Mar 18, 2024 9:17:52 GMT
Just saw Gabriel Vick's Instagram and the group of kids are on it! Can't stop laughing.
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Post by mrmarmelstein on Mar 18, 2024 10:28:52 GMT
Had a few days in London with some free show slots and decided to squeeze in Mrs Doubtfire and Frozen, both shows I quite wanted to see but had been putting off for fears of audience behaviour. I find it really difficult committing to expensive tickets when there is the fear of being distracted by bad behaviour, but even with last-minute rush it was still frustrating. Generally there seem to be great efforts to improve pre-show announcements (Mrs Doubtfire did a very good job!) but I do wonder if they should specifically start telling people that it is distracting and rude to the actors and fellow audience members not to talk during the show. It seems like people have got so self-absorbed that whilst some of them may not listen regardless, others may actually not realise there is anything wrong with it.
At Mrs Doubtfire on Thursday matinee, there was a large group of school kids probably around 8 years old, who all behaved immaculately and were a very pleasant surprise. A group of French teenagers behind me sadly did the opposite, talking the whole through which only seemed to get worse when I turned round to shush them.
Frozen was something else, sat in a decent rush seat in row G stalls but the constant talking and rustling of food packaging added to the whole theme park vibe. Their pre-show announcement welcoming first time theatregoers was lovely, but again see my comment above. Add to that the box office selling tickets after the show has started for seats that people had to push past others to reach (I know because I got my rush seat just before curtain and this was 15-20 mins in) and it was not a fun theatre going experience, although the renovation of Drury Lane is gorgeous.
Even at Dorian Gray on Thursday night, a woman next to me decided to get her phone out halfway through to take a photo.
I know it’s so difficult for front of house to enforce good behaviour, and post-pandemic people seem to have lost all sense of manners, but it’s sad that I’m starting to think they should actually start selling specific ‘good behaviour’ performances!
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Post by ceebee on Mar 18, 2024 11:33:10 GMT
mrmarmelstein This is SUCH a good idea. I'd gladly pay more not to have to share space with some people.
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Post by amyja89 on Mar 18, 2024 11:47:33 GMT
I fear that some people are so unaware of their behaviour that they wouldn't understand such performances were intended to dissuade their attendance!
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Post by fiyero on Mar 18, 2024 12:39:43 GMT
This is slightly off topic but show that signs and announcements wouldn't have a big impact on behavior! I was at Marwell zoo yesterday. They have a lovely big tropical house that you walk through in a zig-zag. It is one-way. This was strictly enforced during covid but yesterday I noticed so many going the 'wrong' way inside. It irked me, I wondered if it had changed. It hadn't. By the exit door was a massive no entry sign on a fence you had to awkwardly walk around to get in that way and on the way to that a massive EXIT sign and smaller writing directing you to the entrance. So many people were ignoring it!! One family even commented on the people coming out going the wrong way when they were the ones going the wrong way!
Whatever you do people will think it doesn't apply to them!
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Post by starlight92 on Mar 18, 2024 12:43:45 GMT
Had a few days in London with some free show slots and decided to squeeze in Mrs Doubtfire and Frozen, both shows I quite wanted to see but had been putting off for fears of audience behaviour. I find it really difficult committing to expensive tickets when there is the fear of being distracted by bad behaviour, but even with last-minute rush it was still frustrating. Generally there seem to be great efforts to improve pre-show announcements (Mrs Doubtfire did a very good job!) but I do wonder if they should specifically start telling people that it is distracting and rude to the actors and fellow audience members not to talk during the show. It seems like people have got so self-absorbed that whilst some of them may not listen regardless, others may actually not realise there is anything wrong with it. At Mrs Doubtfire on Thursday matinee, there was a large group of school kids probably around 8 years old, who all behaved immaculately and were a very pleasant surprise. A group of French teenagers behind me sadly did the opposite, talking the whole through which only seemed to get worse when I turned round to shush them. Frozen was something else, sat in a decent rush seat in row G stalls but the constant talking and rustling of food packaging added to the whole theme park vibe. Their pre-show announcement welcoming first time theatregoers was lovely, but again see my comment above. Add to that the box office selling tickets after the show has started for seats that people had to push past others to reach (I know because I got my rush seat just before curtain and this was 15-20 mins in) and it was not a fun theatre going experience, although the renovation of Drury Lane is gorgeous. Even at Dorian Gray on Thursday night, a woman next to me decided to get her phone out halfway through to take a photo. I know it’s so difficult for front of house to enforce good behaviour, and post-pandemic people seem to have lost all sense of manners, but it’s sad that I’m starting to think they should actually start selling specific ‘good behaviour’ performances! They used to have an extended pre-show announcement at Frozen, asking people to please refrain from talking or singing during the performance. No idea why they would stop doing this as it's more important than ever!
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Post by Dr Tom on Mar 18, 2024 12:45:12 GMT
Frozen was something else, sat in a decent rush seat in row G stalls but the constant talking and rustling of food packaging added to the whole theme park vibe. Their pre-show announcement welcoming first time theatregoers was lovely, but again see my comment above. Add to that the box office selling tickets after the show has started for seats that people had to push past others to reach (I know because I got my rush seat just before curtain and this was 15-20 mins in) and it was not a fun theatre going experience, although the renovation of Drury Lane is gorgeous. Were you at the Sunday matinee, as that sounds exactly like my experience (Row F Side Stalls through TodayTix rush), a family had to get through to the end seats on two separate rows? The children were quite well behaved, but the family (grandparents I think) seemed determined to check they were enjoying themselves and would eat the healthy snacks prepared. By contrast, there was a family with two male parents and two young girls at the other side who were perfectly angelic. To be fair, this was very good for a Frozen audience in my section. There was a lot of noise coming from the rear Stalls that I largely managed to filter out, but outdoor voice level of talking.
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Post by Dr Tom on Mar 18, 2024 12:46:22 GMT
They used to have an extended pre-show announcement at Frozen, asking people to please refrain from talking or singing during the performance. No idea why they would stop doing this as it's more important than ever! The announcement is still there, but goes over the head of a lot of people, especially the ones who arrive after the announcement.
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Post by A.Ham on Mar 18, 2024 13:44:13 GMT
They used to have an extended pre-show announcement at Frozen, asking people to please refrain from talking or singing during the performance. No idea why they would stop doing this as it's more important than ever! The announcement is still there, but goes over the head of a lot of people, especially the ones who arrive after the announcement. That’s the problem - the ones who need to act on what the announcement is asking and adjust their behaviour accordingly are too ignorant to listen to the announcement to start with!
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Post by mrmarmelstein on Mar 18, 2024 15:52:39 GMT
mrmarmelstein This is SUCH a good idea. I'd gladly pay more not to have to share space with some people. The problem is in doing this, theatre owners would effectively be saying it’s ok to behave badly at all other performances, so it will never happen. However much they don’t take steps to improve things, theatre owners aren’t going to go as far as actively encouraging bad behaviour at all other performances by promoting “good behaviour” performances. For the avoidance of doubt, I don’t include relaxed performances as encouraging bad behaviour, and I think these are a brilliant idea.
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Post by mrmarmelstein on Mar 18, 2024 15:56:19 GMT
Dr Tom yes we clearly were at the same performance, I must have been right behind you in row G! Long-time lurker here rather than active poster, but this does seem to happen to Theatreboard posters remarkably frequently 🤣
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Post by mrmarmelstein on Mar 18, 2024 16:00:08 GMT
They used to have an extended pre-show announcement at Frozen, asking people to please refrain from talking or singing during the performance. No idea why they would stop doing this as it's more important than ever! The announcement is still there, but goes over the head of a lot of people, especially the ones who arrive after the announcement. Yes the announcement was made, I suppose my more general point was if pre-show announcements specifically stated that the reasons for not talking or singing along are because it’s distracting for the cast and other people who have paid lots of money to be there, maybe people would think about it more. But again, it is sadly probably true that nothing would have an effect on the ones doing it.
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Post by sph on Mar 19, 2024 0:50:03 GMT
Pre-show announcements are an ongoing battle in the theatre industry. Front-of-house like them and generally appreciate them. Producers hate them and try to make them as minimal as possible.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 19, 2024 7:29:24 GMT
The announcement where they just play an audio of lots of different ringtones… I’m sure that goes over many people’s heads. Some probably think it’s a reminder to get their phones ready!
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Post by n1david on Mar 19, 2024 8:01:54 GMT
Pre-show announcements are an ongoing battle in the theatre industry. Front-of-house like them and generally appreciate them. Producers hate them and try to make them as minimal as possible. At least they sometimes work... I never understand theatres where the FOH walk around preshow with "phones off" signs... some of the target audience are still engrossed in their phones at that point and never see the signs...
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Post by alece10 on Mar 19, 2024 17:23:20 GMT
I think pre show announcements are a bit like pre flight demonstrations, hardly anyone listens or watches them.
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Post by marob on Mar 19, 2024 19:14:28 GMT
Yeah, one of my pet hates is how nobody shuts up to listen to the barely-audible announcements on trains either.
People do take notice of theatre announcements, but only if they’re right before the curtain and if they’re LOUD.
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Post by adamkinsey on Mar 19, 2024 20:08:35 GMT
The best pre-show announcement re: phones I my experience was at the Savoy a decade ago when it was a pre-recorded message by Dame Edna. Everyone listened because they weren't expecting it as she had no connection to the show. It was funny as well.
I also recall one at the Royal Opera House for Sweeney Todd 20 years ago where a character came centre stage and just stood looking out at the audience. And stood. It caused everyone to shut up and look at him. He did a mobile phone signal (using thumb to ear, little finger to mouth) then waved his finger to say "no" while looking VERY menacing.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 19, 2024 20:17:49 GMT
It shouldn’t be that hard should it? Project a message on the curtain as the audience takes their seats, if there is one. 3 minutes before curtain up do an audio announcement As the house lights go down and people naturally reduce their talking, do another audio.
Seriously if people haven’t got it by then…
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Post by A.Ham on Mar 19, 2024 22:27:36 GMT
The best pre-show announcement re: phones I my experience was at the Savoy a decade ago when it was a pre-recorded message by Dame Edna. Everyone listened because they weren't expecting it as she had no connection to the show. It was funny as well. I also recall one at the Royal Opera House for Sweeney Todd 20 years ago where a character came centre stage and just stood looking out at the audience. And stood. It caused everyone to shut up and look at him. He did a mobile phone signal (using thumb to ear, little finger to mouth) then waved his finger to say "no" while looking VERY menacing. When the Les Mis Staged Concert returned as we came out of lockdown they did a ‘comedy’ announcement with a Boris Johnson impersonator - ‘in the 1820s there were no mobile phones…’ Not hugely funny per se but perhaps it got people’s attention more than a generic house manager style announcement…
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Post by sph on Mar 20, 2024 0:19:33 GMT
Was it at Company a few years ago where Patti Lupone did the announcement regarding phones and ended it with something along the lines of "And don't use your phones during the performance... TRUST ME..." That was quite funny and people listened.
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Post by lynette on Mar 20, 2024 14:34:33 GMT
Walking around with those placards useless. Best thing is make a cast member come in costume and tell us to switch off our phones please. Never mind breaking the fourth wall.
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Post by manchestertheatrefan on Mar 20, 2024 19:30:55 GMT
Walking around with those placards useless. Best thing is make a cast member come in costume and tell us to switch off our phones please. Never mind breaking the fourth wall. On 2 different occasions in Manchester Opera House, I have seen people go and get a selfie with the person holding the no photography board.
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Post by yokollama on Mar 20, 2024 21:02:54 GMT
Walking around with those placards useless. Best thing is make a cast member come in costume and tell us to switch off our phones please. Never mind breaking the fourth wall. An audience member was snacking their way through the first part of Cursed Child. They returned for the second part when there was a pre-show announcement by one of the characters, warning us not to be eating and rustling. It was voice only but I guess it made an impression as said audience member kept those crisp packets away (and even decided to police others with the occasional shushing!).
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