Bad Behaviour at a Show

I once totally forgot about a performance due to a family emergency and Newcastle Theatre Royal box office gave me a half price seat for another night - in a better spot than I'd had to begin with. It was Patrick Stewart in The Tempest so I'd have been gutted to miss it totally!

I've done that - both ways round! Turned up for the evening when my ticket was for the matinee, lovely Savoy Box Office staff sold me a ticket for the evening at day seat price. And getting as far as my seat for a Curve matinee (FOH didn't notice either) when my ticket was for the evening. Again, lovely Box Office staff switched my ticket to a spare house seat to save me killing hours before the evening show.

I haven’t read the whole thread so I’m not sure if this has been discussed already, but aren’t theatres kind of a major part of the problem when they sell noisy snacks like crisps and popcorn in paper bags? I know they need to make money but this does annoy me a lot every time I see shows in the UK…

In Finland, where I’m from, you aren’t usually allowed to take any drinks or snacks to the auditorium. If you buy something during the interval, you are supposed to consume it before going back to your seat. Our theatre buildings are usually bigger though, and there’s enough space for everyone in the lobby areas.

Noisy snacks and theatre attitudes have definitely been discussed! I’m generally fine with drinks coming in, especially water. I was sat next to a cougher earlier in the week who I really wish had had water. The people who crunch their bottle or open cans during the show are a different issue.

I don’t think the theatres should sell alcohol during the show itself, as it encourages some people to get up and go to the bar. During the interval is obviously fine.

Noisy snacks are an issue. I was sat next to a woman and daughter yesterday who had purchased a tub of premium crisps during the interval, but of course decided to eat them during the show. Actually, the mother had tried to order on her phone during the first half but it didn’t go through. In this case, the mother did realise how noisy the daughter was after a few minutes and the crisps got put to one side. But theatres must be able to work out what it’s reasonable to serve and still make a profit. It’s hard to eat ice cream noisily. Just nothing crunchy or overly wrapped.

My view on food and drink depends on the show and also what it being consumed. A play that requires no distraction is one thing but a panto or a musical like Starlight Express? I admit I was happily eating a few sweets during the nosier sections of Starlight Express

Everything other than water should be consumed in the interval.

Even loud shows often have quieter moments. The family behind me when I saw Starlight Express started eating popcorn every time there was a quiet moment and the children were bored. And those paper bags make a lot of noise.

Except when they spend several minutes scraping every last morsel out of the tub.

Sometimes I don't mind a water at the interval if it is a particularly hot day

Unbelievable display of arrogance at Two Strangers this evening where a woman decided to answer her phone in the second half and tap out a message for several minutes, along with the guy next to her who was also on his phone. Both in their early sixties. Even a tap on the hand from me and a "put it away" failed to deter her along with the hushed comments of those around her. Punctured the mood of an otherwise wonderful show. Then at the end she gave the obligatory standing ovation and filmed the bows of the two actors. Complete muppets.

In the end it made me laugh but I went to see The Book of Mormon for the third time last week, and the couple behind me guffawing and loudly saying ‘they can’t say that!’ after each gag was quite something 😂