Coughing

There are coughers who absolutely could do more to stifle their outbursts but do nothing and just give full phlegmy flow, rattle and volume to it. You were clearly doing everything you could do control it, though, and when that eventually fails you do have to make that judgement call about whether leaving is going to be equally or more disruptive. Hopefully that might help you to feel less bad about it, but like you I'd also feel bad anyway! If you're a nice person, you can't help it.

The problem for me is that respiratory things take so much longer to recover from than any other ailment. You can feel like you got over your cold a week ago and have been clear as a bell ever since, but a rogue dust cloud will leave you wheezing for breath and realising you still have a way to go. Also, something about the air in theatres always feels a little drier and dustier than the outside air, which just makes coughing worse. All we can do is our best, and as long as you've done that, don't feel too terribly.

Very interesting post! I always feel awful & incredibly embarrassed when I have to cough, but I have a permanent cough/lung issue which has been going on for about 10 years now, and going to the theatre is part of my job. It's generally not a loud, hacking cough, but if I have to cough there's not much i can do.

I am always prepared, I have water, non-noisy easily accessible cough sweets and luckily there are some times of year when it's not too bad. One excellent part of the very dry summer we've just had was that my cough dwindled away to practically nothing. However, damp weather, dust, smoke and having a cold etc does set it off. If it's particularly bad, which normally only happens when I've been ill as well, and I have to go to theatre I will always make sure I can get out easily if I do disturb people.

Luckily the only time it'd been really bad recently was 2 years ago when I got tonsillitis, recovered and then got a chest infection, and once that was over had to go and see La Cage and then An American in Paris. I did cough a lot, it was mortifying, although everyone was very nice about it and another audience member even offered me a different brand of cough sweet to try.

Touch wood it's been ok so far this year. The only place I've ever had any issues was seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, where they made me throw away my, very obviously cough sweets, even though I explained, they still said they were food & so couldn't come in. I hadn't thought to hide them in a pocket, but will remember for next time!

I think that's awful. I'd read about their draconian methods (haven't seen the show) but that's just being a total jobsworth!

In addition to the one I usually wear? Yes MasterBear.

(I've just remembered the scene in 30 Rock where Kevin Parcell mistakes himself for that character and yelps "albino monk" when he sees himself in the mirror, and I am just laughing and laughing to myself.)

It's not like they sell cough sweets at the concession counter!

(Why don't they sell cough sweets at the concession counters? That would actually be useful....)

I remember years ago having the 'best cough sweets?' discussion and Ricola coming out on top - does that still hold true or has anyone come across anything better since?

Major cougher tonight at Troilus and Cressida. I heard her talking to someone in the interval saying she had been to the pharmacy to ask for help as she was going to the theatre! Well thanks lady for infecting the rest of us and for accompanying the actors so well as if the Evelyn Glennie stuff wasn’t good enough! If you are ill dont go to the theatre. I don’t care how far you have come and I suspect she had cos it was Stratford, just go home or back to the hotel and put it down to experience.

If i was as unwell as you say you were i wouldn't have gone.