The Best of the Worst: Theatre TripAdvisor Reviews

We've all seen the dozens of articles and gripes on Twitter about 'audience etiquette' and comments on how somebody has behaved while in a theatre. But where do these audience members go to put across their side of the story? TripAdvisor.

Yes, we've dug through the depths of the one-star theatre reviews on TripAdvisor to find the most baffling complaints. While the intent for the site is to review the actual building, users see it as an opportunity to vent about the show, fellow audience members and venue staff, among other things...

The bars:

£7 for a Rekorderlig cider is an absolute joke - they are only two quid in Tesco. I can only imagine they are paying a fraction of that at trade price, so the mark-up is a joke. Everything else in this theatre is also very expensive so just bring your own.

War Horse was great but seriously skip the red wine - the organic Shiraz was wholly undrinkable. Quite possibly the worst wine I have had in 20 years of drinking red wine. See the show, drink beer.

The show itself:

Apart from some special effects at the end of each half, you would be better off buying a tin of paint from B&Q and watching it dry, saving £95 for a family of four.

Some audience members appreciate anti-touting methods. Others don't...

Officious door policy. Everyone has to arrive together to get tickets. Why? Then you can't leave the theatre to go and eat without leaving the tickets behind again. Totally stupid policy. Will never go to this place again. No idea what the show is like.

The "I've paid my ticket and I'll sing if I want to" brigade:

Well, I bought the tickets as a birthday present for my daughter. But we were asked to leave when her singing along annoyed other people! Seriously, they should have stayed at home and watched Corrie (which I love!).

As it is a musical, you would think you would be allowed to sing, nope... The staff pulled us to one side and told to keep the noise down, but we weren't even being loud. We left at the interval so we only saw half the show. Overall, I'll not be back - we were all looking forward to the show, even bought Pink Ladies outfits LOL. Total waste of money...

Just before the start of the second half, we were approached by a staff member who said "Could we please refrain from talking during the performance". My friend and I were stunned - I answered back saying I'd been singing along to some of the songs, to which I was told "Oh, you shouldn't be singing either - it's noise pollution for the rest of the audience" !!! I am totally unimpressed by the way we were made to feel - it completely spoilt the rest of the show. I will never visit this theatre again - the atmosphere that was created wasn't one of an enjoyable theatre experience, but one of being watched in fear of enjoying oneself.

The "I've paid my ticket and I'll capture memories if I want to":

During the interval of the show, a member of staff told me very rudely that I was not allowed to take photos. We paid a lot of money so should be able to enjoy it as much as we want and capture memories, but he said I had to delete them and show him I deleted them from the trash as well. He then stared at me through the whole second act - we won't be back!!!

When the excitement gets too much...

The scariest thing ever!!! I have never been so frightened and terrified. The sets were so good, the atmosphere, and the cast - Adam Garcia was sick, so was gutted to miss him. Unfortunately, I had shock during the show and my heart rate was over 150. I blanked out and was overheating. I didn't see the second half - the staff looked after me and sat with me and made me feel better. They are fabulous, the whole of the theatre team - I can't say how wonderful they are.

Finally, those who understand the purpose of theatre reviews on TripAdvisor - the actual venue itself:

The reason I have given this a low rating is because of the theatre itself. In short, after the interval, a rat hit my foot. I informed the nearest member of staff I could see, but he did nothing.

While I realise I'm likely in the minority on this, the Globe is a total failure as a venue, suitable only for wide-eyed tourists who can imagine it's an authentic Elizabethan experience. Concrete floor, poor views, terrible acoustics, planes flying overhead every four minutes - it's genuinely like standing in a supermarket car park and hoping to enjoy a play. If you actually want to see a decent production then go somewhere (anywhere...) else. I only paid £5 for my ticket, but wouldn't have stayed till the end if they'd paid me.

The show could have been great - unfortunately, I will never know. Instead of enjoying the show I spent two and a half hours in utter torture. The seats are squashed together and made out of the most uncomfortable materials they could find. The backs of the seat are just high enough to destroy not only your back, but also your full weekend. To top it off, the temperature sits at a solid 150 degrees. On the plus side, if you're feeling a bit peckish halfway through, you can just have a wee nibble on your own arm.

These are all genuine reviews posted on TripAdvisor from West End and the occasional regional theatre. Found any more treasures? Tweet us @BroadwayWorldUK!

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