Annoying Audience Habits

[LeafConeyBear]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 1:45pm

Whenever I got to watch a show i get driven insane by people whispering and rustling their sweets. However, I went to watch Wicked and someone bought in a pizza. I was wondering what other and shocking things people have seen other members of the audience do.

[ChiChi]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 2:05pm

I am annoyed by any behavior suited more for a movie theatre or sporting event. In Arizona we have The Dodge Theatre (at least that is what is used to be called) When it suits them they like to try to push it as an arts facility. But I went to see Chicago and the whole experience was like a baseball game down to the type of food you could have inside. Hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, large fountain drink that people kept spilling.

I expect my feet to stick to the floor when leaving a movie theatre, but when it happens on your way to get a nice, cold gin and tonic at intermission, it's not acceptable.

[japhun2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 8:40pm

Don't get me started on this one--I could go for hours!

Latest one- a lady texting during a show the entire time. Not only is her phone bright in the dark theatre, the buzzing is irritating too. It was like a light switch on and off the whole show!

Grr..

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 9:19pm

I am annoyed by any behavior suited more for a movie theatre or sporting event. In Arizona we have The Dodge Theatre (at least that is what is used to be called) When it suits them they like to try to push it as an arts facility. But I went to see Chicago and the whole experience was like a baseball game down to the type of food you could have inside. Hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, large fountain drink that people kept spilling.

I saw Chicago when it was at the Dodge Theatre!!! It was ridiculous... I remember they started the second act when 80% of the audience were still in the lobby. It was seriously like seeing a musical in a ballpark.

[jv92]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 9:25pm

A new trend I hate, though it's not the audience's fault, per se:

Some directors will bring out the whole cast for bows, which will lead to the self-congratulatory audience giving a standing ovation, THEN have solo bows for each actor, who then all get standing ovations. Then a final company bow. A standing ovation is for superb, laudatory work, not for working hard and being talented, which 95% of the actors on Broadway do and are. Standing O's have become so contrived and expected that they really don't mean anything anymore.

I also hate audiences screaming and whooping during applause. What happened to "Bravo?"

ANDDDDDDDDDDD...I really cannot stand when audiences take pictures of themselves and their companions BEFORE the show starts in the auditorium. I'm no fan of over zealous ushers, but they should be more over zealous about this than half the other sh*t they raise hell about.

Finally, I've seen less of this lately, but what's with people leaving during curtain call? It's not a movie. It's not the end credits. These are people up there. You don't need to jump up and down and scream, but at least applaud politely.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 10:17pm

Leaving during curtain calls is particularly bad out here in the provinces where people are trying to be the first out of the parking lot. Oddly, it seems worst among elderly patrons. I can only assume they think they have limited time left and don't want to spend it in a line of cars.

But why people would need to rush out of a curtain call in New York escapes me. I assume most people there aren't driving.

[Insider2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 10:51pm

Oh give me a freaking break. No one brought a pizza into WICKED. That is totally ridiculous. You just want to hear yourself talk. They would never get a pizza through the door of that theatre. On the off chance that they did (by stuffing it into a bag, a purse, their pants, their cleavage) and everyone in the vicinity did not complain, then they all deserve whatever they got. By the way, how many threads do we need on annoying audeince behavior? We all know by now that you people are annoyed by anything and everything, including breathing, so do we really need another thread about how you are all so put upon?

[jv92]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 10:55pm

Until the audiences get their "public manners" back, I would "opriciate" more threads.

HERE SHE IS BOYS...

[Insider2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 10:58pm

There's already a thread on this that has like 26 or more pages of pompous commentary from this community, making fun of everyone who is not as sophisticated as they are.

[japhun2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 10:59pm

haha...

I think people are just looking for a place to vent! :)

[Insider2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:01pm

clearly, and also making crap up. No one brought a pizza into WICKED.

[jv92]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:04pm

It's not pompous, it's called good manners and obeying the rules:

Leaving during curtain call: Poor form. Bad manners. Even if the the show sucked, do you really think anyone in GOOD VIBRATIONS wanted to be in it?

Photos before the show: No pictures in the theatre. Period. It's not f'ing Yankee Stadium.

Texting: Not allowed. It's distracting and rude.

Food in the theatre: It's a NYC landmark. Not a Burger King. Used to be against the rules until the theatre owners decided to pander to the IHop Monkeys.

It's not sophistication. It's not pompousness. It's what should be expected and maintained.

[Insider2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:10pm

I hear you, and I totally agree. However, why not complain to the house manager, or take a stand and complain to the offending party personally? To bitch about it on a chat board is relatively useless.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:15pm

I had the pleasure of attending One Man, Two Guvnors last week. The show? Hilarious! The man repeating every single joke as it was being said? Not quite as funny.

[Insider2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:17pm

THEN SAY SOMETHING!

[japhun2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:22pm

exactly! Speak up--I have told off so many people and have the right to!

[Insider2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:25pm

good for you. If someone ate a pizza in front of me at WICKED, they would have pepperoni stuffed somewhere they would not appreciate. Then again, i would not be caught dead in WICKED.

[tphiliboy152]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:38pm

Actually someone did bring a pizza into Wicked. It was while Rondi Reed was playing as Madame Morrible. I heard about it through one of those backstage videos. I'll post it here if I can find it.

[tphiliboy152]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:40pm

Personally, I don't see what's so wrong with photos at the theatre before the show starts. I mean yeah during the show it's wrong, but before? A lot of people (myself included) like to take photos of themselves in the theatre with whoever they are with as a way to remember the occasion. I guess maybe it's different if one can get to see theatre often, but when it's only on occasion it's something important to document.

[Insider2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:41pm

If that is true, and the entire audience section where the pizza eater was sitting did not say anything, then seriously, I hate to say it, but they deserve what they got.

[tphiliboy152]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:49pm

^They said something about them being in the front row (at least to the occasion I'm referring to. I can't imagine it's happened more than once.)

[japhun2]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:51pm

find that video! GOTTA see it! :)

[tphiliboy152]

Posted: 8/21/12 at 11:53pm

Okay! It wasn't a video (silly me). It was talked about in the Broadway yearbook.

The link is here http://www.steadstylechicago.com/playbillyearbook.htm

It's in the fourth paragraph that talks about the yearbook.

[kazacalo]

Posted: 8/22/12 at 2:58pm

Last night at The Best Man, a couple behind me were eating potato chips the entire time, talking, kicking my seat. Towards the end of the play, the wife said at leat 4 times, to her husband, do you want to go? I kept glaring at them and almost said, yes, please go!

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 8/22/12 at 3:02pm

It wasn't really a pizza.