People Leaving at Intermission

[A Canadian in NYC]

Today I was at Phantom of the Opera and the 3 older people beside me got up at the end of Act 1 and said “well that was really great!” And left.

Then I remembered bask to Falsettos In my row were 6 ladies all together. They seemed to be enjoying it. Laughed when funny etc etc. But when the first act ended they all left and never came back.

And last year I was at DEH with my friend. The end of Act 1 came and she stood up saying what a great show it was and started collecting her stuff. I told her it was only intermission and she was surprised. She thought it was over.

So I wonder how many really do leave at intermission thinking that was the entire show. There’s no verbal announcements made as to intermission. It’s in the Playbill. But I guess some people don’t read that.

Seems a shame.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

I think a lot of people who don't typically follow the theater and only go to a show as a special treat or as a tourist event really have no idea what an intermission is. I've certainly heard stories of people wandering out at the intermission of Into the Woods. 

[adam.peterson44]

I took a friend to see Wicked once who, as act 1 ended, said 'that was really good, but it feels like they left a lot of questions unanswered'.  Curious what he was wondering about, i asked him, and when he mentioned a couple of things, i reassured him that they would wrap up those particular loose ends in the second act.  He was completely surprised that there was going to be a second act and said that he thought the show had just ended, so i guess he would have left if i hadn't been there with him.

[imeldasturn]

I had to stop the lady sitting next to me at Cursed Child Part 1, she got her stuff at intermission, waved and said "see ya tomorrow!"

[(Insert Clever Name)]

People NORMALLY leave at intermission if they have not enjoyed the show, and people have said somewhere on these boards that a lot of people were leaving Groundhog Day because they felt it wasn't as true to the movie.

[youwillbefound2]

I don't understand how people do that. Like in DEH, why would You Will Be Found be the end of the show? And what about the bows? It doesn't make sense to me.

[dramamama611]

I can imagine leaving if I'm not enjoying....but I don't understand leaving because you "thought" it was over.   I can't believe there are that many people that are that unaware.

[Marianne2]

I'm wondering if sometimes it depends on the show. Okay, there are some here that I don't get why people would think would be over based on how act 1 ends. However, a case could be made for something like Into the Woods because don't they only do act 1 in the Jr. version? And isn't Falsettos made of 2 1 act shows?

[RndmAnswrs4RndmQstns]

Well, maybe if they’ve never been exposed to any theatre (or only one-act theatre??), they could think that it’s over? House lights are up, people are moving around...

Of course, this means that they didn’t crack open the program and see the song list- which is strange, because you’d think they would if they’ve just been handed something unknown. Maybe they thought it was all ads?

Personally, I don’t understand it. I would think that the concept of bows at the end would transcend to the general public.

Oh well, at least the ladies at Falsettos got a full story...

[Dave28282]

I would assume these people would realize something is off when walking out of the theatre all by themselves while everyone else stays in?

Maybe the front of house staff should ask people walking away with their coats at intermission: "You do know there is a 2nd act?"

 

 

[irishgator1]

I was at Sweeney Todd Wednesday night and the couple next to me didn’t return for the second act. They made an announcement at the beginning that everyone would need to leave the room at intermission but that couple may have arrived later and not heard? And they give out programs after the show so it’s not like they could’ve looked and read there are two acts. In any case, their absence was glaring as they were right up front in one of the prime spots.

[Call_me_jorge]

I once saw people not getting up after a one act show. That seemed even more bizarre.

[After Eight]

Irishgator1 wrote: "I was at Sweeney Todd Wednesday night and the couple next to me didn’t return for the second act. They made an announcement at the beginning that everyone would need to leave the room at intermission but that couple may have arrived later and not heard?"

 

It could be that they just didn't like it. (And if so, I can't say I blame them).

I saw the original Broadway production in previews. Streams of people were walking out DURING the performance. I had never witnessed anything like that before, but had no trouble undestanding their feelings.

[KathyNYC2]

Dave28282 said: "I would assume these people would realize something is off when walking out of the theatre all by themselves while everyone else stays in?

Maybe the front of house staff should ask people walking away with their coats at intermission: "You do know there is a 2nd act?"



"

Actually a decent lot of people leave the theater at intermission to smoke, get a quick cup of coffee, etc.

i don't think the ushers or house staff should be responsible telling reminding everyone there IS an act 2. That said, if you are leaving the theatre...you may be told to make sure you have your ticket for re/entry. 

I wonder is some people realize they missed act 2 when they read their playbills at home. I could understand not realizing there is no second act if you are not familiar with theater but I would be surprised there is no curtain call. All live performances of anything, performers take bows. 

[Caz1012]

My mom and her friend went to their first broadway show together years ago to see Les Mis.  When she got home I asked her how it went and why she was home so early.  She  didn't realize there was an intermission.  I couldn't stop laughing, and neither could she lol  My mom and her friend ended up going back to watch the FULL show and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I can see why some people who aren't familiar with theater can naively believe the show is over.  If you're new to something and you see everyone stand up, I think its not totally absurd to assume everyone's leaving.  

[John Adams]

Caz1012 said: "I can see why some people who aren't familiar with theater can naively believe the show is over. If you're new to something and you see everyone stand up,I think its not totally absurdto assume everyone's leaving."

Me, too. When I read the OP, my first thought was, "Awwwww, bless your hearts...". I find it sweetly innocent.

Similarly, I'm not ashamed to admit that when I attended my first pro baseball game @ Wrigley Field, I was curious to know if there would be an intermission.

[SNAFU]

I have known people who have left the theatre after the second act of a three act play, thinking it was over. Not to strange that mistake I guess.

 

[SarahNYC2]

Interesting-I never thought about how some people not realizing there was a 2nd act.

The only show I ever considered leaving was in 2008 Sunday in the Park with George and that was only because I went into labor. But my labor was so early I figured I might as well stay. I stayed enjoyed the show, went out to dinner and my daughter was born the next morning. I am glad I stayed!

[haterobics]

SarahNYC2 said: "The only show I ever considered leaving was in 2008 Sunday in the Park with George and that was only because I went into labor. But my labor was so early I figured I might as well stay. I stayed enjoyed the show, went out to dinner and my daughter was born the next morning. I am glad I stayed!"

Finishing the crown!

[sorano916]

I've taken my parents to numerous Broadway shows over the years but when I gave them tickets to the tour of GGLAM a couple of years ago, they thought it was only one act & left during intermission. They got all the way to their car in the parking lot before realizing no one else was leaving so they went back & was able to catch Act 2.

They don't really read programs or song lists so they wouldn't have known through there. However, I had (wrongly) assume since they've seen so many shows with me that they would've known most shows have two acts with an intermission between them.

[Vespertine1228]

I've never understood this either. Everyone knows that the show is over when the actors take their bow. Intermissions are common in non-Western theatrical traditions and they used to be common in all movies as well (and still are in some countries, mainly India). It's not an American thing.

Does anyone remember the awful Roundabout revival of The Threepenny Opera that didn't have a curtain call? People stayed in their seats for a really long time clapping. It caused major confusion.

From my former job as a house manager, I can tell you that a lot of the time people leaving at intermission didn't like the show and don't want to stay for the second half. This often includes people who "don't realize" there's a second half and are just trying to be polite/find an excuse.

[yankeefan7]

" think a lot of people who don't typically follow the theater and only go to a show as a special treat or as a tourist event really have no idea what an intermission is. I've certainly heard stories of people wandering out at the intermission of Into the Woods. "

Wow, that surprises me. I guess these people don't look at the Playbill before the show either and read there is two acts. Also, not everybody leaves their seat after the intermission so I wonder why they don't wonder why these people are still sitting in their seats.

[LxGstv]

Vespertine1228 said: " Everyone knows that the show is over when the actors take their bow. "

I think this thread just proved that this statement is far from true.

On a side note, just because someone didn’t return to their seat after intermission doesn’t mean that they left, often times people change seats at intermission... so there’s that as well.

[Lot666]

More often than not, it seems to me that the end of a first act would not have sufficiently tied up the story lines for one to assume that it was the end of the show.

[BobPopa]

I am sorry I have no sympathy, if you leave a show at intermission because you think it's over, you are an idiot. Even "Into The Woods". Especially people over 50, You made it to 50 and never went to a show, high school, or later (I know there are some people but the percentage is insignificant).