Emilia West End - Baby Matinee

[Alice147]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 10:24am

Morning everyone! I thought you might find this interesting. It's about a West End show, but I think it's an relevant topic to consider for Broadway too.

'Let them roar': West End stages first baby-friendly performance

"Cliche has it that matinee audiences are full of snoring older people. But it was infants who were snoozing – and gurgling, screaming and playing peekaboo – at the Vaudeville theatre in the Strand on Wednesday afternoon. They were assembled for what is thought to be a first for London’s West End: a baby-friendly performance.

Bottle warmers and rows of changing mats were installed in the bars as part of the pioneering initiative for the hit play Emilia.

[...]

It represented a logistical challenge for the Vaudeville, where storage space was found for more than 150 buggies (mostly hauled up five floors by volunteers)."

This is really impressive. Changing stations were set up, and the Vaudeville - not accessible above the ground floor and a typical West End theatre, space-wise - was able to accommodate a sold-out show full of babies!

Do you think Broadway venues and accessibility could accommodate parent-friendly performances like this? 

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 1:24pm

This would never work. I cannot see any reason to bring a baby into a Broadway theater (or a movie theater for that matter). Even if every member of the audience is willing to tolerate the unbearable distractions that will result, Even the best of performers would find it very difficult to navigate their performances though the noise and constant movement.

[Alice147]

Posted: 5/10/19 at 4:30am

Fosse76 said: "This would never work. I cannot seeany reason to bring a baby into a Broadway theater (or a movie theater for that matter). Even if every member of the audience is willing to tolerate the unbearable distractions that will result, Even the best of performers would find it very difficult to navigate their performances though the noise and constant movement."

Fair points! This was actually an advertised matinee specifically for parents/carers and their <12months babies, so the noise issue was accounted for and no "regular" audience members had an unexpected surprise. I was at an event last night with Emilia's playwright, and she reported that the cast described it as incredible, but like performing on a motorway! 

I wonder if a baby matinee for parents who wouldn't otherwise be able to get to the theatre could become more common, though. Perhaps the West End and Broadway differ in this regard. I also think it would depend on the play or musical's content and themes, to an extent? Maybe Emilia (quite a feminist play, with an already welcoming atmosphere for audience engagement) was a natural fit for this type of event.

I'm sure the logistics of getting babies into some of the more cramped Broadway theatres would be interesting, though!