Tonight at Moulin Rouge - Bad Theater Behavior

[BroadwayMarley]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 1:58am

Saw Moulin Rouge tonight - loved it in all respects.  Although we had wanted to see Danny, his replacement was wonderful.  

However, there were two audience members who exhibited the worst behavior I have seen in many years of seeing hundreds of broadway shows.  They talked and sang throughout the entire first act and when the very nice older couple in front of them politely asked them to be quiet, they got very rude and belligerent towards the couple and then started talking and singing even louder.  The couple in front alerted the usher during intermission and security handled tried to handle it as well as they could.it as well as they could.  Hats off to the security and staff at Moulin Rouge.  

Some audience members (probably those who have no prior Broadway experience) treat a show like a rock concert where it is fine to talk and be loud.  I wish those folks would stick to rock concerts and leave Broadway alone.

Luckily the show was so good that this did not ruin our experience..

[JBC3]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 4:57am

Glad you were able to start a new thread and get this off your chest.

[east side story]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 9:28am

JBC3 said: "Glad you were able to start a new thread and get this off your chest."

The traffic on this board is a shadow of its former self. 

 

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 10:16am

JBC3 said: "Glad you were able to start a new thread and get this off your chest."

I can't stand comments like this, for many reasons: 

1: Not everyone reads every single thread, or everyday here. They may not be aware the topic exists. 

2: The search function on here is a hit or miss, there are several times I know the exact thread I'm looking for and the search engine doesn't provide it. 

3: Is your comment necessary? If you have no interest in the thread then don't comment on it and let it die. The snark and sass around here is just appalling and disgusting. 

[SeanMartin2]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 10:44am

BroadwayMarley said: "Saw Moulin Rouge tonight - loved it in all respects. Although we had wanted to see Danny, his replacement was wonderful.

However, there were two audience members who exhibited the worst behavior I have seen in many years of seeing hundreds of broadway shows. They talked and sang throughout the entire first act and when the very nice older couple in front of them politely asked them to be quiet, they got very rude and belligerent towards the couple and then started talking and singing even louder. The couple in front alerted the usher during intermission and security handled tried to handle it as well as they could.it as well as they could. Hats off to the security and staff at Moulin Rouge.

Some audience members (probably those who have no prior Broadway experience) treat a show like a rock concert where it is fine to talk and be loud. I wish those folks would stick to rock concerts and leave Broadway alone.

Luckily the show was so good that this did not ruin our experience.."

I've noticed this kind of behavior at several jukies, and it's pretty absurd. No, we are not interested in hearing your lack of vocal skills. No, we do not care that you shout "I know this!" when a song has barely started. If you wish to be a performer, either do it in the shower or audition for the role. 

[V2David]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 10:58am

This is a common problem with Jukebox musicals. You have plenty of theater goers (I'm sure many first-timers) who feel the need to sing-along. I remember it became a problem for Bat Out Of Hell in London they had signs posted all around asking people to please not sing along until the encore. In fact, they would have special "sing-along" performances in which fans knew it was okay to sing-along.

Updated On: 12/16/19 at 10:58 AM

[broadway86]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 11:01am

JBC3 said: "Glad you were able to start a new thread and get this off your chest."

Hopefully, one day, you'll get over yourself.

[JBC3]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 11:15am

I have no need to get over myself. I do wish people here might get over starting new threads all the time.

What exactly is the value is a post about bad theatre behavior at one performance, particularly when it opens up yet another thread on this already cluttered site?

No one here can do anything about it. At best it inspires yet another retread of others' experiences. And the poster had started the same thread with the same post at All that Chat.

[Lot666]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 11:19am

Mike Barrett said: "JBC3 said: "Glad you were able to start a new thread and get this off your chest."

I can't stand comments like this, for many reasons:

1: Not everyone reads every single thread, or everyday here. They may not be aware the topic exists.

2: The search function on here is a hit or miss, there are several times I know the exact thread I'm looking for and the search engine doesn't provide it.

3: Is your comment necessary? If you have no interest in the thread then don't comment on it and let it die. The snark and sass around here is just appalling and disgusting."

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 11:21am

JBC3 said: "I have no need to get over myself. I do wish people here might get over starting new threads all the time.

What exactly is the value is a post about bad theatre behavior at one performance, particularly when it opens up yet another thread on this already cluttered site?

No one here can do anything about it. At best it inspires yet another retread of others' experiences. And the poster had started the same thread with the same post at All that Chat."

If its a useless thread to you, why are you commenting on it so much? Only helping it get "Cluttered". 

 

This type of behavior should just sadly be expected at Jukebox shows, its almost designed for that behavior in a sense. It's sad, but its just true. Matinees tend to help this I find when seeing any jukebox show but you can't always go to a matinee. Also, sometimes its unavoidable. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 11:30am

I don't really care if you start a new thread or not -- but if you're gonna start off by saying " However, there were two audience members who exhibited the worst behavior I have seen in many years of seeing hundreds of Broadway shows ", at least back it up!  The behavior you described happens at every Broadway show these days --- on the other thread alone, there are 100 worse examples of bad audience behavior (including a group having an entire picnic dinner!)! 

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 12:47pm

Mike Barrett said: "The snark and sass around here is just appalling and disgusting."

This comment from the same guy who told older theatergoers if you can't sit through a 2+ hour intermissionless play without having to go, "maybe theater isn't for you."

Pot meet kettle.

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 12:55pm

UncleCharlie said: "Mike Barrett said: "The snark and sass around here is just appalling and disgusting."

This comment from the same guy who told older theatergoers if you can't sit through a 2+ hour intermissionless play without having to go, "maybe theater isn't for you."

Pot meet kettle."

Fair, but:

If you're aware that the show is 2 hours, with no intermission, and complain about the no intermission, I really don't know what to tell you other then don't go and see that show. If you can't handle not going to the bathroom for over 2 hours, I understand everyone has their own bathroom issues. My point being that throughout your day, realistically most people don't go to the bathroom every hour or 2, so when people complain about these intermission-less shows I just don't get it. You know exactly what you are walking into. 

I also never discussed someone's age in that post, so please do not put words into my mouth. 

[ModernMillie3]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 1:21pm

"They talked and sang throughout the entire first act and when the very nice older couple in front of them politely asked them to be quiet, they got very rude and belligerent towards the couple and then started talking and singing even louder.  The couple in front alerted the usher during intermission and security handled tried to handle it as well as they could.it as well as they could.  Hats off to the security and staff at Moulin Rouge."

While Ive encountered some pretty terrible audience members, I have never been in an audience where someone was singing around me. How incredibly annoying. Usually, people stop if they know they being disruptive but these people sang LOUDER? Ugh. How terrible, I'm sorry that happened to you considering the price of those damn tickets. I'm glad the staff did something, because you don't get that at every theater. Glad you managed to rise above and enjoy the show!
 

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 1:34pm

I usually point out that tonight/today is bad form for naming a new (albeit unnecessary) thread, but there will probably always be at least two people singing along at Moulin Rouge, so this is probably OK in this instance.

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 2:36pm

When I saw the SUMMER tour recently -- still looking to get that hour and forty minutes back for a more pleasurable and enjoyable pursuit -- the actress playing older Donna, during her opening monologue, encouraged the audience to stand and dance and sing along. So I can't really fault the three very happy and loud guys behind me who sang through most of it, sometimes loudly. What was more annoying was they didn't know all the right lyrics at the right time! LOL As we were leaving I turned to them and said it was great they had so much fun (I was genuine. I hated the show but happy that others loved it.) One grabbed and hugged me and said something like it was the best show he's ever seen. Under my breath I said he needs to go to the theater more often. LOL 

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 6:04pm

This is another reason why I LOVE sitting in the top row up high. The wall behind me is silent.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 12/16/19 at 10:11pm

Mike Barrett said: "Fair, but:

If you're aware that the show is 2 hours, with no intermission, and complain about the no intermission, I really don't know what to tell you otherthen don't go and see that show. If you can't handle not going to the bathroom for over 2 hours, I understand everyone has their own bathroom issues. My point being that throughout your day, realistically most people don't go to the bathroom every hour or 2, so when people complain about these intermission-less shows I just don't get it. You know exactly what you are walking into.

I also never discussed someone's age in that post, so please do not put words into my mouth."

Just for the sake of accuracy, your comment was not that maybe they shouldn't see that show, it was that theater might not be for them, as in the entire art form. And I don't have the time or the interest to go back to the Slave Play thread and dig thru 100's of comments to find it but pretty sure the problem was that the show was running longer than the initial advertised run time during the early previews and that is what was causing the problem for people who weren't expecting to be sitting there that long. And as i recall the post that mentioned it mentioned it was mostly older theater goers so maybe you didn't mention age but the post you responded to as I recall did. But my point isn't about how long someone should be able to hold their pee. My point is that it just seems interesting to me that certain people who throw off plenty of snark and sass themselves are some of the first to lecture others about how appalling and disgusting it is. Just sayin'.

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 8:20am

UncleCharlie said: "Mike Barrett said: "Fair, but:

If you're aware that the show is 2 hours, with no intermission, and complain about the no intermission, I really don't know what to tell you otherthen don't go and see that show. If you can't handle not going to the bathroom for over 2 hours, I understand everyone has their own bathroom issues. My point being that throughout your day, realistically most people don't go to the bathroom every hour or 2, so when people complain about these intermission-less shows I just don't get it. You know exactly what you are walking into.

I also never discussed someone's age in that post, so please do not put words into my mouth."

Just for the sake of accuracy, your comment was not that maybe they shouldn't see that show, it was that theater might not be for them, as in the entire art form. And I don't have the time or the interest to go back to the Slave Play thread and dig thru 100's of comments to find it but pretty sure the problem was that the show was running longer than the initial advertised run time duringthe early previews and that is what was causing theproblem for people who weren't expecting to be sitting there that long. And as i recall the post that mentioned it mentioned it was mostly older theater goers so maybe you didn't mention age but the post you responded to as I recall did. But my point isn't about how long someone should be able to hold their pee. My point is that it just seems interesting to me that certain people who throwoff plenty of snark and sass themselves are some of the first to lecture others about how appalling and disgusting it is. Just sayin'."

From 4 months ago... sounds like you have a gripe with me. My comments stand, its a 2 hour intermission less show. if you believe that'd be a problem, don't go see it. There's also problems in previews all the time where the runtime is longer than expected, so again, maybe that show or a theatre experience isn't quite for you. Again, I said nothing about anyone's age. If the conversation was about older people, I did not comment on it. Thank you for accusing me of being ageist though. Funny, how someone complaining about my snark and sass digs up a comment from 4 months ago, and accuses me of being agesit. You're a real hero. 

I fully stand by my comment. Don't complain about a 2 hour intermission less show when you know exactly the kind of show you are getting into. If you think theater is too long and you don't have enough room to hold in your pee/bowels, I get it, but then maybe theatre isn't for you. From what I recall all the complaints were about the runtime. Which can be an absolutely fair criticism in terms of context of the play. Maybe scenes were too long, un-necessary plot, un-necessary characters, etc. But the main complaints for my knowledge were "wHy is there no intermission??? Do they really want me to sit for 2 hours??" Yes, they clearly do. I get it if it is not your favorite thing but you know exactly what you are getting into. Its like going to a restaurant, ordering a food you know you do not like or doesn't settle well with you, order it anyways, then complain about it afterwards. Just juvenile complaints in my mind and things that, that particular theatergoer is in more than control of. 

[SeanMartin2]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 9:07am

@ Mike:

I always find it amusing that, generally, we have no issue with sitting through a two-hour (or longer) film, but a two-hour play with no intermission? OMG! What a horror to endure!

LOL

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 9:14am

SeanMartin2 said: "@ Mike:

I always find it amusing that, generally, we have no issue with sitting through a two-hour (or longer) film, but a two-hour play with no intermission? OMG! What a horror to endure!

LOL"

Ya, this is my entire point. The complaints about it took over the thread from what I remember, hence the "theatre isn't for you" comment. Like honestly, complain about the specifics in the shown and why its too long and maybe deserved an intermission due to pacing, plot length, etc. But just complaining its too long of a time to sit down? Fine, then don't get see it or complain about it afterward. You're setting yourself up to be disappointed/uncomfortable/miserable. No one if forcing you to sit thru a 2 hour play. 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 10:02am

I have no need to get over myself. I do wish people here might get over starting new threads all the time. 

What exactly is the value is a post about bad theatre behavior at one performance, particularly when it opens up yet another thread on this already cluttered site? 

No one here can do anything about it. At best it inspires yet another retread of others' experiences. And the poster had started the same thread with the same post at All that Chat.

So?  What exactly is the value of your response?  People share their experiences about everything.  That's how a discussion board works.  It's for discussion.  The board isn't any more "cluttered" than the amount of threads each page displays as it always has.  There are no rules that people can only post new threads to discuss what you want.  And you're seriously making a point that the same topic was posted on two different sites?  Like that's something new?  Jesus.  Start your own site if your need for control is that overwhelming.

This type of behavior should just sadly be expected at Jukebox shows, its almost designed for that behavior in a sense. It's sad, but its just true. 

I've encountered FAR more bad theatre behavior in non-jukebox musicals.  In fact, there have been countless posts on BWW about bad theatre behavior during non-jukebox shows, so let's not pretend they are the problem.

[Sauja]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 10:05am

SeanMartin2 said: "@ Mike:

I always find it amusing that, generally, we have no issue with sitting through a two-hour (or longer) film, but a two-hour play with no intermission? OMG! What a horror to endure!

LOL"

Not to derail the thread (not that it's on rails to begin with), but there's nothing stopping anyone from getting up at a movie, using the restroom, and returning to their seat. In the theater, not only is it considered rude and bad form, but there are an increasing number of shows (including everything Scott Rudin produces, I believe) at which, if you leave your seat, you're not allowed back into the space.

 

And listen, some shows are better without intermissions, and having a show run that long might be the right creative choice. I tend to find it annoying when intermissions are eliminated from shows, though I also stand by my feeling that Slave Play should have an intermission at the VERY obvious place one could be included.

 

 

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 11:05am

Sauja said: "SeanMartin2 said: "@ Mike:

I always find it amusing that, generally, we have no issue with sitting through a two-hour (or longer) film, but a two-hour play with no intermission? OMG! What a horror to endure!

LOL"

Not to derail the thread (not that it's on rails to begin with), but there's nothing stopping anyone from getting up at a movie, using the restroom, and returning to their seat. In the theater, not only is it considered rude and bad form, but there are an increasing number of shows (including everything Scott Rudin produces, I believe) at which, if you leave your seat, you're not allowed back into the space.



And listen, some shows are better without intermissions, and having a show run that long might be the right creative choice. I tend to find it annoying when intermissions are eliminated from shows, though I also stand by my feeling that Slave Play should have an intermission at the VERY obvious place one could be included.



"

See this is a fair criticism of the run time, rather than others saying "Its too long I need an intermission to get up", like, okay? Thats a fair point about movie bathrooms/theatre bathrooms. Again though, it is typically on your ticket or made known when purchasing you are not allowed to leave your seat. So again, you know what you are getting into. I fully stand by my comments. As Sauja pointed out it can sometimes be the right, or wrong, creative decision to not have an intermission. Thats an entirely different discussion than " I need an intermission for a bathroom break". 

 

But, back to Moulin Rouge. I personally never noticed bad behavior at my 2 performances. First was an early preview in Boston, where the only poor behavior I noticed was during the curtain call/encore section. I VIVIDLY remember seeing Michael James Scott LIVING during that time. I didnt find it inappropriate as the cast was encouraging people to clap along , everyone stayed standing, so it felt more natural and "casual" shall we say. Same experiences on broadway although I was far left back Mezz, so there weren't many people around me to be honest with you for me to tell their poor behavior. Ing general, the general public sucks lol. I tend to expect the worst sometimes where I go. Not saying thats how everyone should feel but I tend to think a bit lower of society when going to big events like these. Im not above them or anything, but ultimately, people will behave however they want regardless of rules. Its sad, but true as some of us often experience at the theatre. 

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 1:18pm

PatrickDC said: "When I saw the SUMMER tour recently -- still looking to get that hour and forty minutes back for a more pleasurable and enjoyable pursuit -- the actress playing older Donna, during her opening monologue, encouraged the audience to stand and dance and sing along. So I can't really fault the three very happy and loud guys behind me who sang through most of it, sometimes loudly.What was more annoying was they didn't know all the right lyrics at the right time! LOL As we were leaving I turned to them and said it was great they had so much fun (I was genuine. I hated the show but happy that others loved it.) One grabbed and hugged me and said something like it was the best show he's ever seen. Under my breath I said he needs to go to the theater more often. LOL"

Agreed. I was shocked to hear that line at the start of the show. I was also surprised to hear the screaming that prompted that line was pre-recorded along with much applause. I had never seen "applause sweetening" before (to my knowledge).