To be annoyed at disruption in a theatre show?

[shouldwejust]

I appreciate that this is a nuanced topic, and that there possibly isn’t a right answer.

Recently I went to watch a show in the theatre that I had been looking forward to for months. The tickets were my birthday present and something I can’t usually afford, so definitely a one off treat.

Throughout the whole show, a man who had severe disabilities was shouting out and yelling. He didn’t stop at all and continuously made very loud and disruptive noises.

It completely took me out of the show, meant I struggled to concentrate and was just annoyed!

I fully appreciate that everyone in society has a right to enjoy things, and perhaps this man was looking forward to the show just as much as me! But, I don’t think that it’s fair that he disrupted the show for the entire rest of the audience who had also paid a lot to be there.

I don’t know what the solution is to be perfectly honest. That his carer removed him when he was being disruptive? That he attended one of the “autism friendly” screenings that are expected to have more disruption?

When I said this to my partner he was shocked and said that basically we should just accept that our show was ruined for his enjoyment, as that is being inclusive. I don’t feel that inclusivity should come at the cost of everyone else?

I appreciate that I may be told I am being unreasonable here but I’d like to hear other people’s opinions here

It sounds lovely in theory that you could just move people around but if someone is yelling and shouting in a theatre it will be heard across the room. If the theatre is full and let’s say 50 people complain where can they be moved to that they won’t be able to hear it? Let’s even say it only affects the stalls. The circles can’t hear it. Half the stalls want moved to the circles. The circles are full. Now it’s possible half the circles will happily swap as they won’t mind the noise. But how do you organise that seeing as the play started 15 minutes ago? Do you stop the play and ask for volunteers to move? Do you take people’s details for those who paid £100 for stalls tickets and are now sitting in £30 circle seats so they can get refunded the difference? What about disabled people who can’t get to the circle? They now need to leave as there’s no where to move them to. So as lovely as this “theatres should just have more training be able to rearrange people as necessary” isn’t as simple as it sounds.

…Or you could just warn the noisy person to be quiet, or else they’ll be evicted.

You need to make a formal complaint OP and get your refund. You won't be the only one. Financial penalty is the only language these places understand. If enough customers demand a refund because they didn't actually get what they paid for, they'd soon start being a bit more considerate.

Really think this is absolutely right.
they like virtue signalling and being inclusive blah blah blah for their PR , but if it hits their pockets they’ll prioritise theatre goers experience over the lanyard wearing entry policy.

For example the theatre near me has some seats which can be unbolted from the floor and removed to allow a wheelchair to fit in, that’s a reasonable adjustment.

I remember in the flea pit cinema of my youth the manager would go round and kind of karate kick off any errant feet on the seats in front 😁

There's a thread on £500 Hamilton tickets. Would you want someone screaming their head off if you paid £500?

Oh, if only we lived in à society that still respected authority figures! Life would improve massively!

Do you know that the only way many theatres can pay their way is that the vast majority of front of house staff are volunteers?

Every venue I go to is staffed by volunteers, including one 900 seater regional theatre and one 750 seater in the centre of Manchester.

They would go bust if they had to pay those people, but volunteers cannot be expected to do the work your suggestion would need.

That would not be a reasonable adjustment.

So the extortionate West End ticket prices go on what if not paying staff?! 😒

I know someone who was a volunteer in a regional theatre. They got free tickets after doing so many shifts, and to unsold shows.

Late to the thread but

I went to see rocky horror show a few weeks back.
there are certain parts of the show where the crowd are invited/expected to shout out random lines/insults etc

the girl sitting in my row a few seats down took this to mean she could shout, talk and sing along all the way through. It completely ruined the show. When she told by the usher to be quite the rest of her party starting shouting she’s got ADHD and additional needs, which made the usher uneasy! However she should have been asked to leave when she didn’t shut up!!

I’ve been to a few shows recently where there was constant disruption, one here people were getting up and down constantly going in and out of the auditorium, doors banging etc and because it was a non music event there were lots of parts I missed. I found it incredibly stressful, it was a dream come true, I’d travelled a long way and spent a lot of money.
then another one which was a musical stage show but staff running backwards and forwards throughout the show, including more doors banging, I think they thought running was less disruptive than walking as it was quicker? Idk.
i have autistic kids and when they were younger we went to relaxed screenings especially because of this , I couldn’t bear thinking we’ve ruined someone else’s experience.
a lot of the time these are expensive well planned special occasions for people

Ticket prices for West End shows are absolutely insane now and basically the same as a short holiday, so it's completely unacceptable for peoples' experience to be ruined by disruptions 😠

Absolutely. But I think it’s also unacceptable for the audience’s experience to be ruined even if the tickets are cheap. The cost is relative to people’s budgets, after all - £20 to one person is the equivalent to £200 to someone else. But for me, it’s more about the social and cultural norms- people are expected to be quiet in the theatre (relaxed performances exist for those who struggle with that) and if someone can’t do that, they should find an alternative interest.

I think it's more to shutdown debate rather than virtue signalling

Made him uneasy because he imagined the online backlash on theatre and 1* reviews from people who think this is fine and "they discriminate 💔"
This infuriates me. I don't tell anyone irl I am ADHD because so many people use it as excuse for bad behaviour I don't want to be associated with it.

Yes, I agree. Caught between a rock and a hard place.

When I buy a ticket for the theatre, whether it’s the cheap seats (which I often do), or an expensive seat, where I’ve splashed out, as far as I’m concerned the contract is between me and the theatre, not between me and other audience members. My expectation is that I’ll experience an undisturbed performance, unless told otherwise (e.g. relaxed viewing or restricted view). It’s up to the theatre to deliver that and I think that’s a reasonable expectation. It’s unreasonable to suggest that as a consumer, I’m discriminating against anyone.

Exactly this. It was so unfair on everyone around us, but I think people let it slide more because it was Rocky horror. I think if it had been something like Hamilton or les mis there would have been more of an push back to get them removed

There is a lot of embarrassment when this occurs.

I went to see a “quiet” concert in Brighton, home of the woke! A man starting making a nuisance of himself - first of all standing up and then making a noise. Clearly he had LD and his carer was trying in vain to get him to sit down. At first people were shuffling and hrrrmphing but were loathe to complain. The staff were in animated discussion at the sidelines not knowing what to do. In the end the concert halted because the man lamped his carer and got on the stage and some sort of security firm were called in. (The carer disappeared…)

According to the wishes of some posters, the audience were doing their utmost to be kind and inclusive, but even the Brighton crowd had their limits!