Booze in theatres

Alcohol has always been available in theatres but I agree people drink too much and behave like yobs no matter where they are.

I'm WC in Liverpool. I'm on disability benefits. It's a big day out to go to some pantos. To be out with your primary aged kids, in our city centre, rat arsed, is scum bag behaviour. In your world is your right to get pissed, above the rights of young children not to get swilled with ale, in a panto/show designed for children under 11?
It's just part of the increased anti social behaviour. The areas of Liverpool I've lived in since a child in the 70's, were rough and poverty stricken, but you didn't see the behaviour and the lack of respect for others, of today.

The rise of jukebox musicals has had a big impact on the rise of drinking and bad behaviour in theatres.

I worked front of house at Les Mis back in the 90s and you could get a drink before the show, order one for the interval or battle to the bar and that was it. No plastic cups to take drinks inside the auditorium.

Yes the drinking in the theatre at some shows - cabaret was one - was distracting. It's a shame as I like a glass of wine to go in with some shows....but the bottles being passed backwards and forwards and people dropping stuff - it can take the shine off.

Also someone wondering which Theatres you go to ? . We see at least 6 to 10 shows per year and have done for last 10 years approximately. Only once did someone, ( probably drunk ), slightly spoil the performance by singing along with the songs from the musical , for a while before they were asked to stop .

Theatres have always sold alcohol.

People who are hammered at the theatre have done most of their drinking at the pub or in a restaurant beforehand, not at the theatre bar.

I personally have never seen any rowdy or aggressive behaviour at the theatre, ever 🤷🏻‍♀️I know there’s supposedly an increase in antisocial behaviour at certain shows - usually jukebox/movie-based musicals, which are marketed as a big night out and a good time for a group of friends. They therefore attract a crowd who aren’t necessarily familiar with the theatre and have potentially travelled a long way, so they treat it like having a day at the races or going to see a band play Wembley.

I never go to that sort of show because they’re not my thing, but I go to loads of other things and I’ve literally never seen/heard fights, people being drunk/rowdy, calling out during the play etc.

Oh no, do they keep letting the riff raff in?

It used to just be to drink at the interval. Now people are drinking in the auditorium from start to finish.
I haven't seen awful behaviour but I have had to step over pints and glasses of wine when getting out of my seat as people just leave them (sometimes spilt as there is nowhere to put them) on the floor.

I’ve had similar experiences OP, although thankfully yet to witness an actual fight. It seems to happen more often in the big musicals but I’ve had several performances ruined by people who are too drunk to be there.

Yes, drinking has always gone on in theatres but there is a major difference between a G&T at the interval this. People (as you say, mostly middle aged women) arriving at the theatre already half cut, staying in the theatre bar until 20 seconds before the show starts and then going out at the interval for more. They get increasingly rowdy and then spoil it for others. Theatre etiquette in general has gone downhill the last few years but I think the theatres should do more to monitor this behaviour. If people are tipsy on the way in watch them and then stop serving them alcohol if it’s obvious they’ve already had too much. Tickets and travel are expensive enough for me without having my day out spoiled because Pam and Marge need to get drunk.

Conniebygaslight · Today 09:25
leafybrew · Today 09:25

😂😂

If only we could all be properly cultured - these things would not occur
Show quote history

Obviously not high-brow enough...🙄”

Not at all! I enjoy musicals too but the behaviour is decidedly different. I’m not sure I’d go anymore because of it.

And it blocks the view of people behind you.

Oh I'm so jealous. I saw this at the cinema and admit I stumbled to the bar in the interval and demanded alcohol because I was so utterly broken. That play was amazing.

It isn't just adult shows. Last time I took my GC to a kids panto, the Dad behind us kept buying pints, then kicking them over. The whole floor was swimming in lager. I agree that the most disrupted performances gas been by middle aged women. I don't know if they are in denial about their reduced tolerance. It's one of the issues with reduced ticket prices, works night out, were the employer has paid etc. The ability to order from the seat possibly adds to this.

Never seen this.

😂😂

If only we could all be properly cultured - these things would not occur

I have never seen this and I go to the theatre a lot. There have always been pre-drinks and interval drinks.

Comedy shows are completely different though.

Lots of musicals: people get carried away and think it’s perfectly reasonable to be loud and raucous. Tends not to happen at straight plays.

Tbh, your choice of shows explains it.