To feel embarrassed/mixed feelings about audience behaviour at comedy show?

Yes, of course I have read the thread.

@MasterBeth have you read the thread?

Oh I feel your pain @ComingUpTrumps I think I’ve been at various shows with those people in the audience. The performative laughing is really irritating but there’s not much you can do about it.

But audience behaviour is pretty rubbish nowadays- allowing people to take alcoholic drinks into the auditorium means people tend to behave rather badly sometimes.

Some people are naturally loud others quieter. Some are very high pitched others not.

While it can be annoying, they were there to have a good time too and in the context of a comedy show they did nothing wrong.

That was a bit different to be fair. I have a friend who wears two hearing aids and she has dampened versions for when we go out to a show of any sort so they reduce audience noise but not the voice of the performer if that makes sense? Just saying that there are ways for people with hearing aids to enjoy shows - including high decibel concerts. Sad that they left in the interval, I would have hoped they might have spoken to a steward who could have reseated them.

If it was that loud and was annoying other people I don't think it's wrong to say something. We all should act with consideration to others even in comedy clubs. Saying "shut up" though was pretty rude, there were better ways they could have dealt with it.

Gosh I know I've one of those laughs and voices that irritates people. I've a loud voice. I'm acutely aware I I always try to moderate the tone. But sometimes it just gets away from me honestly. I'm not even conscious until I clock the odd eye roll or tut. Sorry.

If you find people laughing annoying, then a comedy show is probably not the place for you.

yeah I think 'telling people off for laughing too loudly at a comedy show' is a bit ott, sorry, no matter how annoying they might be. Some people are just naturally loud and don't realise it.

Like someone who is singing along at a gig (NOT at a musical, which is not appropriate!), or the women (sorry but it is always women) who do slow lengths at a pool with their head at an odd angle to stop it getting wet then tut at you when you splash them...

This happened to me at a Sarah Millican show a few years ago. There was a guy behind us who slapped his thigh, banged his feet on the floor etc. after each joke. The woman in front of us kept looking over her shoulder, then only about 10 mins into it, after a particularly funny joke, the guy whistled - the finger and thumb in mouth whistle, then head down, banging feet, laughing loudly. The woman in front of us put her head in her hands and I realised she was wearing a hearing aid. We told him and he toned it down a bit, but not much. The woman and her partner left at the interval. He definitely ruined it a bit for us, too. You can still enjoy yourself and be considerate of others, and if you can't, then it should be you who stays in to watch it on the tv.

Tks - must have missed that.

I still think it's out of order unless you literally can't hear whoever is on stage

I have a friend who laughs like a hyena, another who cackles like a pantomime witch and my dad sneezes like a volcano going off… none of them can help it. If people are going to get offended by others naturally expressing themselves then maybe going to live comedy is not for them? It was undeniably rude to tell them to shut up and while we have all encountered annoying drunk people on a night out - in many places - it’s one of those situations where you just have to do an internal eye roll and get on with your night.

My ex husband used to say to me "nothing is that funny you know" when I used to listen to comedy with my headphones on and like you I have a laugh that I'm not in control of lol but laughing is one of my favourite things to do and I think he was a bit annoyed because he didn't really get jokes and had to have them explained to him unless they were really simple lol I think he wanted me to feel small and ashamed but I used to say "well it obviously is that funny if I'm laughing at it isn't it" people laughing is one of the best sounds in the world and I don't care how loud or ridiculous it is lol

OP’s not being coy, she sais ‘she’s normally very kind and polite, so this is quite out of character for her.’

If someone is sat facing the stage and laughing how can you possibly think you have the right to try to assess their motivation?

since OP is being coy am going to either assume that relative is a male, in which case men telling women to be quiet is not a good look and should be discouraged.

Or it is you, OP, in which case own it (still wrong though - unless they were so shrieking that you couldn't hear the show)

I think your relative was right. I went to a musical comedy (which wasn’t even that funny) a few years back and the whole show was ruined for me because of a woman sitting behind me laughing like a hyena every couple of minutes. I wish I was as brave as your relative.

Like a pp I'd like to know if it was a male relative?
My DD made it clear that she'd never go to a Lee Evens show (early days) with me because I used to scream with laughter at home at him. I did also like Norman Wisdom (who he has copied). Your relative was at fault.

I wouldn't have said anything as they have every right to laugh at a comedy show however I can completely understand how annoying that must of been

Very irritating but I don't think you can say anything.

Like a pp, me and my friend went to a concert and a woman behind us was singing along loudly to every song, couldn't hear the actual performer. Thankfully there were free seats so we moved seats. I looked around a bit but I wouldn't tell her to shut up. Yes it's rude to tell her but more likely people like that would give you a gobful and carry on louder than before.

Perhaps they wanted the comedian to notice them, so they would become a part of the act.

''Performance snogging'' -at 16, just about understandable.
A couple in their 50's?- just gross.

Probably having an affair, and he wanted to make best use of a dwindling erection hence the hasty eggzit.

Your riposte @GiveMeSpanakopita made me chortle so hard, my neighbour banged on the wall as he's on a Teams meeting.

Exactly what I was about to write.