Theatre etiquette....

[CurlewKate]

I'm an old curmudgeon I accept that. But I went to a west end theatre for the first time since before the pandemic today, and the was amazed by the number of people coming in late, and going in and out during the performance. There were 3 phone calls before the interval! Was I just unlucky or has theatre etiquette changed?

I would say you are unlucky.
Phone etiquette is crap and I wish they would do the old announcements about it.
However, most audiences are not that badly behaved - although fidgeting has got a lot worse

Surely it’s sit down, stay put, shut up. Phone on silent and have some fucking respect.

This sort of behaviour drives me mad. It's disrespectful to the performers and disruptive for the people who've come to enjoy the performance. It's not bloody cheap either so it can really spoil it

I agree. Loud crunching of snacks all the way through, people talking, going on phones, phones ringing, clinking glasses. Someone had brought a child in who was FAR too young who kept crying and making loud noises.
It’s an expensive experience that’s meant to be special but the etiquette is really declining from audience members for definite.

Behaviour is awful nowadays at the theatre and the cinema is even worse, it puts me off going as I can’t enjoy the experience at all and I just sit their getting more and more annoyed at poor etiquette.

I went to see a play that relied on darkness for atmosphere (it was a ghost story so darker than a normal theatre) and the amount of light from phones was staggering.

Etiquette has gone out the window. The last 3 shows I've been to have had people (women) carrying in bottles of wine for the first half, then more for the second. On one occasion people have been thrown out for mouthing off, on all occasions people were unbelievably noisy and distracting. I won't be bothering anymore, the prices are too high and the audience make me think we need to bring shame back.

Theatre behaviour has been going downhill for years. People on phones, people crunching food, rustling wrappers, talking through performances, singing along louder than the performers and out of tune, standing up and wooping throughout the show. IMO the theatres need to crack right down on bad behaviour as it spoils the show.

Best crackdown I saw was at dream girls in the west end. It says no singing, no filming ect. There was a group of women on a hen do who were rowdy from the moment they came in, one of the women obviously thought she was the next Beyonce as she stood up and sung louder than the cast, busted out her own moves cheered on by the other hens. The ushers removed them all with no warning.

It does sound like you were particularly unlucky.

The coming in late shouldn't have been allowed by the ushers, and surely everyone knows how rude it is to have your phone on? I think also it depends on the type of show. Popular ones that attract lots of people that don't normally attend the theatre are the worse.

We love the theatre and my 3 dc are between 10 & 13 and have fabulous etiquette better than some adults. I had to glare at a women who kept singing during the Wizard of Oz...its not a flipping sing along... Despite it being Eldest DDs favourite musical she managed to keep it under control (We did sing all the way home though!)

After spending a small fortune on tickets for Frozen, There was a young girl giving a full commentary sat behind us. Again fine at a Panto but not when West End tickets cost nearly £100 each and you're a family of 5! The usher did come and remind them a few times, and said that if it was too difficult, she could watch on a tablet in the foyer... She soon shut up!

So in general I think it depends on the performance type, I've never had a problem watching ballet etc

@Mydickyticker my sil and I took the children to a Christmas panto at 1pm.

Interval, Reach down for my changing bag, absolutely soaking. Still dark but I can smell wine.

Turns out the row three behind us had spilled a magnum of red wine.

Now I like a wine, no issues there. But a magnum of red wine at a kids pantomime lunch performance???? Coats, bags. So much stuff ruined. Nappies soaking, just yuck.

Did they ask them to leave? Nope

I think you were unlucky.

I've seen bad behaviour now and again, but not regularly. Most shows are fine.

This wasn't a family type show-I would have been much more tolerant it it had been.

It wasn't a family type show- I would have been much more tolerant then! It was The Motive and the Cue and there was a very grown up audience. Amazing, by the way. Would recommend.

Assuming that the wine was spilt by accident then I don't think they should have been asked to leave. Presumably they bought the wine from the theatre so they were ok for them to have it.

It very much depends on the theatre and the show. Some are much worse than others.

The staff should really crack down on phone use, unwanted audience participation, talking, lateness etc. but often don't.

I think theatres should also stop selling snacks that can be taken into the show and bottles of wine. Take in one small drink in a plastic cup (if necessary). There really shouldn't be eating during the performance. People can manage a couple of hours without shovelling in sweets and Pringles.

@NuffSaidSam apologies, I was typing and eating. NOPE. It was brought in, theatre sell it by the glass. They had more bottles, nobody removed the,

I’m very lucky that I go to the theatre a lot - West End, Local professional and local amateur. I really do feel that people have forgotten how to behave. Most recently I went to see Hamilton (third time 😁) and so many people came in late, chatted DURING the show, tried to film it (the staff were quick to step in), ate noisy snacks etc. etc. it was appalling!

I remember when latecomers were only admitted during suitable points in the show or even only at the interval - these days the staff are likely to be assaulted if they try to enforce that.

I don't know what west end shows you're all going to because I'm a reasonably regular London theatre goer and haven't seen anything remotely as bad as is being described as par for the course. People do bring in snacks and drinks yes but the vast majority manage to be reasonably discreet about it, children often present (but even as an old curmudgeon I like to see children enjoying the theatre at age-appropriate shows and for the most part they've been immaculately behaved during the performance itself - saw a few interval tantrums but well managed by parents). Occasional late comers have always been a thing for as long as theatre has existed (I've even been one myself shock horror) but the ushers manage it well and keep them outside until a suitable break to sneak in quietly. Ringing phones have been an occasional curse for 20 years now so hardly a new thing but the vast majority do turn them off and there are always reminders in every theatre I've been to (either announcements or ushers walking around with signs). Don't think I've ever seen someone deliberately filming and the only rowdy person joining in the singing was a lovely young lady with special needs who sang along happily from her wheelchair and waved her hands (at a specific sn friendly performance in case you're worried) and I don't think anyone objected in that instance!

The rest of you must have got really unlucky because I actually think theatre going today is actually much nicer than previously, less of a formal/stuffy atmosphere is better IMO providing everyone respects the performers and those around them...

Oh no! Am going to see that soon and am very intolerant of bad audience behaviour.

I saw something at the same theatre a few months ago and was really annoyed by late arrivals. I think they should be made to stand at the back until the interval.

We often go to the West End theatre. I think the OP was unlucky. This isn't our experience at all. It doesn't happen at our local theatres either.

I have never seen anyone with a whole bottle of wine at the theatre. Except in a box.

We took our granddaughter to frozen for her 4th birthday. The adults were the problem!! Getting pissed and noisy ! Absolutely awful behaviour.

I think theatre etiquette has been going downhill for years.

However at the last west end show we saw they made an announcement about phones and loud rustley snacks! Was brilliant

I think you have been really unlucky. I go to the theatre pretty regularly (twice last week and going again next week) and this sort of behaviour is pretty rare. The last time I can recall poor behaviour of this type was seeing The Woman in Black just before it left the West End (where they let people take bottles in rather than a glass/plastic glass).

@BeadedBubbles Don't let me put you off-it sounds as if I was unlucky! It'd a brilliant show- and there's a bit towards the end that made me cry-completely unexpectedly. Donny forget your tissues in case it gets you the same way....... you

I went to see moulin rouge recently (dreadful, would NOT recommend!) - staff were hot on monitoring phone use, one girl on a school trip was asked to leave because she was recording on her phone. They had been waving the paddle things at her and shining the torch and then had to go and haul her out.
I think you’ve been unlucky op, I go to see something every couple of months and have so rarely heard a phone go and never noticed anyone going in and out to take calls or whatever.

It sounds as if you are describing the audience in Shakespeare's time