to want crying child removed from ballet audience?

[Lardycake]

I went up to London the other day to see the Nutcracker at the Coliseum. It was a matinee and advertised as a child-friendly performance, and the audience was packed with parents and children. It was noisy, there were sweets being unwrapped and handed round during the performance, and whispered running commenteries. I think it's a good thing to introduce children to theatre-going early, and was willing to tolerate such distractions. But one child began crying during the second act, and cried throughout several dances, including the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, yet its mother did not take it outside. It was incredibly distracting to me (it ruined my enjoyment, in fact), and must have been just as distracting to the dancers and musicians. Am I being unreasonable in thinking that this child should have been removed from the audience by its mother, or failing that, that both should have been asked to go outside until the child stopped crying?

I took dd to Disney princesses on ice when she was about 3.5. She was literally so gobsmacked at the wonderment, she barely uttered a word. She just kept looking at me with this face.

I think the line is where a childs behaviour is interfering with the enjoyment of the performance for someone who does not adore him.

Anyone attending a child friendly performance accepts and enjoys the fact that children attending are learning how to listen and attend and respect the performance -and that they will not do so perfectly. So noise, toliet visits, excited comments etc are all part of the fun.
But no one can ignore a child screaming across a performance. It is noise or disturbance that is prolonged or intrusive in my book.

I have no problem with children cheering, rustling sweet papers or going in and out to the loo during a child friendly performance. A long, sustained, miserable crying is a different matter and you do not sound like the self absorbed pratt who would allow that while beaming around under the assumption that 'a crying baby can be forgiven anytning'. It is those parents who cause irritation and annoyance and seem oblivious of how rude and inconsiderate they're being.

we recorded the san franscico ballet version of the nutcracker when it was on sky arts2 on christmas day. we have watched it a lot already. in fact I could probably do the dances myself now, we've seen it so often!

I would love to take him next year, they normally perform it in birmingham, but have done cinderella this year.

YANBU - did you complain afterwards? The staff really should have been more proactive in dealing with it

YANBU - a crying child is vv distracting, not just for the audience but for the performance too. I was once at a production of The Fiddler on the Roof when a baby was crying for a very long time, eventually the actor playing Topol had to stop the play and ask the adult to take the child away! Very distracting for ballet dancers too and very inconsiderate.

Most theatres have a rule that no under 3s are allowed. BUT if this was advertised as a baby friendly performance, then you would have to put up with it I'm afraid.

YANBU. As a performer myself I wouldn't have liked it! And as an audience member I would also have been annoyed. A child-friendly performance is a good idea and I'll look for one when I take DD to see The Nutcracker either next year or the year after. But crying babies should be taken out.

IMO babies should be left at home. Today I took DS to see Gulliver's Travels at the cinema. DD who is 3 would not have sat through it as it was far too grown-up to have held her attention. Hence I took DS and DH stayed at home with DD.

You wera very tollerant and so to were the staff,it must have been very distracting,Upon examination you would find the mother is to much into meditation Cranky ways of brining up children without telling them off Probably does yoga and lets her children watch Waybuloos.It is a great shame 2 bouncers didnt arrive and escort them out

Yanbu.

To be honest, it's idiot parents like this who WILL NOT REMOVE loud or disruptive children from restaurants, church ceremonies, hotel dining rooms etc that result in all of us getting beady looks when we arrive anywhere like that with our kids. In fact, a lot of these parents beam around the place as if everyone should be delighted to breathing the same air as their screaming baby or badly behaved little darlings.

yes a crying baby should have been removed from the audience - same as they should from wedding vows and speeches - but many parents dont

not the babies fault

pantomines are very different,as for children,tho i admit i love a good bellow of hes behind you at a panto

saying that a few years ago i took my dc, then 6mths 3 and 5 to cinema and panto and all behaved - baby fell asleep on me, last year at 18mths she was enthralled at lights/noise and this year at 2.5 she really enjoyed and was dancing in the aisle BUT if she was screaming, i would have taken her out

at the nutcracker when they do the sugar plum dance it must have been very distracting for the dancers :(