AIBU regarding theatre experience?

[WildBelle]

I took my DDs to the theatre last night as a treat. I was up to my neck in uni work all xmas holidays so we didn't really go out and do much, so I got us tickets to see a show that I knew they'd both love. I hope I don't offend anyone with this post, I have a dd with a disability so that's the last thing I want to do.

Throughout the first half there was someone in the audience who kept singing happy birthday VERY loudly. This ramped up significantly in the second half, it was pretty much constant and very distracting, and then was accompanied by someone else who was making very loud noises (and sounded quite distressed). i am assuming that they were older children or adults with learning difficulties. Now don't get me wrong, I am completely behind the idea of people with disabilities having access to theatre or anything else, but in the second half particularly the noises coming from that direction were so loud that it was impossible to hear what was going on on stage.

If someone had a baby that was crying, they would have taken them out to avoid disturbing everyone else. I can't help thinking that the carers should have done something about it, particularly when it escalated in the second half. I personally feel disppointed that the show was ruined a bit by not being able to hear, as a single parent it's not something I can afford to do that often. There was probably getting on for 1000 people in the theatre and they would have all been affected by the noise levels.

I probably sound horrible and I really don't mean to, but AIBU?

Penguin,

The biggest thing you could do for us is a chill out area or cafe or bar area with live screens in. Would help massively.

More clearly marked relaxed performances too but the live screen big would be amazing.

Penguin - I agree. In over a thousand show reports,* I have never seen any complaints about somebody making involuntary noises disturbing the actors or performance. I have however regularly seen show reports mentioning drunk or noisy adults who have disrupted the shows.

Of course my experience may be atypical but I think it is very important to remember that this is a rare occurrence and children's shows in particular require some expectation of noise.

*show reports for anybody who doesn't know are the reports produced by stage managers after the show noting any problems with the performance

Agree with the drunks thing massively.

Actually can we ban drunks. I would rather sit next to a singing child enjoying their selves than the drunks who then proceed to go to the toilet every ten minutes because they are drinking and talk throughout.

letthirstydogslie Hear hear!

Just coming back to the thread to say I have just been to a relaxed performance (am-dram). It worked very well, theatre packed, suitable play, actors worked around it, everybody had a good time. So it can be done.

But the point was, it was advertised, so anyone who could not cope with noise due to hearing problems or sensory difficulties would know in advance.

It wasn't advertised in advance by the theatre. Jason gave a recent interview on the radio after it opened. Most people would have bought tickets by then.

It was in the last week of the run -

audioboom.com/posts/5549103-the-jason-manford-show-chitty-chitty-bang-bang-and-the-magic-of-theatre

Are we talking about the same company, January? Is it time for a NC?

Oh sorry, I see you're talking about Chitty. Not the same, then.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I thought you meant the performance that inspired this thread, not the one in your previous post.

Yes, I was a little unclear, wasn't I?

I think relaxed performances are a great idea. I can imagine they are really valuable for people with certain SNs.
What It would be lovely for theatre practitioners such as those on this thread to discuss is that relaxed performances are not A one size fits all solution, and that as an adult with certain other SNs, in my case ASD, a relaxed performance wouldn't work for me. I sometimes feel that I'm being shunted towards certain performances which wouldn't work for my needs. Someone joked earlier about having extra quiet performances - we joke, but that would be lovely for my needs!

For people wanting extra quiet performances would a performance with headphones for hearing impaired be useful. Surely you could just use the headphones on quiet. ?

How would that work ugh? My dad has a loop.thing as he has hearing aids but don't know how it works. I'm thinking something like that under ear defenders would be perfect for dd.

there is an easy answer...just have a special showing for people like the Op that will complain about people with LD'S
shove them all together, rather than making people with disabities(or conditions) go at a different time.

Theatres use infra-red rather than induction loops to transmit sounder as there's too much metal to interfere with loops (99% of loops don't work anyway for me as too much interference or just more difficult to explain getting it set up than what I needed in the first place).

So people can wear IR receivers, either which have earphones (usually ear buds or flimsy headsets) so sound goes into the ears, or ones with neckloops which then use induction from the neck into your hearing aids. Could provide more headphones but would have to be covering the ear type if they are to reduce background noise. It might be popular - I don't know if anyone has piloted it.

All you need for an extra quiet performance is for people to be quiet - so don't allow food and drinks, all phones turned off (not silent / vibrate - off), no sniffing, no sneezing (except one-offs), no belching / farting / heavy breathing / wheezing / snoring, no conversations etc. Or basically, just following "standard theatre rules". And then have separate performances for everyone that might want to make a noise.
I don't want to wear earphones because even ear defenders don't block everything out (trust me, I've tried). I just want people to be quiet. Just sometimes. In a place where there are expectations of silence. God knows libraries aren't quiet anymore

What if people cant help making a noise but are sensitive to the noise of others? Very frequent with severe autism I imagine.

Relaxed performances are great if they suit the person. Not if they are suggested to keep noisy people away from everyone else. A bit like special school is often suggested on here . There are no easy answers i know :)

That was a general point not directed at you Katy.

YANBU!

I think some theatres have special performances to cater for those with additional needs.

Although not the theatres fault, I would complain so they perhaps consider this in the future

You see Mrs tarzan the point of the relaxed performances is if they suit those with additional needs. Not to segregate them from the OP.

I think this point is often missed.