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?

And there is only one relaxed performance a year at my large regional (1000 seat) theatre - a panto matinee on a school day. So saying 'tell them to go to relaxed performances' doesn't really work.

You are very right there Lou.
My friend often jokes how can her girl hate noise so much when she is the noisiest person she knows.

I think more relaxed performance
Screens in cafe area
The headphones someone mentioned above for those it would work for. This could include those who hate noise but involuntarily make noise who could bear ear defenders.

You cannot solve all problems but it would be a start to help some.

Something else that might help is if more theatre productions had live cinema showings. I know the NT has started doing this a bit. The atmosphere isn't quite the same, but you could potentially have showings in 3 screens at the same time - a relaxed showing, an extra-quiet showing and a regular showing. Then you'd just go to the showing that best met your needs.

That probably doesn't help the people who can't tolerate others' noise but are noisy themselves, though. I don't know what the answer is to that.

Cinema showings of theatre are great and getting more popular, as they also make it accessible to people who can't afford theatre tickets or the show is oversubscribed, or the theatre is too far away. And if it's shown in the cinema then likely a DVD can come out later, reaching an even wider audience.

I think I know where you were ...