To ask people to move seats at the theatre

[Homemoans]

My 6-year son really wants to see a play of one of David Walliams on Saturday, the only seats they have left are on the front row but they are 5 seats apart. WIBU to buy the two tickets and ask the 5 people sat in between us to either move up or move down?

I think many people would move if it wasn't a disadvantage to them but there is no guarantee that is the case. For example, it could mean that someone was behind a very tall person rather than a short person so had a less good view. Obviously that won't be the case if you're on the front row but there could be some other issue. I think you should only book the ticket if your child would be fine by themselves.

So a very anxious person is sat in their booked seat.

Random person asks them to move.

Their brain goes into panic mode and they don't know what to say so they gather up their things and leave.

It happens. It has happened to me on several occasions.

But it's okay because I probably shouldn't be out in the first place because I expect people to take responsibility for their own disorganisation.

Navy see my post above.

If it doesn't have an effect then presumably you would offer to move without OP asking.

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Do people really have to justify not doing a favour for someone? If you ask and someone says no, are you going to ask them why?

They don't have to give you a reason.

And I'm sure after years on here, you have seen enough not to be baffled.

Turning up in the hope that someone will accommodate you is seen here as perfectly okay.

Not being kind enough to move is seen as mean spirited

I'm an 'experienced theatre goer' and moving one seat along on the front row wont make a jot of difference

I'm partially deaf. (Mutton deaf in my left ear - can't always wear my hearing aid as also probe to infections in same ear). I assure you it sometimes can! Albeit tiny or not. Never mind my peripheral vision issues.

But it isn't up to others to accommodate someone with a child, just because they have a child

If it's important to sit by your child you either book the right seats or accept that you might be sat apart.

Having a small child is not a free pass to rock up somewhere and expect others to help you

I think if wouldn't affect you in anyway it seems mean spirited not to try and accommodate someone with a young child.

But as a pp said on here earlier. Re accommodating someone else's child means she was being expected to sit behind her daughter on her birthday.

We all know how these things work, if you want to sit together, book in enough time. You just cant go on the assumption that you can book, ask, and assume that people will move.

If people offer then great. But asking someone to move puts them potentially in a difficult situation.

But hey, expecting to sit in the seat you booked is mean spirited

So someone says 'would you like me to move so you can sit by your child' - fine (although I would assume they were just being polite)

Asking someone 'would you mind moving so I can sit next to my child as I cba to book the right seats - pisstake

I would have no issue at all in moving - have done so in theatres/cinemas and on trains/planes for years. We are regular theatre goers and I often have early access to tickets where the booking system shows the whole theatre practically empty. When i book tickets it is generally pot luck as to which seats I will pick in a general area or row.

In your case there are five seats allocated and you need them to move up one. Technically only one of the party will be affected but they will still all sit together.

There is always a risk that you will come across someone who will refuse to move but unlikely I'd say!

Since when should we be expected to have to accommodate somebody else's child because the parent didn't book well enough in advance?

I think I've heard it all now.

Totally agree Livia

Fine to offer.

Rude to expect.

I take DD to the theatre a lot - I book early to get the seats I want, eg middle of front row, cheap ones close to stage etc. I wouldn't move.

Lots of people would probably move because they wouldn't want you to sit apart from your child, but they would probably think you were rude for rocking up and just expecting it to happen; and would probably think you were a bit entitled. I've got teenagers, I wouldn't expect people to move for them, and they would enjoy a theatre trip just as much as a young child.

Ultimately they would be getting the better end of the deal as they would be budged up closer to the centre of the stage. You stay at the side. So yes defo!

And my nervous at flying teen is just as likely as a young child to feel strongly about sitting in a certain seat on a plane.