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 would move too but if you think your son wouldn't want to sit on his own don't risk it.

I would move, but I think the ones moving should be moving in the better direction.

If that makes sense!

I'm surprised the theatre let people book so single, spare seats like that were left.

We booked tickets in March for a June performance (different play/theatre) and struggled to get 4 seats together that didn't leave a single seat, so the system refused our booking. Lots of groups of 5 seats. We ended up booking much further back to get seats acceptable to the system.

I take care when booking to get seats where I want them, and book well in advance, so no, I wouldn't move for you and your child. Sorry.

In those seats, I wouldn't mind moving in. But the seats left are pretty shitty and I would imagine, even shittier for a 6yo. I wouldn't bother this time OP.

Yeah that's not reasonable

Get tickets for another day

Massively unreasonable. Would YOU move your kid to accommodate someone else's? Cos it'll be full of kids.

Assuming all seats are perfectly good, I would move quite happily. But I guess others may reserve the right to refuse.

Do 6 year olds really ask to go to see a David Walliams play? . I can't imagine my DS at that age making a request like that.

You can ask I suppose but be clear that people might say no and dont be annoyed if they do.

Try ringing the box office to ask about returns, you might get lucky they way and find two seats together.

YANBU to ask them on the day but you would be unreasonable to expect or pressure them too. I recently refused to move seats for two ladies who asked me to who had booked similar seats. I wanted to sit in the seat I had chosen. It was the best seat for me and my family. However if it had no impact on my view then I would move without any problem if I was asked politely.

I'd book them and go. But my 6 year old would be ok with sitting a few seats away.

I'd also like to think most people would shift down a seat once they realised your situation.

If you took the one near the end, and asked everyone to move along, I think that is fine. If you took the one near the middle and asked everyone to move along, I would not be happy.

FFS, yes! Book another performance. Can't believe the entitlement of people.

'I'm surprised the theatre let people book so single, spare seats like that were left.'

I go to the theatre alone. It's not a 'spare' seat I sit in, it's a single seat I booked.

I see two seats one behind the other - book those and let your son sit on your knee or stand in front of you , if need be. I'd rather that than ask people to move.

Is it gansta granny? If it is I doubt people will move as they'll have picked seats based on having their children with them.

Many people book on the day they can have the seat they want, so yes it is unreasonable.
I agree with above, sitting your child in front of you would be my preferred option. In real life I would just book another day frankly.

There are some right miserable righteous bastards around. I can't imagine living like that...'16K is MY seat, I own it for this performance, and I will not move for you, 6 year old child, even though there is no godly reason why not'...

OP my DH once booked six tickets to a concert for us, my parents and his parents. They were on 3 separate rows, and all of them were split as you describe (don't ask me why he decided to buy them like that).

We split into couples per row and went to our allotted seats but as soon as people realised we were together each row shifted so that each couple could sit together, it was lovely for us and made absolutely no difference to them, everyone was happy, what a lovely world we live in where people will make very minor changes to something pretty irrelevant so that other people can have a nicer time and everyone feels good.

I'd be really surprised if in real life (not on here!) people wouldn't move down for you, with the obvious disclaimer of as long as it doesn't mean a much worse view or position for them. I would book and hope for the best, assuming most people have a spark of human kindness.

YANBU If youask them to move in the direction that benefits them, then why wouldn't they move. I can't understand why people are being so outraged at the idea.

What difference does one seat make?

Only problem you'll have is if you meet folks like those on this thread who would rather make a point than do a simple thing that's no detriment to them to help someone else.

I've been called by the box office before to see if I would mind moving (usually to a better seat) for various reasons. I'd give them a call and see what they can do. But if you asked me, in the day, of course I would move along one seat so you could sit with your child.

No you wouldn't as long as you have the 'worse' seats (i.e. The ones to the left of the stage.) I am a regular theatre goer and have had this asked of me several times and seen it several times. Never been an issue as long as the quality of viewing is either not affected or improved for the other patrons.

Ones to the right of the stage I mean. I have 'stage left' in my head.

Yes. What would you do if they didn't want to move?

Pay for both seats and get him to sit on your lap? Anything else is YABU.

One seat over and actually one seat better is unlikely to bother anyone, it's not the same situation as on a plane. They might not and you'd need to be prepared to be told no but it shouldn't be an issue