Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Theatre is the CF behaviour or would I be?

28 replies

Zeze247 · 09/04/2018 21:55

Want to take dd to the theatre only two seats left are seats 1&4 in a row so looks like someone has purposefully booked the seats knowing they’ll get extra space AIBU to book the seats and hope they’ll let me and dd sit together.

OP posts:
Fruitcorner123 · 09/04/2018 21:56

They don't normally let you leave 1 empty seat so I am surprised people have been allowed to book this. I would phone the venue and check as they can probably move the people if there's not any other reason.

Pecano · 09/04/2018 21:59

I’d chance it - I reckon most people would agree to moving up one seat to let a parent sit next to their child. You can always do a bit of dramatic acting - “oh no, I didn’t realise they weren’t together when I booked the last 2 seats...”

It’s not like the people in the original seats won’t still be together

Sparklesocks · 09/04/2018 21:59

Most sites won’t let you leave a seat in an awkward place so that’s odd

UrsulaPandress · 09/04/2018 22:02

Really odd. I'd book. Can't see why they wouldn't move. I always book an aisle seat for the leg room but as they haven't it doesn't really matter if they move up one.

PurpleDaisies · 09/04/2018 22:02

Isn’t it just as likely that it’s a lone person seeing the show? Would it be a disaster not to sit right next to each other?

starzig · 09/04/2018 22:09

I would. Some people are just funny about sitting next to someone when they can leave a space. I am sure they would have been happy to book seats next to someone if that is all there was,

bryheresse · 09/04/2018 22:23

Feel free to ask them, but you can't expect them to move if they don't want to.

They may have reasons for having chosen those seats, and they may not want to share them with you.

bryheresse · 09/04/2018 22:23

You should also obviously offer them the choice of which 2 seats they would prefer if they agree to move.

snowagain · 09/04/2018 22:29

Just book it! Even if the 2 people in seats 2 and 3 won't move (and they don't HAVE to!) you will still only be 3 seats away from your daughter.

IAmWonkoTheSane · 09/04/2018 22:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MyNameIsNotSteven · 09/04/2018 22:33

If they don't initially agree you could always reach across them every five minutes, passing drinks and snacks, until they give in Wink

Blangarang · 09/04/2018 22:36

I don't blame you if you try it, but for me when I book tickets, I'm very specific about the exact seating so be prepared for a no

Blangarang · 09/04/2018 22:37

IF they are individual seats left alone they may actually be broken if the theatre does the standard not-letting-you-book-and-leave-1-seat-available thing in which case your plan wouldn't work

Original poster
Zeze247 · 09/04/2018 22:38

I’ve seen a few booking systems recently where you can’t leave single seats for some reason ATG isn’t one of them!

OP posts:
Bitchywaitress · 09/04/2018 22:46

Might it not be a lone person booking an aisle seat?

I can't imagine anyone could be so clueless as to attempt the extreme CF'ery of booking seats with spaces inbetween to give themselves more room. Confused

BoomBoomsCousin · 09/04/2018 22:49

In some theatres all the odd-numbered seats are on one side and the even-numbered seats are on the other. If that's the case you won't just have two people to move, but a whole row. So, if you're going to risk this, just check on the seating plan that they are close to each other and not on opposite sides.

UrsulaPandress · 09/04/2018 22:49

They've booked 2 and 3

ToadOfSadness · 09/04/2018 22:50

Restricted view maybe? Therefore left until last.

Joinourclub · 09/04/2018 22:51

Maybe they are regular attenders and know that seats 2&3 give a better view?

MikeUniformMike · 09/04/2018 22:55

Reach across them to share sweets.

Skittlesandbeer · 09/04/2018 23:06

Depends on the age of your DD? I wouldn’t risk ending up a few spots away from her if she’s under 8 maybe? Depends a bit on her personality too. My 7yo would love nothing better than sitting alone like a grown up, and would likely just be a bit cross I was in the same session at all!

I guess you need to consider whether sitting in the dark with strangers either side is safe for her, also.

You certainly have to plan for the seats you are buying, not plan that strangers will agree to shuffle down for you, in case they don’t.

Sittinonthefloor · 09/04/2018 23:10

It is cf behaviour .

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 09/04/2018 23:18

Yes, I think you’re being a CF and I wouldn’t move.

positivepixie · 09/04/2018 23:32

YABU. You can't book expecting them to move.

Not quite the same but we were in the West End this weekend and a family of four were sat together in front of us - but 2 of them were moved by the usher when another 2 people came who had actually booked the seats. Cheeky beggars assumed the new couple would just say 'oh, it's ok, you stay there, we'll sit on the row behind, it's fine...'.

Momo27 · 09/04/2018 23:44

I would assume the seats left available have restricted view. In some shows the scenery, lighting rigs or even just the architecture of the theatre means that really random seats have a restricted view while adjacent ones are ok.

You can chance it but be prepared to be told firmly to stick to your own seats