AIBU to think you don't sing along in the theatre??

[OtraCosaMariposa]

Went to see Mamma Mia last night with DD. Packed theatre, and it's the sort of show where everyone knows all of the songs.

Had the misfortune to sit directly in front of a group of about 5 women who seemed to think it was a karaoke or singalong performance. By the time we'd got to "Thank you for the Music" I was ready for strangling them lot of them. Few hard stares from me, DD and other people around us finally shut them up.

But AIBU to think that when you pay to see a professional cast, it's the cast you want to hear sing, not randomers?

(Apart from the show's finale though where everyone is up and belting out Waterloo)

My gran used to take me to westend musicals when I was young, and sing at every one.
If she didn't know all the lyrics she'd 'do de do' in a Reeves & Mortimer club singer stylee. She would continue singing during the interval.
I used to sing into my seat.
The memory makes me pee myself laughing now
Yanbu op.

Sink into my seat, not sing!

Ticket prices are too expensive to listen to other people singing. Go to a singalong if you want to sing unless it's traditional (like Rocky Horror) or the encore songs. I would have complained immediately tbh and got theatre staff involved if they didn't shut up.

@gingerscot yes what is now with everywhere you go so many older people are drunk and loud?

I don't really like that you can take drink alcohol while watching shows or concerts. At concerts some people drink so much and get so loud you can hardly hear the music. Then they go in and out to buy yet more drink and, of course, in and out for the loo. Drives me mad

Those that ‘can’t help themselves’, do you realise how utterly disrespectful you’re being to the cast, let alone other audience members. They are 100% pissed off with you and moaning backstage about it. They’re working their backsides off and you’re spoiling the show, I mean literally spoiling it, it doesn’t matter if it’s Mamma Mia or Hamilton.

Do NOT (throw away your shot...) sing along at Hamilton, apart from KGs Da Da Das on his instruction, your fellow audience members and cast will hate you!

Theatre etiquette is a real thing, if you’re unsure of anything ask front of house staff and stop being so selfish and entitled.

I think you are also allowed to sing whoa oh whoa oh oh when Laurens says Everybody sing Let em hear ya in My Shot. Certainly people did when I went very early on in the run.

He literally looks right at the audience when he says it so I assumed so.

Lo these many years past, I went to see Titanic in the cinema. Over the credits as people were leaving, an unselfconscious young woman with a pure, true voice sang along with Celine Dion.

It was beautiful and I've never forgotten it.

Oh no. I've done this, sung along quietly with Les Mis. I honestly didn't realise it wasn't the done thing or apparently think about the people around me.
I will never do it again! So OP you have changed the behaviour of one person.

But why would you think it’s the done thing? Who has paid ££££ to come and listen to you? It’s not a sing along 😂

Someone tried to shush me at rocky horror.
I ignored them.
It totally depends on the musical, I have sat silent through evita, for example, but would have thought mamma Mia was a singalong type show

but would have thought mamma Mia was a singalong type show

But why would you think that?

Singalong shows exist and are specifically marketed as such. Regular shows aren’t.

You know the price of the tickets. Do you think ppl are paying that money to have your karaoke drowning out the professional performers? Really?

Jukebox musical are not singalong shows. I really don't know why people have that mis-apprehension.

Rocky Horror is a unique case in that the participation stems from the film but mabny theatres are clamping down on some elements of the participation.

Even at Six you only sing and dance along to the Megasix.

We had the worse theatre experience ever on Friday. Nine to Five- The Dolly Parton musical at the Palace in Manchester. To be fair the prosecco crowd really only got up and sang to the titular hit but they were awful, shrieking, pissed up, continuously getting up for the loo and swigging from wine bottles they appeared to have smuggled in. And they didnt stop eating lol

Was a crap musical too- and I love Dolly

I just said I would have thought. I wasnt stating it as my opinion that it was a singalong.
I havent been. Not likely to either.
But if I did go I would take my cue from everyone else.
So please calm down

Should have gone across the way to & Juliet. I really fancy that one.

Jukebox musical are not singalong shows

NO musicals are singalong shows! I think the problem with the jukebox ones are that most people alive will have sung along to Dancing Queen or Bohemian Rhapsody at some point in their lives - they're much more familiar with the music than with "traditional" musicals.

It's just not on. If I were in the cast and people were singing I'd just stop and let them carry on, seeing as they obviously think they can do it better.

Have never seen Rocky Horror but I am aware that it's different in that people get dressed up and throw things? (or did I just make that bit up).

We had the worse theatre experience ever on Friday. Nine to Five- The Dolly Parton musical at the Palace in Manchester.

It's coming to Glasgow soon... was looking at tickets. Think i'll give it a miss!

I havent been. Not likely to either.

But you did sing along and refuse to be shushed at Rocky Horror ...

What is wrong with people that they think it is OK to do this? Even for Mamma Mia, if it is not billed as a sing-along version and you have not been explicitly encouraged by the management or cast to join in, then shut the fuck up!

If I had paid £75+ for tickets for a West End musical I want to listen to the professional cast. Incidentally DD went to see Mamma Mia in London a few weeks ago and she must have been fortunate because she said nobody sang along and it was brilliant.

Yes, but as you pointed out, RH is specifically marketed as encouraging audience participation.
Evita, for example, is not, and as i said in my first post i sat silent through that.
So the lady who shushed me was the one out of line. I'm not sure what she was expecting but she seemed to find the whole thing uncomfortable

Newbie You sound fun! I find it weird when people don't sing along! I literally can't help myself because I get so carried away in the moment. Bloody love it. Luckily I only seem to have been sat near fun people myself so no one has moaned about it

You sound like a total nightmare.
You can help yourself, you just don't bother to. No one's paying £50 a ticket to hear you caterwaul over the cast.

I'm actually, genuinely gobsmacked that there are people who don't realise it's 'not the done thing' to sing along at a musical. It truly seems impossible to me that anyone could be so oblivious to their impact on the world around them.

I've had this at Mamma Mia and Jersey Boys and hated it. These are musicals with plots, scripts and emotional high and low points. There is the chance to get up and sing at the end and the cast make that moment very clear. If you want to sing and dance along to Abba songs all evening go to a tribute gig.

At Mamma Mia there was one particular moment (I think during The Winner Takes It All) when Donna pauses for emotional effect. Of course the group pissed up middle aged women behind me carried on singing through the pause, then fell about laughing at their mistake, oblivious to the tuts and glares around them.

I'm shocked at the number of people saying singing along is expected!

If in doubt read the Bad Behaviour at a Show thread on Theatreboard!

theatreboard.co.uk/thread/13/bad-behaviour-show?page=1