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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To miss out on this show as I don't want to wear a mask

209 replies

Witterywoman · 18/09/2020 07:42

DD and I (along with friend & her DD) were due to see a West End show we'd been wanting to see for ages. It was cancelled due to Covid. We then bought tickets for a drive in version of the show which was cancelled last minute. They've now announced a limited run of the show later this year. I was initially excited thinking 3rd time lucky but my heart sank when I read all the inevitable "Covid safe" blurb about masks, sanitising and temp checks. Sent it to my friend anyway who was "urgh no thanks". She then added we'd probably get cancelled again anyway! Although I would love to see the show I too don't think it's worth the hassle. DD & I hate wearing masks for any length of time so to wear for an entire show plus the journey into town would just be uncomfortable & depressing.

I know it's good to support the arts but I just feel sad about the whole thing. We"ve tried to go out and do normal things like go out for meals, to attractions etc but just feel sad at the reality at how far from normal things are and don't feel I can be bothered trying anymore.

No point to this really, I know why these measures are necessary but just feel so sad about it all and long for it all to end. I find seeing masks everywhere so depressing! Unfortunately reality has dawned that we may be living like this for a very very long time Hmm

OP posts:
NarcissistsEyebrows · 19/09/2020 09:09

You could always do as this man did and wear a boa constrictor as a mask instead
www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-54163293

LOVE this story

Doingitaloneandproud · 19/09/2020 09:11

You do get used to wearing a mask, I travelled to London yesterday by tube, so 1.5 hours each way and went around a museum for about 5 hours. Wore a mask the whole time, it's not so bad. But if you don't want to wear one, cancel. Just accept masks maybe around for a while so you may have to wait to see it

turnthebiglightoff · 19/09/2020 09:13

If it's Six, I'd wear the mask. It's incredible!!!

IncandescentSilver · 19/09/2020 09:13

Is it worth the hassle? I go out to relax and enjoy myself and instead end up feeling tense and frustrated.

Last week I went to a cafe and a museum with a friend. Both involved a mini lecture on their covid measures before we were allowed to proceed. Which obviously we had looked up online and read before booking anyway. We felt like children in front of the head teacher at school, it was a tad patronising and demeaning. And then felt constantly monitored afterwards, and were glad to get away. We won't be back.

AHippoNamedBooBooButt · 19/09/2020 09:17

I'm not anti mask, in fact I am incredibly pro mask - but, I had plans to go to an attraction this year, been saving up for it, then covid hit. Yes it is open again but some parts are closed, social distancing, masks etc. Not the full experience. Yet the tickets are still full price and I decided I would rather wait another 12 months or whatever and pay the (rather large) amount and get the full experience.
So I'd say wait, the show will still be there next year and you'll get a much better experience

OhCaptain · 19/09/2020 09:18

Er - maybe tell your DD that people pay to hear the actors sing and not someone caterwauling in the audience! Grin

NameChange84 · 19/09/2020 09:23

Absolutely what @OhCaptain and @ProudAuntie76 said... surely you aren’t serious about letting your daughter sing at the theatre? That’s not at all fair on the rest of the paying public. I’d ask an usher to tell anyone doing that to be quiet or leave!

Pobblebonk · 19/09/2020 09:24

If your DD sings along at musicals, please discourage her from ever going to them.

DisgruntledGuineaPig · 19/09/2020 09:28

This is an interesting thread, I know I'm making similar choices, I dont view anything involving wearing a mask as enjoyable, so I'm also not booking tickets for shows, going to have my nails done, going to browse clothes shops etc. And usually these will have additional costs from train tickets, coffees or lunches bought on way to/from doing things.

I do feel for anyone who's business is reliant on people's "fun" spending, either directly or the additional costs around them. I've not paid out for a babysitter since March, previously would be twice a month cost.

I dont know what the answer is though, I think we need masks for now.

Pobblebonk · 19/09/2020 09:29

I'm not mad about wearing masks, but recently had to wear one for two five hour train journeys. It was absolutely fine.

I saw a clip recently of someone earnestly going on about how dangerous mask wearing is, with a load of scientific-sounding stuff about the dangers of breathing in carbon dioxide and your poor body desperately trying to suck in enough oxygen. I thought at the time it sounded like total nonsense, and if it were true clearly people on my train journeys would have been keeling over with anoxia all the time. Needless to say, they weren't.

WaterOffADucksCrack · 19/09/2020 09:30

Oh for Gods sake. I’m sick of this whiny ‘I’m too special to wear a mask’ crap. Same! It's like they think people who don't whine about wearing them love wearing them. No we don't we just understand they're there to protect people. I wear one all day due to running a care home and honestly you get used to it really quickly.

OP Either go or don't. But there is really no need to be sat around "feeling sad" about something like this. Choose to go or don't but then move on with your life. It really doesn't matter!

GunsAndShips · 19/09/2020 09:38

We're waiting for our Les Mis tickets to be rescheduled. DD saw it aged 7 but it will be 9yo ds's first time and they are beyond excited. They belt out the songs in the car and at home. I have been impressing upon them for months that you do NOT sing in a theatre. People are paying a lot of money to see a performance. It is completely inappropriate to sing along.

CandidaAlbicans2 · 19/09/2020 09:47

You could always do as this man did and wear a boa constrictor as a mask instead
www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-54163293

LOL! Grin
Transport for Greater Manchester said a snake was not a valid face covering
...Using a face covering on public transport is mandatory...
"While there is a small degree of interpretation that can be applied to this, we do not believe it extends to the use of snakeskin - especially when still attached to the snake."

SomewhereInbetween1 · 19/09/2020 09:54

.

To miss out on this show as I don't want to wear a mask
OhCaptain · 19/09/2020 09:59

@SomewhereInbetween1

.
Brilliant!!!
Thecobwebsarewinning · 19/09/2020 10:21

Singing along at musicals is so rude and it’s also embarrassing to watch - as if they were the only people in the whole audience who knew the show. I was a huge fan of the Bat out of Hell musical when it was in London and people singing along became such an issue that there were signs all over the theatre reminding people not to do it and the ushers would enforce it very strictly. However they also staged the occasional special singalong performance which were an absolute hoot and always sold out but even those performances did not allow singing along with some of the more emotional solo numbers.

Original poster
Witterywoman · 19/09/2020 10:28

I don't think she actually intends to sing along out loud (least I hope not Grin) but I know what she means and can quite see her mouthing the words along with her friend which is harder in a mask. I did similar at Tina The Musical which is also quite a concert-like show and that wouldn't have been the same in a mask either.

Anyway, that's not the point of the thread. We've decided to wait until we can relax and fully enjoy the show, our choice and I accept others may feel differently which is great for the theatre industry in these times.

OP posts:
CoRhona · 19/09/2020 10:30

You should go because a) Six is fab and b) it's the shortest show I've been to - only about 45 mins.

Well worth putting up with a mask for that little time, you'll forget you're wearing one once they start 😉

Brighterthansunflowers · 19/09/2020 12:34

Six do have special sing along performances in normal times although I doubt there would be any in the current run. I was supposed to go to on in October which is now rescheduled for next year still as a singalong but who knows what the situation will be by then.

DisgruntledGuineaPig · 19/09/2020 13:11

I must say, a lot of the pro mask people are very angry at the idea other people don't like wearing masks and so make spending decisions based on if they will be needed to wear a mask or not.

The OP is not suggesting they go and not wear masks, or that they'll take them off in the dark of the theatre etc. She is saying she'll not spend her money while the whole experience isn't as nice as it would be mask-free.

I do see though if you are very pro mask, it might be scary to hear people saying they won't spend money if they have to wear a mask as the underlying fear must be if too many people do the same, the pressure will be on government to scrap mask guidelines.

I get all of that, but I'm still not spending my fun money on things that aren't fun for me.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 19/09/2020 13:49

Except visors are as much use as a chocolate teapot. They are ok as well as masks but pretty ineffective without.

I've never understood the visors thing either.

Welders wear visors: they make very good sense as they effectively protect the wearer's face from excessive direct heat and sparks that could otherwise dart out in a straight line from the materials being worked on to the person's eyes.

Some people wear visors instead of masks to reduce the risk of transmitting a virus when they breathe, cough, sneeze or whatever: this makes no sense as it provides no obstacle for any exhaled/expelled invisibly tiny virus particles to make their way through the wide-open sides and bottom of the visor and transmit themselves to another person.

TheArtOfStoryTelling · 19/09/2020 13:55

I must say, a lot of the pro mask people are very angry at the idea other people don't like wearing masks and so make spending decisions based on if they will be needed to wear a mask or not

FWIW, I'm not angry at all, just bored of people moaning. It's a British national pastime though I guess. If you don't want to wear a mask then don't go! Does that really need another thread? yawn!

SocraticJunkieWannabe · 19/09/2020 13:57

YABU not to go solely on the basis of having to wear a mask. However, YANBU to wait and go to the show in normal times. I considered booking it for Nov for me and DD but given the possibility of disruption/ cancellation due to covid, decided to wait until next year.

AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 19/09/2020 14:01

@TheArtOfStoryTelling

I must say, a lot of the pro mask people are very angry at the idea other people don't like wearing masks and so make spending decisions based on if they will be needed to wear a mask or not

FWIW, I'm not angry at all, just bored of people moaning. It's a British national pastime though I guess. If you don't want to wear a mask then don't go! Does that really need another thread? yawn!

You’re moaning about people moaning. It must be catching 😂
TheArtOfStoryTelling · 19/09/2020 14:02

You’re moaning about people moaning. It must be catching

It must be, because now you're moaning about me moaning about people moaning!