AIBU to ask you if you've been to a London West End theatre...and if people were wearing masks?

[Glassyellowbottle]

Taking DD to see Six at the weekend (Vaudeville Theatre) but understand it's not a theatre that mandates masks.

So, if you've been to the West End theatre lately, what was the mask wearing like?

We were there last week (just as omicron was being announced). About 30% mask wearing, including us. We then got contacted by test & trace to say that we had been at a spreading event so we assume it was the theatre.

Yes I’ve been recently, didn’t notice anyone in a mask.

About half when I went a couple of weeks ago.

We went to see six -
Very, very few masks worn

I saw a show this weekend. People were wearing masks walking about but not that many were wearing them in their seats. They were checking COVID passes on the way in though.

I went to one where masks are mandatory last week. Practically everyone was wearing them into the theatre but as soon as the show started the majority seemed to take them off

I think more people will be masking following it becoming compulsory again in shops and a bit more caution around Omicron. But I also think to some extent it will be guided by the age of the audience and something like Six which attracts a younger and less serious one will probably have a lower proportion of maskers than more highbrow productions with older audiences. I went to see the Aurora Orchestra perform at Printworks in early November and would say mask wearing was less than 5%. Also went to see Comedy of Errors at Barbican at the end of November and it was slightly higher but still not many. But went to see a local chamber choir on Saturday and would say about 90% of the audience were in masks, with no prompting or signs saying it was encouraged etc.

As not mandatory it will depend on the night and if other people attending want to wear one or not

No masks at Cabaret on Saturday but we had to show a test text on the way in. That was planned months ago when we bought the tickets.

I've been to quite a few shows in the West end since we could including six. Reckon it's about half and half.

I think since masks have become mandatory in shops etc again you might find people wearing them more but I took dd to Ipswich theatre a month ago (okay so not London) and absolutely no one was wearing one, or social distancing etc. Which to me was fair enough because if I was really worried about it I probably wouldn’t have gone anyway.

When I saw six a month ago, almost everyone was in masks and there was an announcement requesting people wore them.

A month prior, I saw Tina Turner musical and noone was wearing a mask.

Everyone at Tina Turner was 50+ while Six was a much younger audience.

We came out of a show as the latest mask advice was announced. Very few theatre goers in them but all staff were.

I went to see SIX a few weeks ago, they did an announcement before it started asking people to put masks on and most people did.

Also saw Only Fools and Horses and hardly anyone was wearing masks.

DD has been twice to the theatre recently. Fist time they had to wear masks, second time it was masks on when walking around. Both times they could take them off when eating/drinking. She had to show proof of vaccination both times (negative tests were also accepted).

I went to see Come from Away and saw 2 people in masks in a full theatre. That was early Oct though so well before recent variant concerns and increased mask mandates.

@Cismyfatarse

No masks at Cabaret on Saturday but we had to show a test text on the way in. That was planned months ago when we bought the tickets.

Off topic but how was it? We've got tickets for Feb, am v excited

It’s a mixed bag. Saw Six for second time recently and most people put masks on when asked but looking around throughout they slowly came off.

Been to a few productions since summer and it’s very variable.

Almodt no masks 🙄 that was a couple of months back. There were annoucements but ineffective. A women in front of us just put a mask in front of her face for 5 seconds 🤷‍♀️ Not on, just by her lips 😬

@shreddies It was absolutely astonishingly good. We had the tables at the front with food (like airline food) and champagne. But it was one of the best things I have seen. I am old and go to the theatre a lot - and this is up there with the best. Jessie Buckley singing "Cabaret" is a very raw and utterly compelling take on the song. Eddie Redmayne is outstandingly good. Go early to enjoy the pre-show stuff.

Yes, a family show in the west end during school holidays. Thankfully almost mask-free. It was wonderful for all the children. Back in Scotland, again for a family show, about 80% compliant by the look of it, the rest of us wearing masks down on chin ‘holding drinks’ throughout the performance and curiously, we saw quite a few masked up young children, despite it not being mandatory for under 12. Not sure why you would encourage young children to wear for a family theatre show, but really it’s up to everyone to do whatever they want and feel most comfortable with, I don’t care if they have one on or off around me.

Most were at cabaret at the weekend. Those not were mostly people drinking at the tables.

Had to show a negative test result for entry too.

[quote Cismyfatarse]@shreddies It was absolutely astonishingly good. We had the tables at the front with food (like airline food) and champagne. But it was one of the best things I have seen. I am old and go to the theatre a lot - and this is up there with the best. Jessie Buckley singing "Cabaret" is a very raw and utterly compelling take on the song. Eddie Redmayne is outstandingly good. Go early to enjoy the pre-show stuff. [/quote]
Oh brilliant!!!!

@Cookerhood

We were there last week (just as omicron was being announced). About 30% mask wearing, including us. We then got contacted by test & trace to say that we had been at a spreading event so we assume it was the theatre.

Did they actually say 'spreading event'?

Saw Frozen at the end of Oct. We wore masks, got into the auditorium and saw nobody else was. There was an announcement before it started, asking people to wear masks and very, very few people put them on in response.