Old theatres in London not fit for purpose

[Theatredisappointment]

I went to the theatre last week for a birthday treat and now remember why we stopped going.

in the past I have paid hundreds of pounds only to have people in front of me wearing hats and obscuring the view, people wearing huge puffer coats who are about 7 feet tall again obscuring the view. I’ve had people squashed up to me in the next seat making it uncomfortably and impossible to move, as a short person even I noticed the lack of leg room which means people behind you have their legs pushing into the back of your chair constantly.

This time I saved up and purchased a seat in the circle with no one in front of me. Amazing I thought I won’t have to worry about getting a tall person in front of me. Of course I hadn’t anticipated there would be a morbidly obese person behind me. She’d bought 2 seats obviously aware there wasn’t room for anyone next to her but instead my family and I and the person sitting next to me had to endure her body pressing into the back of our seats her stomach was hanging over onto my neck. Every time she moved which was constantly the whole row of seats moved and people were complaining.

It was a horrendous experience. I said nothing to this woman as obviously she couldn’t help it. During the interval I and the lady sat next to me asked a member of staff if we could move, explaining the problem, but were told the theatre was full.

I don’t blame this woman I blame the theatre (The Ambassador) who have squashed as many seats in as possible with zero leg room. They knew she’d booked two seats and would have seen why when they checked her ticket and yet they allowed everyone in seats nearby to suffer.

The whole theatre needs a refit. It’s unacceptable that you pay hundreds of pounds to be put in a tiny seat with zero leg room and the seats aren’t even staggered making it OK for only the tallest people to see the stage! Never again.

Her stomach was so large it was flapping around my neck

How on earth is that physically possible?? Here is a photo of rows A and B of the Circle section at The Amassador. I can’t figure how how her stomach was anywhere near your neck! Your hyperbole is why PP’s aren’t necessarily in full agreement with you.

I go every month and always book the aisle seats in the stalls. There is some more space there. I am five 1 and don’t know how taller people cope in the theatre and on planes. Can’t be good for joints.

Then you have the queues for the ladies toilets; the Trafalgar theatre, I am looking at you.

Whilst I like the National, and some of the larger W End theatres like the refurbished Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, I also love the history and atmosphere of the smaller ones. Maybe there is no solution.

I would like people to behave better with their talking, eating, phone use etc. But there is no hope there…

And did she have no legs?

That ticked me 😂😂😂😂

I can just imagine your pinched face throughout the theatre. A curled lip of distaste. Like you weee sucking a bitter lemon.

Happy Birthday!

I agree. I have done the same. I also hate all the eating and drinking by people while they are sitting in their seats. I went to a virtually empty cinema recently. It’s an old independent one. A woman plonked herself in the seat in front of mine with her hair done up in a gigantic bun on top of her head! My friend and I couldn’t help laughing. We moved to another row. Another woman then came in late and proceeded to drag the coat she was carrying along the back of everyone’s heads in the row in front of her. A lot of people just live in their own bubble with no regard for others.

How do you know she wasn’t there?

No, but they may have accessibility needs - therefore making adapted seating a requirement.

I also book stalls and aisles. You seem to get more room that way.

Yeah, saw a play at the Apollo last week, had seats at the front of the stalls and it was cramped, especially with a manspreader the other side of me.

Sge's very disabled as a result of being morbidly obese.

I hear you OP, I also get annoyed by inconsiderate and anti-social behaviour by fellow theatre-goers.
For example, we recently attended a performance where a woman who was sat near us spent the whole time theatrically sighing and tutting and throwing nasty glances at the poor woman behind her who was just minding her own business, just really bad manners all round if you ask me.
Actually, hang on...

I always manage to get seated in front of whisperers, chewers, tin rattlers, and next to people with weak bladders who insist on climbing over me at least twice during the first and second acts

I agree that a lot of the old theatres in London are very uncomfortable - they were built at a time when people were generally smaller. I dont go to them for that reason unless I can get a box with friends. And it is a shame your special night out was spoiled - it was a very unusual situation even for an old theatre. Can you reframe it in your mind so you can laugh about it in the future?

Also a 7 foot person in a puffa coat??? having said that I dislike going to my local old and beautiful theatre because its so cramped and awkward, actually my back and knee won't allow it any more.

Oh, do you know the woman? That's helpful. Can you tell us more?

You seem to know a lot about overweight people and how all morbidly obese people are disabled due to their morbid obesity. Could you share the research with us?

I don’t find the theatres uncomfortable but then I’m 5’3 and small. I can imagine it’s much tougher on larger taller people.

I do worry quite a lot about fire risks. Some of those theatres are real rabbit warrens and semi underground, I cannot imagine everyone getting out in the event of a fire.

But what is the solution? if we insisted on modern standards for comfort and safety it would cut the number of theatres in London drastically. Basically London theatre would be decimated. We can’t build a whole load of new theatres overnight and it would be very hard to find a new purpose for the decommissioned old theatres, so they’d end up being demolished (at least inside).

In short I see the issues but I don’t see a clear solution.

Much Ado About Nothing.

😅

There aren’t “disabled areas”. Some rows have one less seat so a wheelchair can tuck on the end, but that’s it.

I always wonder how ye olden days folk managed in their hooped skirts and top hats - or maybe the balcony seats were for the working classes?

You sound like a laugh.

I hate the cramped conditions in some theatres and it definitely puts me off going. DP is fairly tall and has back problems and a night at the theatre can throw his back out for a week or two. I do sympathise in that you spent a lot of money and had a horrible experience. But I don’t think you’ve done yourself any favours with your description of the woman behind you. Your tone is very disapproving of her, even though you claim to think it’s not her fault. There is also plenty of evidence in your comments of a general tendency to exaggerate, so it’s hard to believe that your description isn’t a bit OTT for effect.

I’ve been in the circle of an old theatre and felt it shake when a group of very tall and quite large people ( I think they were a family) came and sat down. It made me wonder what the total weight being held up is now compared to 150 years ago.

Exactly what I was thinking