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.

love theatre. Stop trying to run it down.

I’m a tall fattie. Not morbidly fat, but I am wide and tall. So I don’t go, as I wouldn’t enjoy the experience. But I’d rather have a tall or overweight person near me than someone who farts a lot, like I had at the cinema recently

I'm fat, average height, and sitting in the front row of the Lyric to watch Hadestown was absolute agony. I'd glad I've seen it but I'm never going to that theatre again.

@Theatredisappointmentnothing wrong with the theatre problem lies with someone so obese they not only take up 2 seats but they force their way into the to ahead of them too. I had had this and it’s awful. Theatre is already extortionate - if they make seats bigger for vanity sizing then all seats will increase in price massively just like if they do it to airplanes.

One place they definitely need to look at is amount of toilets - queues are always outrageous! We need 2 women’s for every 1 man’s

So this was an exceptional case and it seems like this person needed space of 4 seats - 2 to sit and 2 in front because their stomach was sticking out, making it uncomfortable for those sitting in front of her. Even if cinemas were to refit, you would never get that much room to be comfortable in the scenario you mentioned.

For Oliver I've sat in A21 and B6, stage is high so you have to look upwards. I've sat in A16 before for a different show there, good legroom and handy for the loos!
I've only seen Phantom once, but I sat in the centre of the front row (can't remember the seat number, it was when I was at school) and it was brilliant because when the chandelier dropped it felt as though it was going to come crashing down on my head, it was directly above me!😁
Do have a good look at Seatplan though, or Theatre Monkey is also very good for seat reviews as well as other information.
Or when you're looking for info about a particular show, it can be helpful to see what people are saying on Theatreboard, there are often conversations about which seats are good or terrible, either in general in that theatre, or for certain productions.

We go to many london theatres regularly and have never had a problem.

So by your logic fat people can't attend the theatre? Is that what you're saying? What other groups of minorities shall we exclude?

Im guessing the lady had a large apron stomach

id email in and ask for a full or partial refund
as your experience was compromised and unpleasant

physical contact with someone else would of made me feel very uncomfortable

this isn’t a dig at fat people it’s unfortunate circumstances

a lot the buildings can’t be refit and to some it’s part of the charm

it’s like Blackpool tower ballroom on the balconies the stair are literally vertical

Maybe she was one of the twits

I absolutely get your frustration and disappointment OP. I agree that the charm of London theatres is fantastic, but they were built for people of 100 years ago dimensions.
At 5’10 I am painfully aware there are theatres that just don’t fit me, and worse I am so paranoid about kneeing seats as it’s something that drives me doolally. The Savoy has already been mentioned as one I will not return to.

To the people intent on making this a fat issue; how is fat different from being too tall and being considerate to others. When I fly I book an aisle seat as my legs don’t fit lots of economy flights. If I was as large as Theatre Lady I would have booked an aisle or front row seat.

I go to the theatre quite a lot. I'm very overweight and I've never had an issue fitting in my seat without interfering with the space of my neighbours. Leg room is pretty tight even though I'm not tall. Refits would cost extortionate amounts and most of the theatres in London would be listed buildings so it's not easy to refit. I'd like to think that when they HAVE to do it, they'll think of seat size of the modern era then.

OP maybe get an aisle seat next time as it definitely makes things a little easier.

This is why I try to only go to the National theatre. I love the old theatres but some of so uncomfortable.

If we see a post shortly by a woman who’s theatre experience was ruined by the presence of a giraffe sat in front of her we know why

I went to the theatre on Saturday and DH asked if I'd had a drink. I was like "are you mad?" No way I was risking having to go to the loo in a London theatre!

I am impressed. I have to go, whether I drink or not!

It's not just the London theatres. I had a very uncomfortable evening in the front row of the dress circle in the Bristol Hippodrome. I am normal weight but have long legs and I had to sit at an angle as there was not enough room for my legs.

Me too, before the show and during the interval!

Surely easier for you to just choose to go to modern theatres?

To the PP asking about Oliver - we sat second row on the balcony (first floor up) and it was a good choice. Was taking a ten year old and couldn’t risk the stalls as I knew someone taller would likely block his vision. End of the row was slightly cheaper and a good choice

Exactly!

I am bloody ginormous but often go to the theatre including old London west end. Went to the savoy recently that was horrendous! Never have I ever though had my stomach resting on the seat in front or touching the persons neck! I am very confused.

Yes! DD1 and i went to see a children's ballet show at Sadlers Wells East over the easter holidays and i was so impressed at the building, sightlines, space. It was a great experience.

Edit to add - and the number of loos in the ladies toilet!!

Almost all the boxes in theatres are a. up stairs, and b. have narrow access as a result of being side on.

I’m always sat next to the empty seats that inevitably get filled once the performance has begun meaning I have to get up and let people in when I’m watching the beginning of the show. I wish they’d be stricter about late arrivals.

When we watched phantom a very large lady was supported getting up the stairs to the balcony. Staff helping her suggested multiple times that they could sit her in stalls but she refused. Once seated at the end of our row the stewards had to open a side door they didn’t usually use and we had to go out that way rather than past the lady as she was not able to move once seated without 2 staff helping her. The staff seemed really lovely helping her but they were going above and beyond and were grateful we were all happy to use the side door (uneven steps and very narrow corridor). I felt the woman was quite selfish insisting on the balcony seats and seemingly oblivious to the chaos she was causing. They positioned additional staff at the back in case of fire as they’d need to help her. These are theatre employees not carers. It was fascinating but the staff were so patient with her as she was quite rude to them too.