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.

Bristol hippodrome is the most uncomfortable theatre I’ve ever been to. Royal theatre Bath however is great.

I must admit I do like the theatre seats at the Barbican and the Bridge theatre. Plenty of space, comfortable and not precipitously steep.

Sohoplace is a nice new theatre. I love the Bridge and also Regents Park

I love old theatres and think they’re amazing but I agree, they need to do something about the seating and the legroom. They need to rip them out and start again with more comfortable, wider seats, and fewer rows.

I’m sure that could be done while retaining the character and structure of the old theatres.

The big issue is, of course, money. Doing that will cost them big time and fewer seats = more expensive tickets.

I love the atmosphere of the theatre. But they are very inconvenient. A lot of stairs, view obstructions, no leg room, toilet facilities limited and seats very narrow

Well I’d probably never go to the theatre again if I’d had some random woman’s stomach squashing my neck, so YANBU. You go for a night out and almost get suffocated!

Some of them up in the highest part you might as well be sitting on a fucking ladder!

Quite 🙄

I agree. The old Victorian theatres are terribly uncomfortable, but I understand the reasoning behind keeping the original furnishings and decor. I just don't bother to go to those theatres. They are so expensive for incredibly uncomfortable seats. No wonder they are making a loss.

If they really wanted to, I'm sure they could get permission to update - a few provincial ones have done this - but it would be a big undertaking and they likely don't feel the need. I definitely prefer the sightlines and comfort of modern theatres. It might have been fine for audiences to be stuck behind pillars or straining to see past balcony overhangs when seats cost half a penny, but when you're handing over a week's wage for a family of four it's annoying.

Yes, I actually think it's considerate of obese people to buy the seat next to them, so that they can 'overspill' into it.
If I go to the theatre, I wouldn't even want the person I'm with, who I know, leaning on me the whole time, so why would I want a stranger pressing against me for two hours.

Sounds like this chick should have bought the seats either side and two in front and maybe two behind as well. I’ve got visions of her head stuck to some poor bastard’s crotch and her legs over the OP’s shoulders. Fuck me.

What makes you think they are making a loss?

Just go to more modern ones. National theatre, the Barbican, Sadler’s wells East

How is it the theatres fault of people are to fat to fit in the seats. It’s on the person themselves.

Agree that the raking in some of these theatres is non existent so sitting in the stalls usually results in being unable to see unless I crane my neck around the person in front

There are some advantages to being short then 🤣 although even I find old theatres can be cramped and uncomfortable. And the 7 foot man always has the seat in front of me at concerts 😫

The Leeds Grand seemed to have compromised well when they did their refit several years ago. The stalls were completely rebuilt to more modern standards - I don’t know how many seats they lost but they removed the middle aisle so maybe not too many. The upstairs seats are the old Victorian layout.

OP while I have some sympathy I can’t believe she was so wide that you and your family (presumably at least three of you) and the visibly distressed woman all had her gut sticking into their necks. As for the declaiming man, what a rude prick.

I've not had that issue OP. I love going to the theatre, but I'm tall so I usually have a good view.

I sympathise about the obese person. I sat next to someone equally large on a flight back from the US and her body invaded my seat space, enveloping the arm rest and pressing up against me for 7 hours, all humid & sweaty. It was not pleasant 🙁

Since she doesn't exist, probably not.

Have you not read the comments that prove this never happened you absolute roaster? 😂

her stomach was hanging over onto my neck

No it wasn't. It bloody well was not. That isn't physically possible. Do you think people are stupid?

Next time you decide to fat-bash, how's about you try and make it a little more plausible?

It’s because you haven’t exactly endeared yourself to people on here by obviously over-exaggerating the issue, speaking about the woman in such a disparaging way, and the tone you’ve taken in replying to some of the comments. We don’t know you from Adam, your birthday treat doesn’t matter that much to us.

😆😉

Having worked in the industry I can tell you a refit is not going to happen. The loss of revenue from having to close for a refit plus the cost of the actual refit would not be doable for many theatres.

DH isn’t obese or even overweight. But he’s 6ft 5in, so legroom is an issue, and he’s generally bigger all over (ooo err!). Try as he might, he just finds it hard to lose height.