To be annoyed at disruption in a theatre show?

[shouldwejust]

I appreciate that this is a nuanced topic, and that there possibly isn’t a right answer.

Recently I went to watch a show in the theatre that I had been looking forward to for months. The tickets were my birthday present and something I can’t usually afford, so definitely a one off treat.

Throughout the whole show, a man who had severe disabilities was shouting out and yelling. He didn’t stop at all and continuously made very loud and disruptive noises.

It completely took me out of the show, meant I struggled to concentrate and was just annoyed!

I fully appreciate that everyone in society has a right to enjoy things, and perhaps this man was looking forward to the show just as much as me! But, I don’t think that it’s fair that he disrupted the show for the entire rest of the audience who had also paid a lot to be there.

I don’t know what the solution is to be perfectly honest. That his carer removed him when he was being disruptive? That he attended one of the “autism friendly” screenings that are expected to have more disruption?

When I said this to my partner he was shocked and said that basically we should just accept that our show was ruined for his enjoyment, as that is being inclusive. I don’t feel that inclusivity should come at the cost of everyone else?

I appreciate that I may be told I am being unreasonable here but I’d like to hear other people’s opinions here

Last time I went to the theatre was during Covid and we were required to wear masks. The lady near us took hers off and all her kid’s. They spent the whole time chatting and eating food.

Never went back.

I’ve had DC since then. I still can’t under this reasoning to have not followed the health laws at the time, be disruptive to others and encourage your children to do the same. There is no need for endless snacking during a theatre performance.

There is no "hate".

There is a robust discussion talking about balancing needs. Your comment reminds me of another topic where a tiny minority want to stamp over a majority and are not interested in finding better ways to balance needs

People need to speak to theatres and explain what their needs are. And balance and some compromises will be found.

I believe people should be quite during them.

As long as they don't disrupt others and cause a nuisance they can go wherever.

The hate is towards a theatre performance being disturbed constantly, not towards a disabled person, so it’s the behaviour, and not the person.

I, and most right minded folk are all for inclusivity but in a scenario like this, the carers should be more mindful of others who have also paid to be entertained. "Continually screaming" is not watching a play. There must be other activities that this man can enjoy without spoiling the experience for the majority.
Not everything is suitable for everyone and the carers should have recognised that and taken him out of the venue

You are defining a polite debate about balancing the rights of the many against the rights of the few as hate.

That attitude will probably do more damage to the needs of disabled people.

He may have done. His carer in many places would not have done, or sometimes 2 tickets are charged at 50%. And in those cases the rest of the theatre audience are subsidising his attendance and have even more right to be able to hear the performance they paid for.

I'm not saying this is wrong btw, just pointing out the fact.

When you purchase a ticket, you're agreeing to the theatre's terms and conditions. One of the terms and conditions is:

"The Venue management also reserves the right to request that Ticket holders leave the Venue if there are reasonable grounds to do so and may take appropriate action to enforce this right. For example, the Venue may remove a Ticket holder who:

Behaves in a manner that, in the reasonable opinion of the Venue, affects or is likely to affect the enjoyment of other visitors."

I think there would be a demand for these kinds of performances, but also that it would not be possible to exclude people with disabilities that result in noise from booking them so I don't think that it would be feasible for theatres or other venues to put them on. You can arrange a relaxed performance in which people can make noise and move around, but I can't see how anyone could put on a 'quiet' performance and refuse admittance to someone with eg Tourettes without falling foul of disability discrimination. I also see the problem in that some people with competing needs eg autism that requires a calm and non-disrupted environment can't ever have that guaranteed and therefore may effectively be excluded from the theatre. I haven't seen anyone suggest a solution for people with this kind of disability, and I think that is a problem. I'd love to see huge investment in the arts and the capacity for theatres to be able to stage a wealth of different kinds of performances so that everyone could be accommodated easily.

Yeah I know it’s likely not very possible. I’ve asked a lot of the posters on here (who get VERY angry about people with disabilities being excluded) what solutions they could suggest and I basically get told to shut up and stop being ableist. So the answer is I just have to accept being excluded. They won’t admit this though.

BA refused to admit someone onto their flights with tourettes

See, even though I don’t think anyone who keeps making noise shouldn’t be in the theatre I completely disagree with BA not allowing someone with Tourette’s on a flight. That is completely unfair. Flights are noisy, they don’t require quiet to fulfil the purpose of said flight.

The kid was shouting BOMB

The noise wasn’t why he was refused

The BA family were refunded as well

It's not about getting 'annoyed'. It's about not getting the produce they paid for.

All those theatre goers paid money to watch (which includes listening to) a performance. If they were unable to hear the performance, the contract of sale for those tickets has failed.

The theatre mangement has a responsiblity to make sure that people can be provided with the product they have paid for.

Can you imagine if everyone in the theatre decided to walk out half way through and asked for their money back (as they would have been entitled to) because they what they had paid for could not be provided due to one person in the audience.

Totally unworkable.

This society is getting worse with the everyone should be allowed to do everything brigade.

I have a phobia of ballons popping, should I do to one of those events with loads of balloons and ask them to remove them so i don't get a panic attack or just not go?

There is a game called Pokemon Go. the point of it is well going... walking certain distances, attending events and raids in person and going to spin stops in different places while catching pokemon.
The amount of people complaining that the game isn't inclusive, what if they can't walk, and they can't hatch the eggs and so on? so what, you don't play. I didn't play for a week as i was hospitalised.

There are a billion other pokemon games - arceus, z-a, scarlet, pearl, unite, masters, pokopia, sword, etc etc etc that you can play either on a console or on your phone as well and you don't need to go out for them

I remember years ago going to a circus. Belle Vue in Manchester i think it was. Sitting close to us was a party of children/young adults with Downs syndrome. It was a noisy atmosphere, everyone was being encouraged to clap and cheer. Everyone participated, everyone had great time, and im pretty sure that nobody would have contemplated making a complaint. Why?
Because circus type shows are meant to be loud and noisy, so it isnt true that those with disabilities are being excluded, all that is needed is finding shows/activities that they can enjoy without encroaching on the enjoyment of others

Ah, I wasn’t aware of that. That certainly does change things!

Ok so what would help theatres and other venues to be more inclusive?

Better access for sure.
More (many more) accessible toilets.

More relaxed performances - and more information about them.

As a society we have to be more inclusive while at the same time maintaining a level pf personal responsibility not to impede other people from enjoying, say, theatre performances.

We have so many DEI initiatives - what are they doing in this respect?

Surely more equal split between ‘relaxed’ and ‘quiet’ performances - or at least to meet demand? The people who can’t help but make noise go to the relaxed showing
The people who are ‘triggered’ by noise go to the quiet showing.
The people who don’t mind a noisy audience can go to either
The people who don’t want the show to be disrupted by noise go to the quiet showing

What if the demand for the relaxed performances is so low they only over it very occasionally? A 50/50 split isn't profitable

I used to work in a box office and was asked once by a couple to make the person sat beside them move as he smelled due to being a heavy smoker. I told them that if they didn't like their seats I would see what else was available but mentioned that all the ones in their price range (top seats) were sold out and that they would need to be happy with inferior ones.

The people who don’t want the show to be disrupted by noise go to the quiet showing

That's standard showing! Shows should not be disrupted by noiseas a standard. Basic standard over centuries. There is no need for quiet one in terms of disruption. Quiet ones has lower volume and lighting overal so have their place for people who wouldn't otherwise cope with standard production