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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that this shouldn't have ruined my night?

62 replies

Smoony · 03/04/2010 13:09

Last night, as a treat, DH and I went to see a musical in London. We booked for the evening and then arranged to stay in a hotel, so that we could make a real night of it. My son, who is eight, went to stay with his grandparents.

We got to the theatre and got our seats and just as the performance was about to start, two women with about five children came to sit down in front of us. The children looked to be between the ages of 3 and 8.

When the first song started, the children knew all the words, and all the way through all the songs during the evening, shouted out the lyrics really, really loudly. During the talking, they got up, talked and played with each other. They were 'bobbing' up and down in the seats so that husband and I kept having to move around in our seats so that we could see. The women with them didn't seem to do anything, and kept smiling at them when they were 'singing' the lyrics.

To cut a long story short, it really spoilt my, and my husband's, evening. It's a real shame - we don't get time to ourselves often, and had paid £80 each for the tickets.

AIBU to think that children shouldn't be taken to the theatre until they can sit still and enjoy the performance?

OP posts:

bruffin · 03/04/2010 20:18

Wicked is brilliant mugglewump. We saw it when it just started in London. DD was 9then and completely obsessed for months. She is going again end of April with the yr7 school trip, somehow my yr9 DS has managed to wangle himself onto the trip

iamwhatiamwhatiam · 03/04/2010 20:24

YANBU.

Don't understand why there's a consensus on this but loads of people thought it was ok to have a screaming baby in a wine bar late at night last week.

That's MN for you I guess.

muggglewump · 03/04/2010 20:30

I hope it comes up here at some point. London tickets seem so expensive and of course I'd have to get there and stay there.
I actually had tickets for Joseph there that were a gift, but couldn't afford to go so I gave them away on here a couple of years back.

DD and I love a good show, we were at X Factor live a couple of weeks back, and as I said have seen Joseph, and will see Les Mis which I think she'll love. Not get the full experience, as some of the story will go over her head, but she'll like the singing and dancing.
It'll be her first time in a theatre though, which I'm really excited about.

upahill · 03/04/2010 20:31

Funny this but when I started a thread about going to gigs and I thought it was unreasonable to pay amounts upto £100 per ticket to see bands I love and then people talked all the way through a gig non stop and not even about the band as if they were at a bar with a juke box on I got slated!!

What's the difference here. Just because it's a theatre? Just because it's children making a noise. At least they were noticing the show and actively showing appreciation!!!

bruffin · 03/04/2010 21:34

muggle Where I live is a YHA in a lovely setting in the Lea Valley. But it is only 20 minutes by train to the City about 40 minutes to the West End by train and tube. The train is a few minutes walk from the YHA. It would be a lot cheaper than staying in London.

PixieOnaLeaf · 04/04/2010 11:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

southeastastra · 04/04/2010 11:18

if it was enron the musical i would have been impressed

addictedtothefirsttrimester · 04/04/2010 11:31

muggle i LOVED wicked, you should so go and see it.

and op YANBU, there are matenee(SP?) performances for a reason.

pigletmania · 04/04/2010 11:44

YANBU thats what matinees are for fgs.

bruffin · 04/04/2010 13:04

Sorry I would expect everyone to behave at a matinee as they would in an evening performance.

Krugerellie · 04/04/2010 13:18

Wicked is fabulous - I am not a great lover of theatre musicals (they never seem to live up to the black and white hollywood spectaculars) but I loved Wicked, probably for the story. DD (10) and I saw it at Feb half term. I would be furious if someone ruined a performance in this way. I have complained to parents in the cinema if their DCs are kicking my seat - doesn't always get me anywhere but it makes me feel better. I don't think musicals are there for the audience to sing along to - unless it is the Rocky Horror Show of course

ChippingIn · 04/04/2010 14:08

I'm with Bruffin.

I haven't yet seen wicked, so don't know how disruptive this would be, however, if there was a young child singing along to the songs I probably wouldn't mind (well, I would in a way, but I'd also think it quite cute).

Talking, playing etc NO and I would say something to them directly.

When we went to Mama Mia there was a woman in front of us who was singing before it even started and continued throughout - all in a 'smidge before the cast' just to prove she knew the words - I was ready to batter her by the end of it, however, she was having a FAB time - and I couldn't bring myself to ask her to STFU not sing along so loudly.

I really do go to hear the cast sing though, not the audience!!

YANBU - children should not be taken to the theatre if they cannot behave themselves.

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