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Have you ever walked out of the theatre or cinema? Why?

344 replies

EverySongbirdSays · 05/06/2016 15:02

I was at the theatre last night. The play was 16+ and clearly stated it contained swearing and sexual references in its advertising and BOY did it. The people next to us walked out after the umpteenth wank joke and I was like Shock I've never seen that happen before. And surely if something states upfront what it's about you don't hoik your bosoms and get professionally offended and make for the exit?

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YouAndMeAreGoingToFallOut · 05/06/2016 16:29

I left a play at the interval a couple of years ago. It was a play about 19th century female agricultural workers in the Scottish Borders. It wasn't actually as bad as it sounds (it got very good reviews if I recall correctly) but it's not a play I'd ever have chosen to see. We were there because we had season tickets for the theatre in question: for years we just went to see every play there.

I was prepared to stick it out, but at the interval it became apparent that it was in such thick dialect (and peppered with songs, which can be even harder to pick up) that my English DH genuinely had no idea what was going on. It didn't help that the set was basically a big pile of manure, which the cast just moved around (it won a set design award, if I remember rightly!) so there was no context from that to give him any clues. We decided just to cut our losses.

It wasn't the worst thing I've seen - we once took my mum to see a play at the same theatre that we all thought was going to be about con artist magicians (we tended not to pay much attention in advance to what the play was if it was unfamiliar, since we'd bought the tickets anyway). It turned out to be very grim, and full of references to patricide and rape and all kind of horrors. My mum was less than thrilled. The family sitting in front of us with their early teen kids were totally appalled - I don't think they made it to the interval.

FuzzyWizard · 05/06/2016 16:30

How do you decide you don't like a place before you've left the airport Confused. I liked HK but can understand why someone wouldn't (I almost broke down when faced with a 3 hour queue for a cable car on Boxing Day) but I don't know how you could tell if you liked it from the airport.

Acopyofacopy · 05/06/2016 16:30

Exbf wanted to watch dumb and dumber - I could feel my IQ plummet by the minute and waited outside.

We accidentally went to an awful am dram performance of the wizard of oz and didn't have the heart to leave as the actors were so young. It was awful and beyond boring.

AugustaFinkNottle · 05/06/2016 16:31

I thought the new version of Miss Saigon was excellent, though I agree I prefer the original version of Ellen's song.

A couple left a performance of The Messiah I attended in December. Mind you, as they'd spent the first half with their tongues down each other's throats, I don't think it had anything to do with the quality of the performance, We didn't mind, their seats were better than ours and we nicked them.

And my brother is notorious for having left the theatre half way through "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" - not because there was anything wrong with it, but because he honestly thought it was the end despite the lack of a curtain call. He did say he thought it was a strangely inconclusive play.

Puffinity · 05/06/2016 16:31

I walked out of a film sneak preview (where you don't know what you'll be watching when you buy the ticket). IIRC it was called Noi Albinoi and it was just mind-bogglingly boring! Have had good experiences doing sneak previews on other occasions - you can be really lucky and get the upcoming and much anticipated blockbuster!

DoloresVanCartier · 05/06/2016 16:31

Re the Hairspray thing. There is a clause in the rights that states you cannot use make up to change skin colour. You have to be creative, some companies use a certain colour of clothing or wigs. So if your company is all white then you have to have an all white hairspray. It's not really about the colour of anyone skin anyway, it's what it represents, and hopefully the skills of the cast shine through and it shouldn't be an issue.

WriteforFun1 · 05/06/2016 16:31

I walked out of something which I think was called Six Characters in Search of a Storyline - potentially could have been great but was shite. We had free tickets.

Also had free tickets for something that was described as a musical (not a major one) - can't recall the name but a West End theatre. it was dire, a lot of people playing kindergarten instruments. Left after about 30 minutes.

BoatyMcBoat · 05/06/2016 16:35

Years ago, I walked out of a John Cage concert at the south bank somewhere, probably RFH. Before I gave up on it, I got my book out quietly and started reading. Someone had fallen asleep and was snoring loudly. Someone else had got a fit of the giggles.

At one point, the pianist left the stage, so I took the opportunity to get up and leave. The door staff tried to block me "it's not the interval yet, there's more!" "That's why I want to go" I replied, as I pushed my way out, a large number of the audience following me. I felt sorry for the pianist, as she was very good, but I could think of so many other, more comfortable, places to read in.

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EverySongbirdSays · 05/06/2016 16:37

Sharon Vanilla Sky is total shite but I can't remember the line you mean? Cameron Crowe had made some great films, but the rot sets in there IMO

Augusta's brother Grin

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Tattieboggle · 05/06/2016 16:38

*Tattie, I get annoyed at people who don't give things a chance. I think I was referring to a post which stated life's too short.

I have one friend who 5 minutes into a film will say whether they like it or not and turn it off if they don't, never to watch it again. I'm someone who will watch something to the bitter end, even if it ends up totally shite. I will give things a chance, even if I'm proved wrong*

Thank you for that Smile

If you're at the theatre you can't leave until the end of the 1st act and by then you really are aware if you like the play or not. With Billy Elliot I just didnt like it all and I knew within 10 minutes I was going to be leaving. The interval couldn't have come fast enough.

Leaving films? Or switching them off? Ive only once ever left a film and it was something Cameron Diaz thing, or was it Gwyneth Paltrow, she was housesitting in the Uk one winter. It was dross and after about half an hour I looked and my daughter we both said lets go. Im told by a friend who stuck it out that after we left 5 other people did also.

Would I watch something to the bitter end if I didnt like it? Absolutely not. But I don't think you sitting out is wrong either.

sailawaywithme · 05/06/2016 16:40

I walked out of Hot Fuzz, thought it was dreadful. Which was a surprise as I like Simon Pegg and Shaun of the Dead is on my All Time Best Films Ever list.

50shadesofTom · 05/06/2016 16:43

I was the one who said life's too short. It is too short to waste time watching something I don't enjoy even if I have paid for it.

Even if I was guaranteed to live to 150 life would still be too short for me to watch the second half of Harold Pinters 'the party'.

50shadesofTom · 05/06/2016 16:44

Sorry 'the birthday party'.

TrionicLettuce · 05/06/2016 16:46

DH and I came very close to leaving the recent stage play of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Radio Show Live at the interval but ended up sticking it out to the bitter end. We couldn't get out fast enough once it was over though, it was embarrassingly dire. I'm not at all surprised the rest of the tour was cancelled not long after we went to see it.

Redglitter · 05/06/2016 16:50

Went to see Traffic at the cinema walked out. Absolute crap

marcopront · 05/06/2016 16:53

Not so much walked out but didn;t go to the second half of "Waiting for Godot" I was jet lagged and it is not the best play to see when you are struggling to keep awake

mmchocolate · 05/06/2016 17:00

Had a nightmare drive into the city I knew where I wanted to go but the road was closed for roadworks making me later.

Had to rush through a crap meal, ran to the theatre but the doors were locked eventually they opened them checked the tickets we were at the wrong theatre! had to run even faster to the correct theatre only to find our seats were in the gods in the middle of the middle section.
Had to argue with the usher to let us sit on the end of the row next to us, they said we could as long as the ticket holders didnt turn up. Realised it was shit we were all thinking we would make to the interval but then the ticket holders arrived so we abandoned it and left.

ChipsandGuac · 05/06/2016 17:02

I just remembered one couple walking out of Milk, loudly stating, "This shit is so gay". It really made me laugh.

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EverySongbirdSays · 05/06/2016 17:12

The film you're thinking of Tattie is The Holiday which I had the misfortune of seeing TWICE in the pictures (don't ask)

also hated Hot Fuzz

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EnolaAlone · 05/06/2016 17:17

I haven't walked out myself, but have been to see a couple of plays where a few people have walked out. 'The Pillowman' in Leicester and 'Blasted' at the Royal Court. The violence and child references are a bit harsh up close in a theatre.

Bananajam · 05/06/2016 17:18

I've never walked out of anything, however I have fallen asleep during several films. My daughter and I went to see Sunshine Cleaning on a freebie preview showing, the couple sat in front of us very loudly huffed and puffed at the first 5 minutes of the film and then left.

Bolograph · 05/06/2016 17:19

I just remembered one couple walking out of Milk, loudly stating, "This shit is so gay"

Many years ago, the people sat in front of us at Paul Simon's Graceland tour walked out during a performance by either Hugh Masekela (!) or Miriam Makeba (!!) on the grounds that it wasn't what they paid for and they weren't expecting to see so many people of colour on stage. Although that wasn't quite the phraseology they used, unsurprisingly, and I don't think they were debating the relative merits of the cultural boycott, the wider exposure of South African township music and the issue of appropriation.

SharonBottsPoundOfGrapes · 05/06/2016 17:25

Songbird it was 15 years ago but she says something to Tom Cruise after he dumps her. "...I even tasted your cum..." Me and my friend both went ugh at the same time. :o

80sMum · 05/06/2016 17:25

I have only ever walked out of a theatre once. The play was so dire that I just couldn't be bothered to watch it all, so left during the interval.

I belong to an am dram group and know how much hard work and adrenalin goes into a performance, so it has to be pretty exceptionally bad for me to walk out. I always feel sorry for the performers when it's clear that the audience is not enjoying the show.

StrangeLookingParasite · 05/06/2016 17:26

I'm not to dainty in my viewing choices either as I have watched Sharktopus and Mongolian Death Worm twice

Arf!

I hardly ever walk out of anything - I might miss something. Wish I'd made an exception for 12 monkeys, though.