I’ve been to theatre twice in the last ten days.
I went to see Chicago last week. Husband and I saw it years ago in London even though musicals aren’t really our thing. (I think he only went to see the London show because of fishnet stockings and Denise Van Outen’s legs. They were damn fine legs.) Anyway, it’s a great show, fabulous dancing and really funny with it (“He ran into my knife! He ran into my knife… ten times.”)
Then last night I went to see a production of Vagina Monologues. I’d seen this in London too, though not with Husband who simply isn’t brave enough for it. A lot of the first half is funny and the second half is harder hitting; in my opinion it requires experienced actresses (and/or directors) to draw the comedy out. Timing has to be spot on. I think it was the first night but they were plagued with technical problems, mics not working and so on. Interestingly it was part in Thai (with English subtitles) and part in English (with Thai subtitles.) Brave, I thought, but I’m not sure it worked. (Although one of the best monologues was a Thai woman doing the piece about Japanese comfort women in WWII. I was reading the subtitles and half watching her and despite only picking up odd words of Thai, she was bloody marvellous; really harrowing.)
But, the audiences in both shows, though, were shockingly behaved: talking, chatting, using mobile phones, leaving the auditorium mid act, and last night, opening a bottle of champagne!
I tell you, it brings out the ogre in me. It does, it makes me FURIOUS. I think I’m going to have to make a concerted effort to get my theatre fix when I come back to the UK in future.
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11 comments:
I loathe noise in theatres!
I can't bear it when people make noises and are rude in theatres. How annoying for you, and the poor cast on the stage.
It's not necessarily better here. Last time I went to the ballet, ok it was a matinee, but the mother behind me was talking with her young daughter ALL THE WAY THROUGH and when I asked her, politely, towards the end of the first half, if she could please keep the talking to a minimum, I got an earful of abuse. And not so long ago I went to see Spamalot in the West End and a woman was sitting in my seat, and I showed her my ticket but she refused to move, and it wasn't until I said I'd ask a member of staff to resolve our dispute that she moved over, and then she snarked about me to her friend all the way through the show. I got my revenge by laughing a lot (which made her tut - it was Monty Python, for heaven's sake!) and singing very loudly along with all the songs, especially the ones I didn't know. But I could have done without it.
DO NOT get me started on this. It drives me nuts when I hear people talking loudly when I'm on stage and I'm equally intolerant when in the audience.
Grrrrrrrrr!!!
I can't understand why people go to the theatre (or indeed the cinema) and talk all the way through. Why don't they stay at home and watch television if their attention span is that short? I went to a brilliant stage show of Brief Encounter last night - luckily the audience were well behaved! We drank wine during the performance but we did it very quietly :)
I'm with everyone on this issue. It makes me want to shoot the people responsible - using a gun with a silencer, of course.
Ohhhh! I'm so glad I'm not the only one.
I think you're right Queenie, there can be a terrible experience too (one ballet and a school party I remember with particular fondness - though Husband I think remembers it more with horror and shame!) However, I don't think the Thais have quite the same relationship with the theatre as we (mostly) do.
Tam, I felt terrible for the actors too - they saw people getting up and leaving, mid monologue. So rude.
DOT, Lol.
Agree with you totally. It's incredibly annoying!
Oh no. That really shockingly inconsiderate.
I love going to the theatre!! I've seen Chicago but not Vagina Monologues (although I have read the book). I'm only an hour away from London you know...when your over we could perhaps try and see something?
C x
Lane, it makes me mad.
Michelle, isn't it?
Carol, ooh, marvellous idea.
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