I was on the receiving end a few years ago when I took my children and some of my nephews and nieces to see Lion King. The people in front tutted the whole time as my party whooped and reacted in vocal awe to the spectacle in front of us.
It really pissed me off, it was Lion King not flipping Checkov, fgs.
Musical theatre is  designed for reaction and interaction from the audience, I wouldn't complain.

I dont see it as quite the same really TBH. This wasn't a childrens performance and it didn't really encourage audience participation. I really dont want to sound 'anti' anything here but I think I'd have been a tad peed.

It's a really difficult one Soozy. I can understand that he feels his night out was spoilt but it seems to be the norm now with musical productions that people join in with the singing and dance in the aisles etc.
I do feel that it is something that the theatre managers should really have a hard look at. Perhaps the best answer is to segregate separate areas of the theatres for those who want to or (as in the case of the people who sat behind your son) can't help making a noise and have another area for those who prefer a more traditional audience response.
I don't really mind either way but my ex MIL who is a great fan of musical theatre feels that her evening is spoilt by a noisy audience. I would actually write to the theatre if I was him and just explain what happened and ask if they have an area when the audience are expected to be less raucous etc.

What drives me so mental that I often end up saying something is when I am at football and people are forever going in and out and making it impossible to watch the game. FGS just arrive on time, leave on time, wait until half time to go and munch, pee or whatever and let me watch the bloody game!!
And breathe

Ah well, I wouldn't have minded, that's all I'm sayng. And it isn't about being pro or anti anything, it's about accepting and being inclusive.

i think i would be peed off .. its like some one shouting and being noisy at the cinema innit ?  i'm not being nasty but if you pay to see a show same as everyone else that should be it.......... i always thought the front row was reserved for disabled people  as it was easy access and preffered all round, its fair to be fair

I would not complain about people enjoying themselves. Unless they were drunken yobs purposely causing annoyance.  I wouldn't want disabled people being segregated into boxes or anywhere.. A lot of people sing along to musicals so hard to make a 'quiet area'.

OK ...........................It looks like I'm not being very PC here but surely to God ........someone who makes a continual low mooing sound and is sat right behind you and someone who keeps blowing raspberries throughout the performance .........................IN THE ROW BEHIND ........is gonna spoil your evening isn't it?

I'm obviously not PC enough but I do think tolerance/acceptance has it's limits ............when you've paid good money to see a performance ............wouldn't you find it a tad unacceptable? I know I would.

Yeah those are fair points lowon. I wasn't suggesting that disabled people were segregated because they are disabled btw, I was just trying to find a solution as I know that there is quite a divide between those who enjoy the audience participation aspect and those who really hate it. I know that, as a lot of our theatres are old it would be difficult to set up a quiet area but maybe something along the lines of stalls for joining in and circle for not or something might help
Like I said it doesn't bother me either way tbh

But if they were sat directly behind you making continual inapproprioate noises (not in context ie. laughing, clapping) would you not find it annoying? If your answer is no ...............your a saint .....................I accept that the people concerned 'couldn't help it' but ....................it really isn't the point is it?

i threw my tuppence in  but i've never been to a theatre   c'mon 1.2   tell me you starred as annie lol lol

I think I'm being misunderstood ..............I'm all for joining in and enjoying the experience but these people (through no fault of their own) were just continually noisy ..........mooing- shouting - etc. nothing at all to do with audience participation.

Hi Soozy - I'm thinking your son and his partner could have asked to move if they found the group disruptive, especially if there were boxes empty? I know he " paid good money " for his tickets, but I'm sure the group did too.

Utterly speechless!      The people being complained about have also paid 'good money' for their seats!   If people don't like mingling with the 'general public' then they should stay away from public places.   

Suzi I think that is the point

if everyone paid to hear the show  its only fair that they should

But Low ...............................a whole group together? If you'd paid good money and the whole row behind were distracting you and spoiling your enjoyment? C'mon .......................I know the point is that they couldn't help it but it may just as well been a bunch of rowdy kids and then everyone would have been up in arms FGS!

I've seen people on here moan about sweet wrappers rustling ....................£40 a ticket...................................not really acceptable IMO.

No I do understand what you are saying Soozy and there is no easy answer to it. I hope that none of us would want to return to the dark days where people with disabilities were shut up indoors or in institutions and never saw the light of day but I do accept that there are situations etc where the (completely unintentional) behaviour of people with a mental disability could spoil an experience for someone.

Personally, I think that if the noise was such that it was totally ruining my evening I would have spoken to the manager at the time and asked if it was possible to seat me somewhere else in the theatre. That way I would have hopefully got to enjoy the show and the disabled people wouldn't have been humiliated by perhaps someone saying something to them.
I have worked in the past with adults with various mental disability issues and I can tell you that they do frequently hum or make repetative noises without realising it but I accept totally that it would be very irritating in a theatre if all you wanted to do was watch the show

If everyone had paid to enjoy the show it's only fair they should. It's nice to participate in other people's enjoyment too. Like at a cinema when everyone goes aaaah at an exciting moment, then everybody laughs at each other.

Yeah............not entirely sure you're getting my drift but ............each to their own. Personally i love going to the theatre ...............it's not cheap and i look forward to it......................I'd be peed off if there was continual noise and disruption directly behind me that wasn't linked in anyway to the performance. You're obviously a lot more accepting than me.

This indicates a mental condition, and people with this affliction, shouldn't be allowed to sit behind some prissy,  sensitive souls in a public theatre, who deem it unnacceptable?  Ah... so that's why royalty sit in an out of the way location. They're mental/and or have botty wind!    

*takes her invisible self off to bed*
G'night !

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually when my son rang me tonight I nearly wet myself laughing TBH but .................at the end of the day - he'd paid good money and was looking forward to it - his night out was spoilt.  I know I'm being perceived as totally and utterly un PC but - it's not right. I've told him to write to the theatre ......not for compensation but simply to take it on board that his evening was spoilt and they may like to review the arrangements for the future.

night witchi..

could he not have moved seats sooz? as  witchi said.

So he sat through the whole show and then has decided to complain afterwards? When he is at a restaurant and isnt happy with the food does he eat the whole meal and then complain about it afterwards?

No Soozy, I didn't say that as a fact, it was posed as a question, and you grossly misquoted it!    What would your darling little boy suggest as a taking on board measure.   Signs saying....innappropriate farters and noise makers this way please------->    and signs directing folks who may be offended by coughing, wheezing, sneezing, shuffling and generally not sitting quietly during an entire performance..this way please   

Soozy  arrangements like what?

Maybe they could ask when you book 'Are you likely to fart inappropriately during the viewing of this play' or that type of thing.

Christ almighty, that would be a bigger form to fill in than a DLA  begging entitlement application.  

I went with a part of people who use wheelchairs some years ago to see The Rocky Horror Show. The wheelchairs were accomodated at the back of the auditorium.
(Nearly) every time there was a musical number the whole audience stood up and sang along.
None of the people in the wheelchairs were able to see the musical numbers, and various other parts of the show too.
Difficult situation with no easy right/wrong answer.

Like using the empty boxes which actually are the more expensive option simply because they give more privacy. I'm not talking about an individual disabled person but a large group ....................I have to come clean here. My son bought the tickets at a reduced rate (his partner works in education and it was through his website at work) .............it was obviously a special night5. They had both wanted to see the show for ages and therefore took advantage ............it was obviously offered up to disabled groups too ................regardless of that - maybe he should have been warned that there may be disruption and noise ............i'm sure he would have then gone for the full price ticket.

I have nothing against mentally disabled people enjoying a theatre production but if it inteferes with others enjoyment maybe the seating etc. needs to be better thought out.

Mobile phones I think are the worst and biggest offenders to the enjoyment of others in a theatre.
There is no excuse for using a phone in a theatre. People who do are extremely selfish and very, very rude, and usually not disabled.
Basic etiquette and common courtesy are in decline in many areas.

well for what it's worth, i think it's a genuine question with no easy answers,in that situation  i think i would  have requested to move. i am fairly easy going but in tuth, it would have irritated me, however much i thought i should just live with it.

That's the crux of it.   Those 'people' also paid good money.

I'd chalk it up to experience and rent the DVD.

Mind you, Mr Blizz and the kids would probably ruin it for me, with voluntary noises.

Nothing to do with your question Soozy, but what do you have against comma's? Does .......................replace them?

I agree wholeheartedly but a mobile phone rings for perhaps 20 seconds but irritates nonetheless. how would you feel if there was an irritation throughout the whole performance?

yes they did, but the people sitting directly in front of them weren't infringing their enjoyment of it.