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Post by roverpup on Mar 7, 2017 4:08:13 GMT
This came across my view because it got caught in my "Cumberbatch net" - www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/imelda-staunton-whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf-benedict-cumberbatch-harold-pinter-game-of-thrones-kit-a7613396.htmlI think this was discussed on the old board when BC made his stage door plea, but it still is an issue. I am an old fuddy-duddy and will remain that way until my theatre tickets are pried from my cold dead hands! I am firmly (now and forever more) on Staunton and BC's side - no food, no drinks, no cell phones. For God's sake is it that hard to go without stuffing your face with candy, guzzling on a slurpie, or pulling out the all mighty iPhone, for a couple of hours, while performers are trying to concentrate and give other paying customers what they came for?? I can't really understand why this is even an issue actually. And Kit Harrington is just plain wrong! I can't believe that the future of theatre depends on letting boorish behaviour rule the day. Surely today some out there are teaching the "young'uns" some social etiquette and manners... Or am I just an old fart pissing into the wind??? :-))
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Post by igs on Mar 7, 2017 6:00:11 GMT
I can't even understand why this is an issue for theater-goers. Never have I've seen anyone eat at the theater, why should they? My local theater is a restaurant theater and even there people keep to eating before the show or on intermission, unless it's a play with a menu and you're supposed to eat and watch at the same time. Drinking is fine, eating not so much. I mean I have no problem with someone eating a chocolate bar or whatever, but Chinese take-away of chicken nuggets? Maybe the crowds in Finland are particularly well-behaved - you never hear anyone talk in cinemas during the movie either - but I've never noticed anyone taking so many pictures as to disturb the show.
I don't know what to think of this Hamlet thing... That BC had to actually scold the audiences kind of reaffirms the mocking opinion the British press had about BC's fans attending the play: they are fangirls who don't know how to behave. It's a shame. There should be a no-pics rule at all theaters, and I'm pretty sure there used to be before cellphones came along (that you weren't allowed a recorder in the theater, well every phone has a camera and can take videos.)
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Post by mllemass on Mar 7, 2017 8:24:33 GMT
Other than water bottles, food and drinks aren't allowed in theatres here. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but my one trip to London many years ago was to see Cats. My sister had won a trip for two and took me. The prize included seeing Cats first in Toronto and then flying to London for four days and seeing it there, too. We were shocked to see that not only did theatre-goers eat in London, ice cream was sold in the theatre itself so you didn't have to go to the lobby. I've seen that done with water, but never something as potentially messy as ice cream.
A few years back, my workplace rented a theatre for the day to hold a seminar. We had gone in very early to get ready for our guest speaker, but when our boss arrived he was stopped at the door. The ushers wouldn't let him in the auditorium because he had a coffee cup in his hand. Even though there was only the technical set-up going on and the theatre was empty, rules were rules. He had to either finish drinking his coffee in the lobby, or throw it out. He threw it out. I loved seeing my boss being told he couldn't do something!
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Post by ellie on Mar 7, 2017 11:12:29 GMT
I''d take it even further and ban any kind of food or drink in theatres. You don't even need to permit water bottles. It's so annoying to be sitting next to someone eating or drinking when you're trying to concentrate on a play.
But I have a general antipathy to the current trend for people to be eating or drinking something at all times. Walk down any city street and it's hard to spot someone who isn't slurping from a bucket sized cup of coffe or swiging from a water bottle or eating something. You would think there was a drought of famine due in seconds so this was their last chance to eat or drink. Same goes for theatres. They're not going to die from hunger or thirst by going a few hours without eating or drinking.
When I was at school we were forbidden from eating or drinking anything in the street because "it is not proper behaviour." A bit OTT I do admit but I think there's a kernel of truth in it.
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Post by MagdaFR on Mar 7, 2017 23:45:40 GMT
I''d take it even further and ban any kind of food or drink in theatres. You don't even need to permit water bottles. It's so annoying to be sitting next to someone eating or drinking when you're trying to concentrate on a play. I can't believe they permit this in theatres. When you're watching a movie is very annoying but at least the actors are not affected. But I have a general antipathy to the current trend for people to be eating or drinking something at all times. Walk down any city street and it's hard to spot someone who isn't slurping from a bucket sized cup of coffe or swiging from a water bottle or eating something. You would think there was a drought of famine due in seconds so this was their last chance to eat or drink. People sometimes have little time to sit and have a coffee.
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Post by roverpup on Mar 8, 2017 19:49:16 GMT
When I was at school we were forbidden from eating or drinking anything in the street because "it is not proper behaviour." A bit OTT I do admit but I think there's a kernel of truth in it. When we were in Japan we were definitively warned not to eat or drink while walking in the street because it is considered very rude by the Japanese public. In fact there are no rubbish bins on public streets (that we saw) because people are expected to take any personal trash that may accumulate (tissues, gum wrappers etc.) while they are walking in the streets home with them to be disposed of there. Even around eateries (like ice cream trucks) there aren't any trash bins - no one walks away from the eatery either they find a spot to sit down close by and pack their trash with them when they are done eating. Despite being a very crowded environment even Tokyo is a very, very clean city. And public washrooms everywhere are decorated with flower arrangements and are spotless. :-))
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