Swithin wrote: ↑March 12th, 2023, 9:39 am
. . . "Please Note: We kindly request that you do not bring nuts into the venue due to severe airborne allergies in our cast. Thank you for your cooperation."
Are theatregoers in London allowed to eat during theatrical performances?!
Never been to London. I haven't been to live theatre stateside in years, so perhaps "theatre etiquette" has changed. But, I never attended a live theatrical performance in which the audience could eat snacks (or drink beverages).
A few people eat candy, on both sides of the Atlantic, but it's the minority. Both city's audiences also now carry drinks to their seats both before the first act and at intermission. In London, it's common for people to buy ice cream at intermission. They even sell them in the aisles so you don't have to visit the bar.
Yes, snacks and beverages are sold at live theaters in New York (I've never seen a play in London), but I find it disrespectful for audience members to eat and drink during a live theatrical performance. I agree with Patti LuPone that we've "forgotten our public manners." People are self-absorbed enough without the theaters encouraging it ---- selling ice cream in the aisles!!!
In 2015, a couple weeks after Patti LuPone famously snatched a cell phone from an audience member who was texting during a performance of a play that LuPone was in, she gave her "5 Rules of Theater Etiquette" to THE WALL STREET JOURNAL:
#1: R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Be aware of your theatergoing neighbor. In front of you, behind you, to your right, and left. Treat them with respect, unless you’re sitting next to a loudmouthed idiot.
#2: Power Down
Turn off all electronic devices, and watch the play instead.
#3: Have Dinner Beforehand Refrain from eating and drinking in your seat. The majestic old ladies that are Broadway’s great theaters deserve your respect. The theater isn’t your kitchen. There is always intermission to imbibe.
#4: Use Judgment
Don’t feel obligated to give everything you see a standing ovation.
#5: Prepare For Bliss
Come to the theater with the expectation of being transported. Isn’t that why you bought the ticket?
Re: TCM announces it is sunsetting the TCM Forums
Posted: March 12th, 2023, 3:50 pm
by Swithin
As others have noted, it is now more common to see drinks brought into theaters in London. The only time I've done that was at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park, when I would occasionally bring some of their mulled wine back "into" the theater, which is actually an outdoor theater.
Increasingly, people do bring drinks into the theater in London, particularly after the interval. I find it annoying, but Britis drink more than we Yanks do, and it makes money for the theater. Some tickets are even sold with a drinks/snacks package.
The National Theatre has numerous kiosks and restaurants for food and drink, as do many of the fringe theaters. There's an elderflower drink I really like, which can be found at a few venues; and the better fringe theaters have comfortable public spaces for eating and drinking before the show or during the interval. The Bush Theatre's new building is one of my latest favorites.
Re: TCM announces it is sunsetting the TCM Forums
Posted: March 13th, 2023, 11:41 am
by EP Millstone
txfilmfan wrote: ↑March 12th, 2023, 2:17 pm
. . . In London, it's common for people to buy ice cream at intermission. They even sell them in the aisles so you don't have to visit the bar.
"Getta your ice cream! Getta your tootsie-frootsie ice cream!"
. . . recently heard at a weekend matinée of The Ice Cream Man Cometh by Eugene O'Neill, Jr.
Servings of ice cream at a live theatre venue is nuts and bananas! But they were on a Sundae, so I guess it was OK.
txfilmfan wrote: ↑March 12th, 2023, 2:17 pm
. . . In London, it's common for people to buy ice cream at intermission. They even sell them in the aisles so you don't have to visit the bar.
"Getta your ice cream! Getta your tootsie-frootsie ice cream!"
. . . recently heard at a weekend matinée of The Ice Cream Man Cometh by Eugene O'Neill, Jr.
Servings of ice cream at a live theatre venue is nuts and bananas! But they were on a Sundae, so I guess it was OK.
I had become so accustomed to it, when I went to NYC after a long break from visiting the city, I was wondering where the ice cream salespeople were. They sell them in little cups with wooden spoons - the same thing we got when we (rarely) had ice cream at school.
txfilmfan wrote: ↑March 12th, 2023, 2:17 pm
. . . In London, it's common for people to buy ice cream at intermission. They even sell them in the aisles so you don't have to visit the bar.
"Getta your ice cream! Getta your tootsie-frootsie ice cream!"
. . . recently heard at a weekend matinée of The Ice Cream Man Cometh by Eugene O'Neill, Jr.
Servings of ice cream at a live theatre venue is nuts and bananas! But they were on a Sundae, so I guess it was OK.
I had a college class in O'Neill's plays, and I've worked a lot with actors on his plays as well. My college teacher said part of the reason O'Neill chose the title The Ice Man Cometh was due to the old joke:
A man comes home from work, opens the door, shouts up to his wife: "Has the ice man come yet?" The wife replies: "No, but he's breathing hard."
Re: TCM announces it is sunsetting the TCM Forums
Posted: March 13th, 2023, 3:13 pm
by Intrepid37
Swithin wrote: ↑March 13th, 2023, 2:23 pmA man comes home from work, opens the door, shouts up to his wife: "Has the ice man come yet?" The wife replies: "No, but he's breathing hard."
Now, that's what used to be known as a "dirty joke".
Are theatregoers in London allowed to eat during theatrical performances?!
Never been to London. I haven't been to live theatre stateside in years, so perhaps "theatre etiquette" has changed. But, I never attended a live theatrical performance in which the audience could eat snacks (or drink beverages).
A few people eat candy, on both sides of the Atlantic, but it's the minority. Both city's audiences also now carry drinks to their seats both before the first act and at intermission. In London, it's common for people to buy ice cream at intermission. They even sell them in the aisles so you don't have to visit the bar.
Yes, snacks and beverages are sold at live theaters in New York (I've never seen a play in London), but I find it disrespectful for audience members to eat and drink during a live theatrical performance. I agree with Patti LuPone that we've "forgotten our public manners." People are self-absorbed enough without the theaters encouraging it ---- selling ice cream in the aisles!!!
It must have been amazing to have been in the audience at the performance of Gypsy where Patti LuPone literally stopped the show to yell at people taking pictures during "Rose's Turn."
This is where her "We have forgotten public manners" remark came from.
Re: TCM announces it is sunsetting the TCM Forums
Posted: November 15th, 2023, 5:52 pm
by ziggy6708a
FYI......'lonesomepolecat' is running a TCM PROGRAMMING CHALLENGE
over at 'that OTHER board'....
Interesting that one can use that link to look at post without having to log-in with a user-name. It was my understanding the website was changed to make it more difficult to do that. Anyhow, we could use some of the in-the-know-movie folks at this forum for that challenge, so thanks for posting this.
Interesting that one can use that link to look at post without having to log-in with a user-name. It was my understanding the website was changed to make it more difficult to do that. Anyhow, we could use some of the in-the-know-movie folks at this forum for that challenge, so thanks for posting this.
That was a brief interlude. I think it discouraged new users, so I assume the administrator has discontinued the policy.
Re: TCM announces it is sunsetting the TCM Forums
Posted: November 16th, 2023, 6:54 pm
by jimimac71
I don't get bounced from every forum, but was shown the door by the TCM forum.
Probably 5 years ago. I did vote at least once on a Programming Challenge.
speedracer5 won!
I wonder if TCM pays any attention like they did before.
It is unfortunate to call it 'that OTHER board.'
If my ban were removed, that just might change my opinion a little.
