Have you ever left a show in the interval?

[merryone]

There's been a few occasions when I've been sorely tempted, but have felt forced to stick it out because I've gone with a group of people or the person I've gone with appears to be enjoying themselves. Wicked was a prime example of that - had I been alone, I'd have been happy to leave before the interval!
Last night oh and I went to our local open air theatre to see an improvised version of Shakespeare. We were promised an evening of hilarity where the audience picks the play, the genre, the style. This did not prove to be the case. There was four playing cards representing four different plays, an audience member was asked to pick a card and that was the play they did, and it was a Midsummer night's dream. Yeah ok, I didn't have a big problem with that. They went on to say that some people will see a picture of Britney Spears on the ground in front of them, if they have one, at any time during the performance, you can pick it up and shake it! "Shake your Spears" (fairly droll) and we'll do another improv! It was still fairly promising at this stage - Right where do we start? "Audience, name a genre" A lot of ideas were being shouted out, eg Carry on, Gangsta rap, Film noir - They chose Film noir and for a good ten mins the cast were dressed in overcoats and trilbys reading the script in American accents, eventually someone "shook their spears" and one of the cast members said let me grab my clipboard and bag of balls. He ran up to the audience member who picked a numbered ball from the bag, which corresponded to the number of a sheet of paper. The scenarios, costumes were all numbered so obviously practised time and time again (Not what I'd call improv!), The "Spears" were being shaken every few minutes after this so one of the cast members was constantly charging through the audience, and the amount of time the same ball was pulled out was nobody's business. It was chaotic and completely unfunny. I said to Oh "how do you feel about leaving in the interval?" and he said "I'd leave now if it was polite to do so" so as soon as the interval came - off we went. Along with a fair few others, and I mean a fair few. Chatting to someone on the way back "I said, that was ruddy awful wasn't it? but I do feel a bit guilty leaving" and she said "Yes, but we passed the guilt stage about half an hour ago!"
Such a shame as it was a glorious evening, we had a lovely picnic but we just could sit through another minute of it!
Have any of you left a show or performance before the end?

 

[MrMarple]

I went to see CATS in London about 20 years ago and I absolutely hated it. In fact, I still don't get the acclaim it gets as I thought it was the most boring show I've ever seen. The only reason I didn't leave early was because I wanted to hear Memory (the only good song in the entire show IMO) and I knew beforehand that it doesn't appear until quite late in the production so I managed to stick it out till the end.

 

[merryone]

I went to see CATS in London about 20 years ago and I absolutely hated it. In fact, I still don't get the acclaim it gets as I thought it was the most boring show I've ever seen. The only reason I didn't leave early was because I wanted to hear Memory (the only good song in the entire show IMO) and I knew beforehand that it doesn't appear until quite late in the production so I managed to stick it out till the end.

I never saw the stage show but I was persuaded to go and see the film and that's a couple of hours of my life I'll never get back! Thing is about going to see a show is it's a thing people tend to do as a group, even if it's just one other person, it's quite difficult to just up and leave if you're really not enjoying it. Not so bad if you go with your partner 'cause you can be a bit more honest in how you're feeling. Apart from Wicked, which I would've 100% walked out of had it been possible, thankfully that's the only West End production in which I've ever wished to do so.
Our open air theatre is a fairly intimate venue and last night was by no means filled to capacity, so anybody leaving part way through would be obvious to the cast and rather demoralising for them I would have thought. I did feel a pang of guilt, when I saw that so many others had also decided to split. It was so bad, that we just had to put ourselves first, as the idea of sitting through another minute of it just didn't bear thinking about! Had it been put on by a local am-dram group or a bunch of schoolkids, then yes, I'd have forced myself, but this was supposed to be a professional touring company. I was tempted to shout out - cut the crap and just play it straight! Such as shame because it promised to be so funny and entertaining!

 

[stratobuddy]

I saw Steeleye Span in their very early days in a small venue.

I really enjoyed it, but my wife left after a couple of songs as it was far too load for her.

 

[merryone]

I saw Steeleye Span in their very early days in a small venue.

I really enjoyed it, but my wife left after a couple of songs as it was far too load for her.

Funnily enough I also saw Steeleye Span in concert, I was only about 15 at the time and it wasn't the "coolest" of gigs to say the least. Thing is my mum and dad had bought tickets and my mum had a stinking cold on the day and didn't feel up to going, so my dad twisted my arm and I went along with him, dreading it - It was brilliant, and I still love them to this day!
Another memorable show which I'd have walked out of for sure was Return to the forbidden planet. To be fair, I wouldn't have gone in the first place had my friend not furnished me with a free ticket. Though I was pretty sure it wasn't gonna be my scene, I went along with an open mind, and sadly I was right. I've never had to fake joy and laughter so much.
I'm not very good at saying no to people and have accepted quite a few invitations from friends to things I've doubted I'd enjoy in the hope that my mind will be changed - it usually isn't. To me it seems rude to say "sorry but I don't fancy it". As for Thursday's show, I was really looking forward to that and it was terrible!

 

[mediastar]

I saw Steeleye Span in their very early days in a small venue.

I really enjoyed it, but my wife left after a couple of songs as it was far too load for her.

I have danced with Maddy Prior at a couple of steeleye concerts and at a carnival band concert. AND the first concert of theirs I went to was the live at last album recording in Bournemouth. I feel really old because John Kirkpatrick's son, Benji, is now in the band and JK was in the band for the LaL concert.

 

[mediastar]

Fortunately, I have always chosen shows I have researched or concerts I've desperately wanted to go to. One film I should gladly have left after the first bit of violence was mad max 2. The violence felt too scary and targeted on women.

 

[maymorganlondon]

There have been a couple of films I've been tempted to walk out of, but no concerts or West End theatre productions. I loved Wicked, but we're not all the same.

 

[merryone]

We had another show last night to go to at the open air theatre. We were really looking forward to it. We planned to grab fish and chips from the chippy over the road and eat them before the show, as they open an hour before the show starts to allow for this. It was a glorious evening. I got myself ready and we were about to leave, I grabbed the tickets from the bookcase where I put them for safe keeping (we booked weeks ago) and suddenly I clocked the word Thursday...and it was Friday. We'd missed the bloody show! Gutted wasn't the word! Seriously for some reason, both of us had it in our heads that the show was on the 27th, but the ticket clearly said Thursday 26th. Thankfully the tickets were inexpensive but I can't believe we managed to cock up so badly. Lesson learned. Glad we noticed before we actually set off. We cut our losses (no choice really) and ordered a fish and chip takeaway to be delivered. For some reason oh ordered it from a random place, he said they were offering a 20% discount and I can honestly say it was the best fish and chips I've ever had, so that helped a bit. Note to self..be more careful in future!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

That reminds me of a time a person I knew through work insisted he could get me a discount on a ferry as he used it in a commercial capacity so I duly gave him the dates. There wasn’t a ticket as such just a reference number. All pre online booking etc.

After a week‘s holiday we travelled back to the ferry port only to find he had booked for the wrong day so we it was going to cost us far more than we saved to get home.

Luckily they told us to wait until all vehicles had been loaded and if there was any room we could go on using the original ticket. It was a nail biting couple of hours but we got home ok.

Lesson learned now we check and double check all dates and times.

 

[stratobuddy]

OH and I booked for something at the theatre and we both forgot all about it so missed it. Just can't remember what it was now, but we were very disappointed. I'll ask her if she can remember.

 

[merryone]

That reminds me of a time a person I knew through work insisted he could get me a discount on a ferry as he used it in a commercial capacity so I duly gave him the dates. There wasn’t a ticket as such just a reference number. All pre online booking etc.

After a week‘s holiday we travelled back to the ferry port only to find he had booked for the wrong day so we it was going to cost us far more than we saved to get home.

Luckily they told us to wait until all vehicles had been loaded and if there was any room we could go on using the original ticket. It was a nail biting couple of hours but we got home ok.

Lesson learned now we check and double check all dates and times.

I've never been a one to use a diary or set reminders, but I think this has taught me it's best to do so. If I'd read the ticket immediately and popped a reminder on my phone, this wouldn't have happened. Could've been worse, much worse but still an annoying disappointment that I don't intend to repeat!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I have a big blackboard in the kitchen and chalk dates as well as shopping list on it and then Mr L takes a photo of it before going shopping but i always used to just wing it until Covid when there was no just popping out if something was forgotten so I started using a written list of the weeks meals and ingredients needed for it.

 

[Lilo Lil]

Walked out of a Stephen Fry evening at Cambridge, didn’t wait until the interval.

The most unfunny, boring evening I have had for a long time

 

[ClaireKelly]

I went to see CATS in London about 20 years ago and I absolutely hated it. In fact, I still don't get the acclaim it gets as I thought it was the most boring show I've ever seen. The only reason I didn't leave early was because I wanted to hear Memory (the only good song in the entire show IMO) and I knew beforehand that it doesn't appear until quite late in the production so I managed to stick it out till the end.

That is so funny….. I was given free tickets to see CATS and a friend and I went. It was dreadful. Really awful, and we were bored stiff. To my shame, I don’t think we waited for the interval….

 

[stratobuddy]

My wife walked out of a Steeleye Span gig because it was too loud for her.

I stayed and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[Patsy]

I had a friend who was going on holiday with her sister and children.
They got a Taxi to East Midlands Airport arriving a tad early.
They couldn't see their flight on the Departure Board and asked a member of staff about it. She was told that they didn't think they had that particular airline flying that day.
My friend showing the tickets and said well obviously they do to which the reply was yes but it's for Manchester Airport.
They managed to get the taxi back and rushed for their flight at Manchester which they managed to catch.

 

[stratobuddy]

Slightly off topic but I watched "The play what I wrote" a few days ago, loosely based on Morecombe and Wise and written by Eddie Braben (their scriptwriter),

I almost switched off after 5 minutes because it was "over the top" acting and like a panto, but I'm glad I didn't, as it was hilarious once you got into it.

It was done live in a Bath theatre, so a lot of audience interaction.

Highly recommended while it is still on iplayer.

Did anyone else watch it?

 

[Patsy]

Slightly off topic but I watched "The play what I wrote" a few days ago, loosely based on Morecombe and Wise and written by Eddie Braben (their scriptwriter),

I almost switched off after 5 minutes because it was "over the top" acting and like a panto, but I'm glad I didn't, as it was hilarious once you got into it.

It was done live in a Bath theatre, so a lot of audience interaction.

Highly recommended while it is still on iplayer.

Did anyone else watch it?

Ooh must have a look.
On our cruise in October we saw Eric and Ern they were very funny.

 

[merryone]

Walked out of a Stephen Fry evening at Cambridge, didn’t wait until the interval.

The most unfunny, boring evening I have had for a long time

I don't blame you, life's too short to sit through boring stuff. I know you've paid good money and all that but I suppose you can say, as an upside it gives you a choice - Let's face it a lot of us have to put up with boring things that come with no get out clause, so how nice it is to be able to say, "this isn't for me I'm afraid - I'm offski"! It's always pretty awkward if you're with a group of others, so you feel obliged to stay around. I frequently go to classical concerts on my own and there's been the odd ccasion when I've felt the need to find a suitable opportunity to make a break for it. I remember one NYE going to a Viennese gala concert at our local Philharmonic, Hubby was working, and none of my friends are into classical music, so I thought it'd be a lovely afternoon listening to Strauss waltzes, I think they only played one thing I actually recognised, the rest were dirges. I remember deciding to stick it out as I was sure the finale would be uplifting and excellent - It wasn't! So now if I'm alone, or with someone who clearly isn't enjoying themselves either - thanks but no thanks I'm off!