The Unspoken Theatre Etiquette

Ok, I know there are plenty of blogs and articles covering theatre etiquette, whether it is advising or in my case, ranting, but I still feel like it is something that is unspoken about. I can say this because there are still too many people who do not adhere to it, despite, in my opinion, most of it being common sense. So I am going to have my moan or rant right here, right now about theatre and stage door etiquette.

For a detailed, polite guide, follow this link to Time Out:

http://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/london-theatre-etiquette-a-guide

My biggest annoyance is people turning up and taking their seats after the performance has begun! Simple fact is it is extremely annoying to people you have to make stand up to get your seat and annoying to people, whose views you block, when doing so! Now I know they may have been a delay in getting there that might be out of their control, but even then, leave plenty of time to get there to avoid turning up late! On the ticket, it states a time. It is not the time you need to there by, it is not the time you need to be in your seat by, it is the time the performance begins! So if it states 7:30pm on your ticket, the performance is going to begin at 7:30pm! So here is a little tip, aim to arrive at the theatre, around half an hour before the time stated. I say this, because half an hour before the performance is the earliest most theatres will allow the audience in to take their seats, but it also gives you time to buy drinks, merchandise, go to the toilet, find your seat and get comfortable! And this goes for the second act after the interval as well!

Next, general noise! Now I will admit, if I am attending the theatre with a friend, my daughter or the husband, or if I have got chatting to the person next to me before the performance, then occasionally I will speak to them during the performance. However, I make sure to whisper and if I am at a musical, which is usually the case, then I do it at the end of a musical number when people are applauding. Noise, otherwise, drives me nuts! Whether it be loud talking, opening a noisy packet of food or even having a irritating laugh, it is enough to ruin a performance for me! The only people anyone should be able to hear and hear clearly, is the people on stage! So shut up, stop opening crisps and keep that laugh to a minimum! 

Lines for the toilets always annoy me! Obviously we have no control over the number of toilets and there is always going to be a queue for the ladies, but seriously, it is beyond how it can take some ladies so bloody long in the toilet! I stood in two long queues in the past three weeks alone, with me missing beginning of the second act, breaking one of the rules of the etiquette I have moaned about above. If you are wearing a stupid outfit that takes time to get in and out of, then don't bloody wear it! Get in, get out as quickly as you can because you just pissing off a load of people who don't want to miss any of the show, but don't want to be sat bursting for the toilet! Oh and please don't decide you must go to the toilet during the performance if you are sat in the middle of the row! It is the same as arriving late, you are annoying the people you make move and the people whose view you then block! 

Final one for inside the theatre deals with the end of the show and leaving the theatre. Now I will be honest, if I can get end of the row seats, meaning I can be first out at the end of the show, I buy them, but sometimes it is not possible, depending on what seats are left or the website you book them through, meaning there is no control over where you sit. But if you are the person at the end of the row, or anywhere in the row for that matter, don't take forever over leaving. Some of us want to leave as soon as possible, not because we did not enjoy it, but because we might want to head to the stage door or get home as soon as possible or whatever that reason may be. You mucking about doesn't help people like me, quite honestly it just annoys us. You can sort yourself and your bag out once you get outside! Trust me, it is much easier, even when it is winter! 

Now for stage door etiquette. Yes, it does exist, especially for those who stage door regularly. For the majority of the shows I have gone to the stage door after, the main cast generally tends to stop for photos and autographs, as they are more than happy to. Therefore, if you go to the stage door, don't block the door, other members of cast, orchestra or crew leave by the same door and need to get past. Next, don't crowd the cast member. For the most part, they will work their way down a line or barriers, but they will get to everyone who is there and waiting! Also, be patient! Depending on the character they play, depends on how soon it is before they are to leave, though I have known those with most complicated costumes to be one of the first out. Even then, cast members may have guests or be meeting with a celeb who has come to see the show. Either way, they will come out and chances are they will stop, unless they are in a rush. Finally, if a star name is currently performing in the show, they may not leave by the stage door. It does not mean you won't be able to meet them as it depends what theatre they are at, but the chances decrease rapidly. If they choose or have to leave by a different door, then there is nothing you can do as you usually find out after they have left. 

Last two things, inspired by the Time Out article, it does not matter what you wear to the theatre and if you want to give a standing ovation, even if no one else wants to, then do so!

New Year! More Ranting?

This blog begun as somewhere to post stories about me and my family. Yet, I rarely posted. Even then, the posts that were actually about my life were rarely read. I am not looking for a huge number of readers, but I want to at least post something interesting. My most read post was a massive rant I had about the death of Maggie Thatcher and how her policies affected me, despite being someone who was considered to be young to have an opinion about her. 

So I have thought about it, I deleted the posts about my very boring, everyday life and only left the four posts where I have ranted. And that is what this blog will now be, somewhere for me to rant and to have an opinion. I don't care if I have lots of readers or even if they disagree, I just want to be able to have an opinion and not be made to feel bad for it.

I may not post often as it would really have to be something that I need to rant about, to get out of my system. So keep a look out, cos there is always something that will make me want to rant and have my opinion heard!

Crazy or Loyal? The Problem with Fandoms.

So last night, Channel 4 aired a documentary called "Crazy About One Direction" and it was basically about the band's fandom and their fans, who are called "Directioners". Now obviously, Channel 4 chose to use fans who are literally crazy about the boys. Understandable choice if you ask me, as who really wants to listen a fan who just sits in the room all day go on about their love for the band! Well the decision backfired as the fans are angry to the point that they got #thisisnotus trending worldwide on twitter! My opinion, I think their anger is extremely misplaced and their justification of true fans is not helping them in any way.

Twenty years ago, there was another fandom, just as crazy, just as loyal but the only difference is it did not have access to social media as we do today! This fandom surrounded the biggest British boyband (and still are, if we are to compare record sales) Take That! I was a little young at the time to be able to go to the extremes some of the fans went to, so I cannot speak for myself, but Take That fans were crazy, loyal and ridiculously passionate about the boys. It was crazy to the point, that without the need for the internet, the fans manage to discover their home address, even their parents, leading to many of them having to move just to escape the fans. Take That would almost always win fan voted awards, thanks to the fans dedication through phone voting or voting by post (oh yes we had to do that back then). Even today, our fans can still make Ticketmaster crash all because we all desperately want tickets to the tour!

The point I am trying to make is that what was shown is nothing new and will always happen within each fandom.

Today, obviously the Take That fans have grown up and realised that our behaviour, our reactions were more than definitely over the top and probably uncalled for. Chances are we are the ones who are highly critical today of the Directioners. I will put my hand up and say I am one of those people.

I am being critical for a good reason though! Back then, while it was well reported that the fans were crazy, we avoided the critics due to the non-existence of social media. We were proud to be fans and we never let anyone make us feel any differently. But that is not what I am seeing with the One Direction fans. They have vented their anger in the worse way. They have directed it at each other and at Channel 4. The words used in some cases are rude and vulgar and completely unnecessary and uncalled for. Rumours are being spread that a number of fans have killed themselves as a result of the documentary (something I refuse to believe is true) and on top of that their reasoning behind why they are such amazing fans, just makes them look as crazed as the ones shown last night. Sitting behind the computer all day, voting hundreds of times as long the website allows them, tweeting constantly is not a way to tell us you are not crazy!

It never bothered me when people criticised my love for Take That. I was proud to be a fan. I held my head up high and ignored (most of the time) the comments made. I relish the fact the majority of my high school friends now love the boys and no longer hide the fact they do! And quite honestly, this is what all fandoms should do! IGNORE THE CRAP!!! Be proud to be a fan, ignore the comments and hold your head high but at the same time, please remember there is a big wide world out there, away from the boys! I highly doubt they would want you to miss out on that just so you can sit on the computer all day doing whatever you need to do be a good and loyal fan. Trust me, there is nothing wrong with wanting the boys to win everything, finding ways to meet them or even hoping they follow you, but at the same time, your life does not need to revolve around them.

Perspective: Where Should it Lie?

Yesterday, the world woke up to the news that 31 year old actor, Cory Monteith, best known for his role on Glee, had passed away suddenly in a hotel room in Vancouver. The news devastated not just his friends and his family, but the entirety of Hollywood and the huge Glee fandom. Even members of the press were torn up by the news. Twitter was filled up with an outpouring of grief and messages for Cory, showing just how well loved he was and how much he will be missed.

I will be honest, I am one of those affected. I am devastated and heartbroken at the loss of a core character of Glee. I am shocked at how sudden and unexpected it was. It was the last thing I expected to wake up to. I had hoped it was a hoax but reliable news sites were reporting it and there was an official police statement. I have also never seen such interest in a story, such a reaction to a sudden death. I remember the shock of the deaths of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, but something about this is different.

The problem is within a couple of hours of me finding out about the news, the typical comments started about people like me needing to put things into perspective. The reason was because of a news story in the UK. A fireman was killed, while on duty, tackling a shop fire. So where should my perspective lie?

I get that perhaps our culture is celebrity obsessed and perhaps we do ignore the stories which should really matter. But what do people expect me to do with these news stories? The fireman who died, he is not known and his family can be left in peace to grieve, to mourn, to lay him to rest. I feel for them, I do, and no one should ever be taken so young. I think the news story was reported as it is unusual these days for fireman, at least in the UK, to die while on duty. It helps to remind us that there are people putting their life in danger every day, just so people like us can be safe. I have the utmost respect for fireman, putting lives at risk to save people every day. But for most people, we read the story, feel for the family and then we move on, because it does not affect us, because we did not know them.

As for the loss of a young actor, I know I did not know him personally, but every week I watched act, sing and dance (though the latter was poorly) in a show that I have loved since it started in the UK. I won't grieve in the same way his friends, his family, his cast mates or anyone who he was close to will, but it does sadden me that this guy will no longer be on my screens. However, there is more to this story than just the loss of a talented actor.

Cory Monteith had never been one to shy away from his past drug and alcohol problems. He had always been honest that he had been to rehab at 19 and got clean. This year, he had returned to rehab in March and got himself sorted, got clean and turned his life around again. There is a good chance that his death is drug related, but for many people, we really hope it isn't. To the fans, his friends, his family, it appeared he was in a great place in his life and it was reported he was looking forward to returning to work. So therein lies the shock in this situation and we want answers. What happened that night? If it is drug related, why, after everything he has been through, would he go back down that route?

Then to top it off, there are the questions in relation to Glee. Will it be cancelled, leaving many people without a job or will it continue? If so, do the scripts need to be rewritten, will the start of filming be delayed, and if so, how long by? And then how will they deal with Cory's death, how will it affect storylines? For most TV Shows, if there is a loss of a cast member, they are usually older so the death can be written in easily, as was the case of Dallas, when Larry Hagman passed away last year. So many questions that people want answers to, which will take weeks for them to be answered.

I know I am not putting things into perspective in the way people want me to, but I can also see just how this one death affects so many lives in so many different ways. I was not one of those people who was affected by Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston's deaths but I finally get why people responded the way they did to the news their deaths. And perhaps, one day, someone in the public eye, who those who moan about perspective admire, will pass away and they will finally understand just why the fans feel the need to grieve, to mourn and to remember someone who meant so much to them, even though they never met them. But at the same time, we should be grateful that we will not have to publicly mourn our loved ones in the same way as those who have celebrities as loved ones will. We will have our privacy to deal with such awful news in our own way.

But remember, and I say this to the fans, who, for some, have perhaps overacted, life does not stop because someone has died, it goes on, whether we want it to or not.

Too Young to Know Better?

Every Monday, I receive an email from my daughter's school with the weekly newsletter attached. Usually I just scan, checking for anything that may be of importance to Rachael. But this week, a huge section of it caught my eye and absolutely shocked me. I am very lucky that my children go to a school where reports of bullying and bad behaviour rarely happens and when it does, it is dealt with quickly and seriously. So it should not come as surprise that the headteacher has gone to the lengths his has to deal with the current behaviour from a select few children. 

There has been racist behaviour and name calling, something luckily the school feels is simply unacceptable. But it has recently come to light that some children believe homophobic comments are acceptable, and use the word "gay" in an extremely negative light, specifically in relation to other children's clothes, hairstyles and even friendships between the same gender. But are these children too young to know better or are their parents' views being reflected on to them?

I consider myself to be quite a tolerant person, I accept people no matter their religion, ethnicity, colour and sexuality, but I have to admit I detest people who are bullies, racists or homophobic. So obviously when I read this newsletter, I was shocked and disgusted that children in junior school were behaving in this way! I agree with what the headteacher said in respect to parents' views in that they are not accepted within the school in any way and that each and every child should be treated equally with the same respect. I have quite few gay friends, all of whom I adore, accept and respect. Jonathan and I have brought up all of our children to be tolerant of other people, no matter their differences and they have met our gay friends a number of time, so luckily I know Rachael is not one of these children behaving in such a way.

To be honest, as my Dad said to me, they probably do not know any better. But even so, where are they getting such behaviour from? Obviously their parents! I totally understand that each parent wants to bring up their children up with their beliefs, morals and values but in a time where equality is becoming more and more realistic (even if we still have a long way to go), these parents should not be brainwashing their children into believing that being different is wrong! Give them the facts, the pros and cons and when they are old enough, let them make up their own minds! But do not turn them into racist, homophobic bullies!

I am very lucky to have been brought up to be independent and to have my own mind! I have many different beliefs, morals and values (but it does not mean it is a bad thing) to what my parents do and I do hope my children grow up to be the same especially in an ever changing world, just as long as they are tolerant and respectful of people different to them. And this is something every parent should be teaching their children.

So in answer to my own question, yes these kids are probably too young to know better, so have made a huge mistake for which they will suffer the consequences. The simple fact of the matter is that these parents should know better and make it clear that no matter their own views, behaviour like this should not happen and if it does, it will never be tolerated!

An Opinion of Someone Too Young to Remember

Think it is time to blog my two cents worth on the biggest news story in the UK currently: the death of the Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher.

I turn 30 in just 11 days, so I was born during the era of Thatcherism. To many people, that means I am too young to remember and therefore should not have my say! But I am studying politics and one of my most recent books I had to read included the ideology that became a part of Thatcherism. I have also read enough news stories online and seen numerous documentaries where she was mentioned. I have even seen Billy Elliott the Musical, which quite honestly paints a very negative picture of her. The point is that many young people can still understand the past even if we did not live through it, or even if we just young children at the time. 

The one thing I do remember growing up was the fact my mother always voted for the conservatives during a general elections. I don't know why she did, she just did in my eyes. The other thing was having milk at school as I was one of those children who was affected by the removal of milk from school children. I don't remember what year it was and I don't remember how old I was when the milk stopped, but I do remember suddenly hating milk. Perhaps if it had not been taken away, I would willingly drink it these days without the need for flavouring it! But that is something we will never find out!

Over the past 24 hours, I have read many tweets, Facebook status updates and news reports about how she changed Britain for the better and I have read many that says she did not! The people who mourn are disgusted with those celebrating her death, but can you blame them? They are still angry with what she did and with how she destroyed so many lives! And the worst thing is, that we are still feeling those effects just a mere twenty years after she resigned as Prime Minister. I know, I am one of those people affected. Her sale of social housing may have helped people onto the housing ladder but it produced a major housing shortage, which is strongly felt today. I am one of those people stuck on a long waiting list for a property that may never come. I have waited NINE years and I am so close to the top but it does not mean I will get a property. 

They said she brought prosperity, but yet there were TWO recessions during her three terms in office. We were in the midst of one when she resigned. She was friends with leaders who were reknown for being dictators and creating oppression and she even called a symbol of hope, Nelson Mandela, a terrorist. Spending increased in all but two years of her term and yet somehow income tax was reduced. It seems to me that many of the problems we face today do in fact stem from the result of her policies and it is my generation and my children who are the ones who have to live with those consequences!

I know a number of people through Facebook and my university degree, who do remember what it was like and did suffer the consequences of her actions. Not one of them has a good word to say and simply think Good Riddance to her. So yes, I was one of those celebrating her death and yes, I brought Ding Dong the Witch is Dead (but my daughter loves the Wizard of Oz, so it was a good excuse) and I won't apologise towards anyone offended by my feelings towards her. I can hope that the UK public will come to realise that neither the Tories or Labour are doing much good for this great nation of ours and when they do, that they vote in a party who truly has the best interests of the public in mind when it comes to implementing policies!