Should Danny and Sandy move seats?

paul2hoots

No they should not. Those seats could be taken by someone else. If however half time comes and there is nobody there then change!

Slinky

dawsar wrote: »

They bought their tickets at a really low price, knowing they will get what they paid for, so NO they shouldn't move seats. Restricted view doesn't mean NO view!!! If they wanted a decent seat, they should have bought more expensive tickets.

They may have bought the best seats there were available at the time they booked. You can't know whether they were being skinflints.

PegasusPJ

I've done so many times though generally wait for the interval, unless there's LOTS of empty seat (try to get aisle seats still as it will be less disruptive should the seat owners come late) or I know the theatre has a strict no latecomer policy (few have unfortunatly).
Actually went to the theatre 2 days ago and there was empty seats next to me (show sold out) and someone came at the interval that wasn't the seat owner , I didn't mind one bit (and the 2 people on the other side of me had left at the interval anyway so it would have left the front row with a big gap which as mentioned performers don't like).

For musicals it's less a problem anyway as people, rudely in my opinion though it's not as disruptive to the performers than with a regular play, tend to come and go more freely..

As someone else said, don't ask the ushers, although they don't mind, they can't officially endorse it unless management tell them (I've been a usher in big west end theatres).
If a show is very empty, I've seen it done to close the upper level(s) and move people down. Even happened to me at the RSC where I had a standing ticket and the usher came to take us to seats... but for more sold out shows, wait for the interval (and be prepared to move back if asked as the owner might still show up at the interval, but once the lights go down, you can relax).

richardc_2

Yes, absolutely they should. I am an actor and the majority of my work is on stage. I recently returned from six weeks in China, performing in many theatres including the National Theatre of China (NCPA)... a recurring problem here was some people could only afford the cheap seats and sat in the farther half of the circle... they were too polite to move despite there being plenty of room in the front of the stalls. Always move. Actors want to be seen! Such is the way of it. Plus you'll hear more easily, see more easily and get more out of the show.

This does of course raise the argument of 'well, let's just always buy cheap seats and move to the good ones when we get there'.... if you've chosen to go to the theatre to see a particular show that you're excited about seeing- just ask yourself if you think its worth the risk of buying cheap seats in the hope to move to the better ones. You may be lucky on a mid-week matinee. Otherwise, pay to guarantee yourselves a good view.

Richard

jgriggle

I'd take the seat without hesitation!

The definition of theft is to permanently deprive someone of something.

By sitting in an otherwise unoccupied seat you are not depriving anybody of anything.

I would, of course, move if I was asked by a member of staff.

janaltus

I go to a lot of concerts and I've found different venues have different attitudes, for example the Royal Opera House appears to be tolerant of seat shifting (quietly and discreetly, of course), the Royal Albert Hall staff, though very friendly and helpful, are generally not.

A WORD OF WARNING!!!

My friend and I seat-shifted after Act 1 of a three act musical at a West theatre - only to find the rightful ticket holders were latecomers. :embarasse When we tried to return to our original seats we found other people had seat-shifted into them already! :eek: With the curtain rising and music playing we had to rush to separate (poor) seats towards the back of the theatre. We didn't get back to our original seats until Act 3.

So the lesson is ... if you play musical chairs and seat-shift to better seats, be prepared to leave them AND to be temporarily denied the right to re-occupy your original seats.

Cloudane

It's not necessarily worded this way in the Ts and Cs but the extra price you pay is to guarantee the better seat, IMO, whilst those who pay less just take their chances. If you see it that way, it's not so bad.

I don't see a huge moral problem here - if it's just going to sit there empty anyway, you're not doing any harm by grabbing the opportunity, as long as it's done without distracting anyone, and as long as you move immediately if the rightful owners do show up.

Legally, it's probably down to so much interpretation that it's pretty much irrelevant, but it seems more likely to be illegal than to be immoral in my view.

Now, if you somehow check to see which seats will be empty before buying the cheaper ticket then that's somewhat less morally correct and more clearly illegal. You're deliberately paying less with the full intention of grabbing the better seat - it's not the worst crime in the world (it's somewhat akin to buying the single version of some software instead of the family pack and then installing it on 2-5 machines - it's not completely pirating it, but it's still depriving them of the correct amount of money). That's down to the individual. They shouldn't do it, but I don't think many would be "that" fussed.

ceebeeby

If they were truly empty, I'd move into them, but would ask an usher first on the basis that I'd be prepared to move if the occupants did arrive.

poindexter

I'd gaze at them longingly but be too afraid to move, knowing that, for the rest of the show, I'd be panicking in case the rightful occupants turned up, and that would ruin the night! On the new Rob Brydon DVD he invites a couple from the 'cheap' seats to move upfront to a pair of unoccupied seats near the stage, but he does then proceed to have a bit of a pop at them.

kormachameleon

My husband was escorted out of the Royal Festival Hall when he changed to a better seat at the interval. I've seen others get in trouble for it too. Best not to.