Moronic hecklers are ruining live shows but comedian James Acaster dealt with them perfectly: Yorkshire Post Letters

From: Paul Willetts, Darlington Road, Stockton on Tees.
James Acaster.James Acaster.
James Acaster.

I WISH to concur wholeheartedly with Nick Ahad’s appraisal of the rude ‘‘moron’’ hecklers who are, for the most part ruining live theatre (The Yorkshire Post, November 1).

We saw James Acaster in Durham on Thursday evening. He was derailed in Act 1 by a front-rower who loudly and visibly ate marshmallows during his punchline and who, when politely asked by James to stop eating and put them in her bag, dutifully ignored him and carried on. Shame on you madam.

The Second Act was even more appalling.

What can theatres like Leeds Playhouse do to combat rudeness?What can theatres like Leeds Playhouse do to combat rudeness?
What can theatres like Leeds Playhouse do to combat rudeness?
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A man was continually blowing his fetid breath into the back of the woman’s head in front of him, whom he didn’t know and which, for the woman and her partner, was obviously distressing.

James called them out, but it really upset his rhythm, to the point where he eventually (and boldly in my view) asked the man and his twin brother to leave the auditorium. They did, to great applause. Until theatre goers show more respect both to the performer(s) and other members of the audience, rather than thinking they are in their own living room eating and drinking with their mates, then I fear for the future of live theatre. So, to echo Nick, we didn’t pay to watch and hear you morons shout.

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