But why, though?

We went to see the play Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations tonight. It was terrific. The cast was absolutely outstanding. The singing and dancing was nearly non-stop; I can’t imagine anyone being fitter than that cast must be.

The last show we saw was Moulin Rouge. We were very surprised at the make-up of the audience – very much fans of the 21-year-old movie. I was a fan when it came out, and I have listened to the soundtrack many times over the years (as have the boys. They were interested in the fact that they knew every note of the soundtrack without knowing what happens in the movie. Alexander saw it – on one of his group bad movie nights and confirmed he thinks it is a terrible movie. I do not agree), but I had absolutely no idea that there seems to be quite a cult following of it. People were dressed up and very excited to be at the sold-out show. I noticed that there were signs in the lobby explaining that latecomers would be seated at the usher’s discretion and that the lights would flash at intervals during intermission to let people know the show would be restarting soon. I guess the theater understood that the audience might not be regular theater go-ers. What interested me most – because it was hard to notice – was that people (really many people) got up and left the theater while the show was going on…like it was a rock concert (something I’ve never really understood. But I don’t drink alcohol, and that is usually what people are going for – or to use the bathroom after consuming the alcohol). There was never a time when I couldn’t see someone climbing in or out of their row during the entire first half. I wonder how you teach people theater etiquette. Does theater etiquette exist anymore? Are people allowed to do whatever they want wherever they want? I hope not, but am afraid so.

As we waited for the show to start tonight, I noticed the people in the picture of the day in the section to the left of ours. People wearing hats. Hats with pins.

What? Why? Had they been to an amusement park on this sunny day and didn’t realize they had come inside? Perhaps they had been fishing – those look like hats people would wear fishing to me – and hadn’t noticed they had come inside? I was really puzzled. I thought they would take them off before the show started – but no. The balcony is pretty steep (a couple came up our aisle and sort of crawled, using their hands and feet to climb up. I didn’t think it was that steep but was glad they were safe. About 20 minutes into the show, the man slowly came down the stairs, then turned to the right instead of to the left where the exit to the lobby is. Keith and I – and I assume everyone else in our section – watched as he walked to the rightmost wall of the theater, then walked forward, toward the front of the balcony, and proceeded to open both of the emergency exit doors. I was very glad they didn’t have alarms, which would have been unlikely, but still, I think of these things. He retraced his steps, passed our aisle, and turned left out to the lobby – where he had originally come from before the show. He returned in just a few minutes with two cans of beer. I didn’t know they sold beverages during the performance. I don’t think they should. I saw him return during intermission with two more beers. I hope he got down the stairs okay after the show) and I tried to gage if people in front of me were wearing buckety hats if it would limit my view. I think it would. Not a lot, but some. And I would say “please take off your ridiculous hats because you are being rude and might be lunatics.”

Nope. Nope, I would not say that. But I would think that. Would I ask them to take off their hats? I don’t know. I might ask an usher to ask them. I might start by asking them pleasantly why they are wearing hats inside a theater, because WHY ARE THEY WEARING HATS INSIDE A THEATER? I hope I will never know what I would do because I really hope no one ever wears a hat in front of me at the theater.