4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Popcorn]

We went to see Mark Thomas tonight in a lovely little place called the Y Theatre in Leicester.

 

It's been eventful, and if I don't get this off my chest, I'm not going to be able to sleep with it whirling round my head.

 

Our baby sitter was late, so we were 5 mins late getting there and Mark Thomas was already on stage. Two members of staff took us up to the balcony to seat us, but they couldn't find the seat numbers in the dark and were faffing about causing a bit of a scene. We were then told our seats were taken, and we were left standing like two spare parts not knowing what to do, while the staff sat down!!

 

At this point Mark wants to know what's going on. He's looking up to us and is asking the staff if they are coming or going and he's getting no response, so I shout down, "the staff can't find our seats!".

 

After a minute or two of micky taking, he asks us to take two available seats on the front row. More micky taking as we try to find the seats, and he then kindly fills us in on what we've missed and where he's up to in his story!!

 

We really enjoyed the first half. Just as the lights were coming down for the second half, the couple who's seats we had taken turn up and in no uncertain terms, ask us to move. We go and find a staff member to help us find our seats, but once again, they can't find them in the dark, so we left once again, standing in the middle of a walkway blocking everybody's view.

 

We made our way to reception to ask for help. I was getting more and more frustrated at the total incompetence at the staff, and my voice was getting louder and louder as we were being blamed for being in the wrong seats and then for being late in the first place and they insisted there was nothing they could do. I think they could hear me shouting in the theatre as the manager then appeared wanting to know what was going on

 

We got nowhere with him either. I got more and more irrate as he just couldn't seem to understand that we had paid for seats that somebody else was sat in, and the staff had just left us standing there. Not to mention disrupting the whole theatre.

 

So we left. Missing the second half.

 

The manager asked us to write in with a letter of complaint as then he could decide if he'd give us a refund.

 

We don't get to go out very often. I was really looking forward to it. I'm upset and angry that this has happened, and I feel like a bit of a plum now for raising my voice.

 

I'm blaming my emotional state on being pregnant, but what a total waste of what would have been a brilliant night out.

 

Gutted

[Geoid]

I would demand a full refund!

[Couperman]

Sorry to hear you had a poo time,

 

I would be inclined to write to Mark Thomas, he will be sure to remember you if you became part of his act, and if you explain the circumstances I think he may shame the theatre into refunding, he may even offer you free tickets to his next gig. I have no idea whether he would help or not but he seems to be a decent kind of chap.

 

Worth a try

 

Kev.

[Egluntyne]

Sorry your evening was ruined.

 

I've no idea who Mark Thomas is, but like Couperman says...write to him...you've nothing to lose.

[Sheilaz]

Awww, how horrible that a lovely evening just went wrong like that. I was surprised when I saw the topic title as I thought you were disappointed in Mark Thomas, which would have been unusual.

 

What a shame that the staff didn't help out more, I suppose it's hard to move anyone once it's started though.

 

We went decades ago to see Edna Everage and a couple near the front came in late. The fun that was made of them, I'd have died.

 

I'm so sorry your evening was ruined. Can I tell you a silly thing to take your mind off it, Gina?

 

We go regularly to a local rep. theatre and in the old days Grandma used to babysit.

One evening the police, yes 2 police officers, came to the front row of the stalls where we were sitting, part way through the 1st half. They checked our names & asked us to follow them out.

They said our babysitter said our son was missing, was it likely he'd run away? Well, DS2 was having a hard time coping & was sometimes suicidal (age 9) so I nearly passed out.

Anyway, fast forward the conversation....it transpired that G'ma thought elder son was missing, other son & daughter were at home.

Son 1 was actually at the theatre with us, G'ma had forgotten the conversation & we had left with him quietly so as not to make a fuss with the others....

.......

The next time we went (hardly dared) we drove back at 11pm to see 3 children sitting on the wall of our front garden.

Our children!

Poor Grandma, she'd flicked on a faulty light switch (which we had taped over but....) & set off the burglar alarm & didn't know how to turn it off. They couldn't stand the noise so went outside.

 

Amazingly, we don't have a theatre phobia & Grandma, bless her, continued to childmind for many years.

 

Any better, Gina? Hug, hug. xx

[chelsea]

I dont blame you whatsoever for raising your voice - i would have gone mad - especially at the people who were in my seats that I had paid for!!

 

COMPLAIN by letter and e mail to both the manager and mark thomas...DEMAND to the manager that action needs to be taken (refund etc). I cannot believe they didnt sort it out there and then .

 

Whenever I have been to shows/events/footy matches etc people are always turning up late (so they cant pull that ole chestnut on you), even if you were late people shouldnt have been in seats you paid for!!

[Snowy]

Oh Gina, what a rotten time! And what rotten service - I don't blame you for shouting (hard not too when your hormones are all to pot isn't it )

You must complain in writing though and I agree with Kev, see if you can write to Mark Thomas, or his production company, you paid to see a show and didn't get what you paid for. Very poor service indeed.

[Cinnamon]

Gina, you were quite right to make a fuss - I sure would have too

 

Write to the theatre,who obviously employ total numptys, & also to Mark Thomas,who I am certain will remember you. Enclose photocopies of your tickets & reicept.

Don't let the manage fob you off by saying that they do not seat people after the preformance has began,as they clearly seated people mid way through,into the seats you were given.

And make sure you tell them both that you are pregnant & could have done without the stress & with a nice seat,which you had paid for

 

The thing that amazes me is that there must have been 2 people sitting there,in your seats,fully aware of what was going on & doing nothing about it - how rude

[Egluntyne]

Write to the local paper too.

 

A small venue like that won't benefit from bad publicity.

[Popcorn]

Thank you all. I feel in a better frame of mind today, and D is going to write to the manager, Mark Thomas and the local paper. We have sort of thought about 'picking our battles' and whether it really is worth all the trouble, but we agreed it was. We don't get to go out very often in our early parenthood days, so we were really looking forward to it.

 

I'm glad I have some like minded friends on here. I was begining to wonder if I had over reacted. I wouldn't have minded not having our seats, just a seat would have been nice

 

Sheila - Stefan has a forgetful Nanny too. We went shopping together on Friday morning, and she left Stefan's bag of essentials in a public toilet. We only realised after S had done a really smelly poo Luckily, we found it and it hadn't been taken to the bomb squad.

[jenichill]

Hi! i have just joined the forum, but just had to reply to your experience at the Theatre. I am a Theatre Manager and I am appalled at your treatment by Ushers and the Manager. If I thought my staff behaved in that manner they wouldn't be working for me. They should be ashamed of themselves.

 

I'm really glad you are going to complain. I suggest you send a copy of your letter to the Manager's boss as well.

[Popcorn]

that's good to hear Jeni. Letter has been posted, so we're just waiting now. It's a situation that could easily happen, and I can see how it escalated, but totally avoidable had the staff had a seating plan, or some sort of back up if they couldn't seat people.

[Guest]

I would demand a full refund!

 

plus free tickets to a future performance of your choice at the very least!

 

Lay it on thick about being pregnant and having to stand up for so long and all the stress etc

 

I'd also e-mail Mark Thomas too saying how disappointed you were to have missed his 2nd set and how gracious he was to guide you to 2 front seats etc etc. He will porbably contact the theatre and support your complaint, especially if you ask him to.

[Popcorn]

I'm not one for exaggerating the truth really Poet. We've wrote an honest account of what happened. It didn't need anything else, it was bad enough. Being pregnant didn't really come into it, other than I got a bit more emotional that normal (!) and shouted at few times. Not like me at all really.

 

Mark Thomas' first set was all about having the rights to demonstrate, and how he really played the system by asking for permission to demonstrate for some of the most ridiculous things - like having a Troll under the Thames bridge and making a mockery of the paperwork involved down at the police station.

 

We did consider, as a joke - contacting Mark and asking if he'd like to join our demonstration for 'more visible seat numbers for the staff' at said theatre.

 

[Guest]

I'm not one for exaggerating the truth really Poet.

 

me neither as a general rule but sometimes in situations like this (when you have to make a complaint) it helps. Just trying to help, oh well.

 

Hope it all works out for you.

[Popcorn]

Thanks