An usher who has worked in London's West End for over a decade has confessed that bodily fluids have become an escalating problem amongst theatre crowds.
Most of us are familiar with the urge to use the loo during a theatre show. In such situations, most of us opt for one of two choices: either we hold it in or simply decide it's best to avoid embarrassment and seek out a toilet.
However, some people take a different approach. According to Laura, 35, an usher who has worked in London for 15 years, some people choose to relieve themselves right where they sit.
Incident in the stalls
Speaking to The Guardian, she recounted an incident involving a woman who relieved herself, and by the time cleaners arrived, her waste had spread onto people's shoes, reports MyLondon.
She told the publication: "At the back of the stalls, I saw a woman squatting and taking a dump on the floor. By the time the cleaners turned up, it had been spread across the floor and on to unwitting people's shoes."
Other incidents and concerns
Laura isn't the only usher to have encountered issues with patrons, with another usher sharing a tale of how someone decided to vomit onto audience members seated below them, including the usher.
These remarks come as increasing attention is being paid to audience behaviour during major shows, with actors previously expressing frustration about the use of mobile phones to snap photos or record videos during a performance.
Celebrities speak out
Earlier this year, actress Rosamund Pike confronted an audience member for using their mobile during a performance. Rosamund, appearing in Inter Alia at the Wyndham's Theatre, challenged a theatregoer she spotted texting during her show.
She joined an extensive roster of performers demanding improved behaviour at productions including Dame Imelda Staunton, Daniel Craig, Patti LuPone, and Benedict Cumberbatch.
They have voiced concerns about audience conduct over the past decade, particularly regarding mobile usage, but also refreshments.
Speaking to the Radio Times about why she believed consuming food and beverages during performances were issues, Dame Imelda remarked: "Why are you selling crissssssssssspsssss?". "I just do not get it. None of us can be without food for five minutes... And the drinks! Plastic glasses falling on the floor when there's a quiet moment."
Addressing the issue as far back as 2015, Benedict urged audiences to cease filming him while he portrayed Hamlet. Speaking outside the stage door following one performance, he said: "I can see cameras, I can see red lights, in the auditorium. And it may not be any of you here that did that, but it's blindingly obvious - like that one there, that little red light. It's very obvious."
