Swearing Complaints about the London Show

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ERinVA
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Re: Swearing Complaints about the London Show

Post by ERinVA »

I completely agree. The person who complained about not being warned must have been completely oblivious.
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kport
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Re: Swearing Complaints about the London Show

Post by kport »

ERinVA wrote:However, I don't recall that much fuss about the profanity in London when the show first opened, but over the years it seems to me that complaints have become a bit more frequent, and they are coming not from American tourists to London who are surprised when they attend the show, but from British people. So what I am wondering is if there is a more conservative trend that is beginning to surface in the UK's theatregoing public in comparison to the more open attitude that existed back in 2005, or are the cases of people who are offended simply isolated examples?
I have not seen a rise of social conservatism amongst my English colleagues, many of whom are parents, but there is a certain unease underlying everyone there about the economy. It may be that when people feel less secure, they may react more to things like this than back when the economy was booming. But as for an increase of social conservatism in the UK, no. Nothing like what is going on in the US.
cws8998
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Re: Swearing Complaints about the London Show

Post by cws8998 »

Paul30003,

You are right on with your assessment about the moments of strong language in BE. It is the basic emphasis I always used in discussion with certain audience members expressing their concerns about this aspect of the show.

After all, this is "Professional Theater" straight out of Broadway, the West End, AU., and Chicago. Any parent, and for that matter, anyone, who attends professional theatrical performances without investigating, or at least educating themselves to some extent about a show's history, relevancy, or subject matter, really needs to swollow their own discomfort. Would a parent be concerned about a movie's rating, perhaps, before taking their child to a particular film?

BE is chuck full of strong and transitional emotional moments, and at least from my point of view, I continue to express gratitude to the powers to be for not watering down or apologizing in any way for maintaining the musical's authenticity throughtout.

If the excessive language is the point of reference for certain critics after viewing BE, my goodness, they've entirely missed the glorious messages about which this show was meant to convey...language and all.

Just my own personal opinion expressed here...and of which I believe I made some time ago regarding this subject. Forgive my redundancy

Colin.
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Yorkie
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Re: Swearing Complaints about the London Show

Post by Yorkie »

I don't think there is anything different in recent reviews Ellen - I have pretty much read all the reviews of BETM on Tripadvisor and there have always been some UK reviewers who gave poor reviews and marked it down due to the language.

Only once have I noticed somebody leave due to the language (last year) - a woman with a group of girls aged around 11/12 who I think were there for a birthday treat. The woman disappeared pretty early in and came back after 10 minutes and removed them all from the front row. Perhaps it was because she was looking after other people's kids that she thought she had to leave as she didn't know what their parents reaction would be when the girls came back home swearing like sailors!
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kport
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Re: Swearing Complaints about the London Show

Post by kport »

Yorkie wrote:I don't think there is anything different in recent reviews Ellen - I have pretty much read all the reviews of BETM on Tripadvisor and there have always been some UK reviewers who gave low reviews and marked it down due to the language.

Only once have I noticed somebody leave due to the language (last year) - a woman with a group of girls aged around 11/12 who I think were their for a birthday treat. The woman disappeared pretty early in and came back after 10 minutes and removed them all from the front row. Perhaps it was because she was looking after other people's kids that she thought she had to leave as she didn't know what their parents reaction would be when the girls came back home swearing like sailors!
'The woman disappeared pretty early in and came back after 10 minutes and removed them all from the front row.'

So she left them there while she went out to get a refund? A tad hypocritical, if that was the case, don't you think? She should have taken them out with her. One is left to wonder that had she not received a refund, she would have stayed put.

The warnings were posted; caveat emptor. But, as I have stated before, I have seen more angst amongst the Florida crowd from the Tour's use of 'Jeeee-sus' by Small Boy as he did his press ups, than by his calling George a 'Fat B@#$ard'.
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Billy Whiz
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Re: Swearing Complaints about the London Show

Post by Billy Whiz »

I might be missing something but I cannot see any mention that she received a refund.

As far as I am aware the Victoria Palace do not do them.
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