Bathroom Rant

Okay, so I was at a Play last night. There was a short monologue before the show that said the basic rules, no cell phones, no chatting, etc... However when it came to washroom rules the woman was so mean... she said, in a very snooty, almost annoyed way, "if you MUST go to the bathroom, if you ABSOLUTELY cannot wait, then an usher will help you, but you will NOT be allowed in again until intermission". it just struck me as very discriminatory.. People even laughed.I felt so much anxiety and pressure after that. I couldn't even enjoy the show because I was worrying I'd be the one doing what the front of house manager portrayed as the "walk of shame".

I know that's a very old rule but aren't we more educated nowadays?? I mean if i have to go I have to go, I have a disease, I'm not trying to be difficult... and I understand that I can disturb others by leaving the theater but it will be a quick thing, I shouldn't have to wait outside like I'm in time out until intermission. Yes I have colitis, yes I might have to run during the show, but I still payed my 30$ like the rest of you...

I'm not trying to sound whiney, but I just wish everyone was taken into account when these rules are made. We shouldn't be mocked if we need the washroom, or punished.

Sorry... just needed to rant. A woman behind me with Chrohns was also a little offended by this. I know they do this to avoid needless, rude interruptions, but having to go because of a disease is neither needless, or rude....

and I wonder why I get anxiety when I go to shows...

That's what I thought, but even when I explained my issue I was told that I'd have to wait outside lol. So frustrating.

Canada, but I know there are laws like that here. again like we both said it's probably an education issue. Still. I wonder if you'd be allowed to go in an airplane while the seatbelt sign was on...

It would be even more of a disturbance if you just crap at your seat.... maybe they should take that into consideration :P

Wow!! I'd be horrified! Telling me I can't access a bathroom will guarantee make me have diarrhea. The anxiety and stress would take over and I, like you, wouldn't be able to enjoy the show. I'm sad that you had to feel this. Just because we don't wear our disease on our sleeves doesn't mean we should be discriminated against

You would not believe how rude people are to performers. We have a huge problem with early exits - everybody has to beat traffic. Many performers have called out audience talkers and cell phone users.

opening the door makes noise, lets in light, and can even block a performer's surprise entrance. It disrupts the actors and the entire audience. Groping for your seat in the dark and needing a whole row to stand disrupts rows and rows of audience members behind yours.

I don't find this rule unreasonable at all. My bathroom requirements do not outweigh an entire room full of people. It does not violate reasonable accommodation laws, because you can leave to get to the bathroom, or answer your phone, or have a coughing fit. Nothing prevents you from doing what needs to be done.

Wouldn't it be better to take precautions so that you don't need to go? Eg don't eat or drink anything before the show, take some Imodium or codeine, or whatever.

Yeah, I knew somebody would say that.

Well, I could always ensure a couple of hours poop-free if I needed to: I had to take the bus to hospital during an acute flare-up once. (Could've called an ambulance, but didn't feel it was enough of an emergency to justify it.) I was nervous but my preparations worked. Got to A&E accident-free and was admitted.

Would do it for other things if I had to, and if I didn't think I could manage it I wouldn't do it. Sucks, but the prices pretty much excludes me from live theatre anyway - more than Crohn's did.

Some things need to be researched before-hand...and now you know.

Take an Imodium before you go to help with your anxiety about having to go.

You have UC with the possible tendency to have an emergency. Not everything will accommodate you....

But, you didn't have to go anyway, did you...nor the lady behind. For the next time, at least you can be prepared, and hopefully recognise that it'll be less stressful.

q

It's not unusual to not be let back into a performance until intermission, break between movements, scene change, etc. Heck, I went to a basketball game a couple of weeks ago and I wasn't allowed to go back to my seat while the ball was in play! Sounds a little odd that they would force you to wait for an usher (and if I was about to have an emergency, yeah, I would certainly just get up and go alone), but it's just good manners not to re-enter the auditorium in the middle of a performance.