Have you ever walked out of a cinema/theatre half way through a show?

I actually fell asleep during The Silence of the Lambs.
The three people with me were rooted to their seats throughout, I slept happily on!

Yes! Hairspray in the West End! My late OH got tickets in Leicester Square for the show on the day (something we used to do often) but it was awful! Once the interval came we both decided that we’d had enough.

The stage show of The Commitments. Just frantic with scene changes every few minutes and just a couple of bars from each song. Tosh!

Yes, after only about 10 minutes of the film The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. I just found it most unpleasant but then spent 90 minutes walking around deserted streets and sitting in a cold foyer waiting for husband and friend. Also from a modern opera based on Kafka play and again ended up bored stiff waiting for rest of party.

Once - Soldier Blue. It was in 1970 nd I went with my then boyfriend, I walked out when the violence became too much. I waited for him in the foyer and was joined a few minutes later by another girl I didn't know. We had a lovely long chat about everything except the film. However, the film did ignite an interest in Native American history and I read and researched a lot after that.

Haven’t walked out but have fallen asleep a couple of times.

I agree with Fairfraise about Rollerball - I didn't walk out as was with someone but I feel asleep. Also fell asleep in Star Wars.

The Greatest Showman I saw recently as a film on tv - just couldnt get why people rave over it.

Didn't find Cats that good, but was treating the kids so I had to stay.

Mollygo mentioned Soldier Blue - terrible violence and especially against the native american women. I'd never see that again.

I can't understanf Olliebeak saying that Donna in Mamma Mia was money-grabbing. As far as I see it, she brought Sophie up to the age of 20 without any financial help from any of the three possible fathers. And Songstress said she/he never saw Mamma Mia but that is a musical to walk out on - how do you know if you never saw it?

OP, good thread!

Something with a name like Our Ladies of the Blessed Virgin. Extremely foul language and an unpleasant theme throughout. Maybe suitable for fringe theatre but not for the West End. Also something called Shen Fui (or similar). Supposed to be Chinese dances, but the orchestra made all the music sound like the theme from The Big Country, and the two comperes were an insult to our intelligence.

I wanted to walk out of Cats. I thought it was one of the worst musicals ever made. I never saw Mama Mia, but that is a musical to walk out on.

Cats

Cats, awful

Only once - we went to see Sarah Milligan in Newcastle a couple of years ago - we used to find her so very funny when on TV - but her "live" performance was disgusting, and I am NOT a prude. However, she was unbelievably crude, and also her "supporting act", a young, gay so-called "comedian" also was far too beyond the pale. There were also "plants" in the audience, onee right behind us, and these "plants" were raucously laughing when nothing was in the least bit funny - so we left at the intermission - glad to get out. What a huge waste of time and money. I have never watched her on TV since then. I also received a very snidey personal message from her on Facebook, as she had read my comments on FB and it obviously hit a nerve!!

I'm another one who couldn't stick Last Tango in Paris.

As a teenager I went with my then boyfriend to See 'The Killing of Sister George'. Clearly I was really naive, I think we both were. I was not terribly sure what it was all about, but I knew we both felt quite shocked. I don't think we even made it to half-time.
Times have changes so much in the past fifty years.

Yes, quite a few times! I have always been a very single-minded individual - some would say selfish - and there's no way on earth that I would force myself to sit through a film or show that I am not enjoying!
I am exactly the same at home with TV! I have never been much of a TV watcher, but my husband is the exact opposite, especially since he retired! He watches lots of different programmes, and I know he would love it if I would just sit down and watch TV with him, but that's not going to happen! I have always been a very fit and active person and have plenty hobbies and interests which utilise my excess energy, and for me, sitting glued to the square box that is TV is a total waste of my time! So he watches TV and I go off and pursue my own interests!

Yes. It was a torture scene in Elizabeth, I came over all wobbly and got up and wobbled right out of there..
And years ago I fainted,- it was the first film of Alfie with Michael Caine, the abortion scene.
I had to be carried out and they called a taxi for me. I never did get to see the end.
I'm teribly squeamish...

Yes but always in the interval

Down and Out in London and Paris. 16 year old son begged to see it(!). DH and I were so bored, at half time we asked son if he was enjoying it - we breathed a sigh of relief when he asked if we could leave.

Saw Evita in its early days, brilliant show with Elaine Paige. Lots of South Americans in the audience but the second half they’d all gone. Obviously not what they were expecting.

2001 A Space Odyssey, I got the giggles and had to be taken out. Still think it’s totally pretentious.

I have left at the interval, but it was so (un)memorable, I can't even remember what it was!

I’ve only walked out once and that was at an Amy Winehouse concert.
What a talent. What a voice. I was so excited to see her.
But she was an hour late to start with, the audience were restless, but she came on with a pint of what looked like orange juice, i’m guessing it had vodka in it. Her singing just got worse and worse, she was jittery and kept wondering about the stage. Her band looked embarrassed.
So at half time we went home. My son stayed and said the crowd started to boo her. So she started to swear at them.
Of course she had lots of problems, with drugs and alcohol.
A truly talented young woman who took the wrong path. How sad.

Years ago I went with a group from work to see a ballet based on The Hobbit. I thought it was dreadful and couldn’t make out what was going on and I do like ballet normally. I made my excuses in the interval saying I didn’t feel well, went home and had a glass of wine to recover.

Walked out of theatre performances several times but always wait until the interval. Never walked out of the cinema - no intervals so didn't want to disturb other people.

My husband and I both walked out in the interval of Thriller , the Michael Jackson musical. He was not in it, it a was a tribute. We had front row seats and everyone in the theatre stood up singing and it was all too too much for us oldies. Ghastly show and a total waster of money for us.

Also - a friend and I once walked out at the interval of the first night of a Pinter play - it was so boring . We were sitting in front of Harold Pinter and Antonia Fraser. When we got outside my friend gave her ticket to a homeless man - I would love to know if he used it!

I was on a singles holiday to India in Agra and we were taken to see a play about the Taj Mahal. Within 10 mins almost all the fairly elderly, very jet lagged group had fallen asleep and were snoring. At the end the tour guide announced that all those who had fallen asleep would be coming back the next night to see it again!