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

Who remembers the days when some longer films had intervals? Well some friends and I went to see Spartacus and ‘walked out’ at the interval, not because we weren’t enjoying it, but because we thought it was the end of the film!

We walked out of the musical Cats during the interview. It was so tedious. Then a few years ago we left a play half way through. This was supposed to be a comedy and it was dire. Im almost sure they had theatre employees dotted around the audience to laugh loudly! There just wasn't anything worth raising a smile never mind a laugh.

Oh yes. Thé Importance of Being Earnest. Love thé play and was looking forward to it but should have realised when looking at the cast. All «of a certain age». It was about an aged amdram group putting on a production of TIOBE. And the lead was an actor I cannot stand.
At the interval I put my coat on, DH asked if I was cold, I replied No I’m leaving. So we did.
Note to self. Check below the title Oh and it was a « stellar « cast. Very well known names. Travesty though

Yes I walked out of Pulp Fiction. Had gone with the neighbours and left them to drive home. I walked home all the way anything to get away from that awful film.

Yes both of us walked out of Wicked at the interval. Both of us thought it was awful.
Felt bad about it as DD bought the tickets for very good seats as a present, but was really not to our taste.

yes Showaddy waddy when the lead singer had lost his voice and a Karen Carpenter Tribute that didn't sound a bit like her

I saw a Restoration Comedy some years ago, starring John Nettles. A lovely voice but a dire play - we left at half time for a nearby Italian restaurant.
A few weeks later, a work colleague told me she’d seen it to and thought it was great and had ‘really cracked along’. Well, it was lost on us.

Eloethan-i didn't walk out but you've reminded me about the play Closer.I felt exactly the same.

I saw Cats not long after it had opened in the West End, and I hated it. Fast forward to 2001, and a friend and her daughter came over from America for a visit. The daughter had her 21st birthday whilst here, and at her request we went to see Cats, again in the West End. I absolutely loved it second time round.

When The Exorcist was released in cinemas, my friend and I (aged 14 ish) went to a Saturday matinee. After about 20 minutes, my friend was so frightened, she made us leave - to the jeers of the rest of the audience. Most of whom were our age. Oh the shame.

And, I walked out during the interval of some awful "comedy" play as it was so dull and very unfunny

Biggest regret was for getting tickets to the preview of Evita when it first opened in the West End, and forgetting we had them, until about 5pm on the day we were supposed to be going. We decided we couldn't be bothered to rush to get ready and get there on time, so decided we'd "get tickets for next week instead". It got rave reviews of course and we couldn't get tickets again for nine months . Saw it half a dozen times after that, as I loved it so much, and thought that Marti Webb was much better than Elaine Paige in the lead role.

AmberSpyglass sorry for the late reply. I’m glad it made you chortle, I have been laughing reading other posters submissions too ?

I went with my husband who gave me the entirely wrong impression of the films premise. I was angry with him afterwards, and he just shrugged his shoulders and said “how was I supposed to know, I didn’t read the whole synopsis” ??‍♀️

I anticipated a jaunt like Poirot or oceans 12 and saw some unspeakable things instead ?

My daughter bought tickets for my birthday to see a much-lauded and award winning play, "Closer", by Patrick Marber.

As it was a kind - and rather expensive - gift, I didn't want to upset my daughter by telling her, in the interval, that I really wasn't enjoying it. I found it too sexually explicit, not clever and not funny. We each had a glass of overpriced wine and returned to our seats. Four people who had been sitting in front of us didn't return after the interval.

When we left, it turned out my daughter hadn't been enjoying it either but didn't want to say anything in case I was. We were both amazed that it had received several awards.

RamblingRose you mean Katie Mitchell, not Katie Price.
(Mind you, I'd love to see the Pricey's interpretation of Alfred Jarry's ^Pere Ubu^)

We walked out of a play at the Hampstead Theatre a few years ago called "The Trial of UBU" directed by Katie Price.

There was a disgusting prologue with puppets arguing, swearing and sticking long poles up each other's backsides. The next scene showed journalists commenting on the trial. Their accounts were shouty and boring.

We stuck it out for about 15 minutes when we decided we'd had enough and left. Some of the reviews at the time were far from complimentary. I would never pay to see a play directed by Katie Price ever again.

My dad left halfway through 'Jaws', and waited in the car.
He thought it was too gruesome to be called entertainment.

I wish I'd walked out of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Never seen such a achingly boring film before or since.

DH went to sleep in "Pokemon", though that might be acceptable as he had only gone because our young son wanted to see it.

The Excorcist aged 14, it was an 18 certificate so I should have not been there. I was not frightened, as I think I wanted to be, I just found it silly but I have never got on with horror films. I always find myself rolling my eyes while everyone else screams!

I haven't walked out, but saw a comedian get booed and jeered off the stage.
He did some brilliant impressions, but they went on and on (and on!) and a slow clap started.

It was awful, he collected up all his props, apologised, and just walked dejectedly off.

I walked out of Catch 22 after the scene where his intestines fell out all over the place. I thought I was going to vomit and had to get some fresh air.
I very nearly walked out halfway through Clockwork Orange because I couldn't stand the violence in the first half. It calmed down a bit after Alex was caught and I managed to see it through!

I've walked out of the same film twice! Bug (1975). An earthquake releases a bunch of mutant cockroaches that can create fire by rubbing their cerci together. It was too horrible for me the first time and I left after 20 minutes, but I thought I was a wimp and tried again when it was shown at college. I lasted ten minutes that time.

I also left after twenty minutes of Red Sparrow (oh dear oh dear, just nasty), and fell asleep during Adaptation (apparently I snored. It deserved worse.)

Would never go to see a stage musical or watch a film like Mama Mia. I have slept through many films that I was supposedly watching with GC but I can not recall leaving a cinema before the end of the film.

I hated Les Mis too but stuck it out for my friend who was a great fan . La La land was rubbish we walked out but would have gone anyway as the heating had gone off in the cinema . I complained as we left got a full refund and two free tickets as well . Walked out of a few am dram productions as well a friend was a member and always wanted me to buy tickets. I remember one Carmen who looked like Olive Oil with her wig .

LauraNorder

Orlin and I in our teens walked out of Women in Love cos I was embarrassed at the ‘exposure of their dangly bits’ during the fight.
Have seen it since and laughed at myself. The innocence of youth in those days.

This was my first walk out. We took friends to see Life of Brian and they walked out, we stayed!

I walked out of Trainspotting. The scene with the drugs down the filthy toilet...just no. Nope. No thank you.

I too was completely underwhelmed by Wicked but stuck it out as I'd taken DD as a birthday treat and she loved it.
I walked out half way through one of the later Harry Potter films.We had gone as a family to each one but I'd really had enough of them, had a good book in my bag and told them all I'd be in the cafe next door reading when it was over.
And a dreadful revival of some old musical called On your toes in the West End. DH and I and a couple of friends left at the interval and went for a nice meal instead.

I’ve slept through a few and would have walked out of Mamma Mia if I’d paid to see it (as it is I just had to switch off the TV).

We used to get £1 tickets at our local theatre for the back row of the gods, and took the family to see all sorts. I realised they were a bit young for The Madness of King George when DS asked me at the interval which one the king was. I took pity on him and we went for a McDonalds.

We’d have walked out of Wicked if we hadn’t paid so much for the tickets. Though we seemed to be the only people in the theatre who didn’t love it.