As pointed out in the comments to my previous post, the decision on whether a view is restricted in a performing arts venue often rests with the theatre consultant; a specialist tasked with making that final judgment.
This kind of expertise comes from attending many performances in a wide range of venues. It’s about recognising spatial relationships and understanding from these experiences, whether other people are likely to be annoyed every time, occasionally, or not at all.
Which makes me wonder:
If the responsibility is put on someone(s) who rarely (or never) attends live performances, how can they be expected to know when a sightline might be a problem?
Acoustic Research & Design Ltd 