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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2016 15:15:34 GMT
I guess if you live in London (or New York or whatever major theatre city) then that really helps if you want to take things more casually, but I don't live in London so I want to make sure I'm maximising my London time efficiently. I imagine emicardiff has to maximise her London time EVEN MORE efficiently, yet is much more flexible about Cardiff shows. Damn straight we're all for "booking plenty in advance". Indeed! Even for "big" shows in Cardiff (so the National Tours at the WMC) unless it's with a big group of people/for an 'occasion' I'll often leave it to a few weeks/week of. For more Fringe type stuff I certainly rarely plan much beyond the month of, if that. Because such things rarely sell out, are cheaper whatever and can be shifted depending on what the week/month is throwing at me.
With London or beyond, such things take planning and putting into a diary, and yes if I'm either forking out a fortune for train or spending hours on a bus I want to make the very most of the theatre I'm seeing. And seeing 3-4 shows a weekend every few months in London sometimes paying more is actually the more 'economical' in the broader sense than risking shelling out more last minute, or missing out.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Dec 12, 2016 15:29:55 GMT
One of the most annoying things for me is booking for something far away and then learning that the same production is touring here to Cardiff or even nearby, say Bristol or Bath.
That's why I still can't understand Cornish people happy to leap on a coach to London to see a production which originated close to home in Plymouth.
I prefer to optimise my theatregoing by minimising travel for each production, for reasons of time and cost.
I obviously have inherited no Cornish genes.
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Post by kathryn on Dec 12, 2016 15:35:06 GMT
Some of us are just inveterate planners, anyway. I'm planning a trip to Sydney and New Zealand for 2018 right now, in fact I've been planning it for well over a year and will be ready to book it in early January. Definitely going to be checking out what Sydney Theatre Co are putting on while I'm there and booking as soon as I can - it's not like I can drop by Oz any time!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2016 15:44:34 GMT
Some of us are just inveterate planners, anyway. I'm planning a trip to Sydney and New Zealand for 2018 right now, in fact I've been planning it for well over a year and will be ready to book it in early January. Definitely going to be checking out what Sydney Theatre Co are putting on while I'm there and booking as soon as I can - it's not like I can drop by Oz any time!! It's a total side track but I'm very jealous! but also share your ardent planning, I was planning my most recent NY trip for about 4 months (and that's obviously somewhere I've visited a lot!)
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Post by kathryn on Dec 12, 2016 16:04:41 GMT
I think that planning happens in part because of the need to budget carefully, whether it's for holidays or theatre tickets. If you don't need to be very careful about what you pay you can be more spontaneous. If you're going to New York to see theatre you're probably looking to find the best prices for flights and hotels - buying a ticket in advance might mean you pay more than someone who buy at TKTS on the day, but it is cheaper than paying for another trip because you missed the show you really wanted to see, and may well mean you can get a cheaper flight/hotel.
But it's also just a fun way to pass the daily commute, to sit and work out exactly what you're going to do and exactly how much it will cost and how long it'll take you to save it up and, oh, maybe it'll be cheaper to do it that way so then maybe I can stay a bit longer......
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Post by wickedgrin on Dec 12, 2016 18:25:33 GMT
Basically the best seat at the cheapest price! Once upon a time this was simply not possible the prices were the prices. However, in recent years with the introduction of day and lottery seats together with dynamic pricing which means prices can go down on some occasions, getting bargains is possible.
But it is all about what you are prepared to pay for what. So for a show a really wanted to see I would pay full price (never premium on principle) but for the most part I will search out a bargain.
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Post by showgirl on Dec 12, 2016 19:11:31 GMT
Booking ahead - as I usually do - can backfire on you when shows are cancelled or travel problems arise. Luckily I tend to buy cheaper tix but if the issues on Southern Rail continue I might have to cease booking anything, as the total loss mounts up even for the lower-price seats. Some theatres will allow you to change a booking but most of those who do now add a fee (for the Arcola it was more than an extra 20% of the original ticket cost, which is pretty steep), but others won't; there is also the issue of not having another date on which you can go, or when tix are available - often the case with limited runs, tours or productions in repertoire, e.g. at the NT.
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Post by shady23 on Dec 12, 2016 22:47:01 GMT
Tonight I am staying in Leeds, having booked to see Kerry Ellis but it was cancelled. My cheap "non refundable" hotel room doesn't seem too cheap now have travelled anyway. The things we do...
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Post by wickedgrin on Dec 13, 2016 0:07:06 GMT
Yes Southern trains are a nightmare at the moment and so booking ahead - especially something expensive is an absolute no-go at the moment for me living in Brighton. Perhaps there are bargains to be had on train strike days for those folk up in London with cancelled tickets?
When is this train business going to be resolved?
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 13, 2016 0:39:13 GMT
Tonight I am staying in Leeds, having booked to see Kerry Ellis but it was cancelled. My cheap "non refundable" hotel room doesn't seem too cheap now have travelled anyway. The things we do... I would have seen either Strictly Ballroom in Leeds or Annie Get Yor Gun in Sheffield or Sweet Charily/Billy Elliot in Manchester all in an hour away from Leeds. I would not be watching Holby City in my hotel room and I hope you didn't too.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 13, 2016 0:49:06 GMT
There Emma, I saw Comet with Josh Groban and it was over 40% on TKTs. I think the only ticket I pre-booked for New York was Sweet Charity off Broadway with Sutton Foster. I got to see all the shows I wanted to see and everyone had a discount, also I didn't get ripped off by extortionate booking fees. Oh I had to pay full price fro Dear Evan Hansen. I know it was available on discount, but for me Comet and Falsettos were the only shows I HAD to see on my recent trip, and the ones I therefore wanted to be sure of good seats for. If I'd been 'meh' about it I wouldn't have bothered. Also I went to TKTS to see what was available one day and "half price" for the shows I asked after was over $100 so not much of a saving there.
Personally I also had a full schedule of holiday related things to do during my trip and didn't want to spend time queuing for tickets. So that's why I pre-booked.
Also it's Emily not Emma. Hence it being EmI with an I.
Apologies Emily 😰😰😰 Anyway I understand why you paid the money you did for comet, I paid just over $100 bucks on TKT's. With Falsettos it wasn't on TKT's and I was walking to the Walter Kerr expecting to lay down full ticket price, not full some reason I asked if they had any lottery loser tickets and I got lucky, it saved me over 100 bucks. Which I need to, I still have £4000 to knock off my visa. America ain't cheap apart from public transport and clothes? However you Emily and me Peter have to live that American Dream.
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Post by mistressjojo on Dec 13, 2016 1:46:27 GMT
Some of us are just inveterate planners, anyway. I'm planning a trip to Sydney and New Zealand for 2018 right now, in fact I've been planning it for well over a year and will be ready to book it in early January. Definitely going to be checking out what Sydney Theatre Co are putting on while I'm there and booking as soon as I can - it's not like I can drop by Oz any time!! STC have just put casual tickets for the first half of 2017 on sale this week, so you will be looking at around the same time next year to book for Jan - June 2018. The second half of the year goes on sale around February. Something for your diary kathryn .
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Post by kathryn on Dec 13, 2016 9:56:38 GMT
Thanks mistressjojo!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2016 10:52:10 GMT
haha I frequently lie to myself too Monkey "Well I reviewed 3 shows last month so that saved me about £50 so I can spent X on this one" or "Well I haven't spent that much on food this month, let's buy a ticket to ..."
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Post by viserys on Dec 13, 2016 11:28:07 GMT
It's how I justify my London trips, really. One regular-priced West End show, one fringe show and one day seat combined cost about as much as one ticket in Germany. For example we paid £55 each for best seats at Aladdin in London (preview prices admittedly) whereas a similar seat in Hamburg would cost around £130-150.
The Eurostar to London costs no more than a regular German train to Hamburg, so it's only one or two hotel nights more, so I am willing to add that for the infinitely better quality and range of shows in London.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2016 12:06:37 GMT
True story Monkey, last night I wanted beans to go with my dinner, I could find none in the cupboard...even students always have beans!!
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Post by Marwood on Dec 13, 2016 12:07:33 GMT
I've only paid £100 to see a show four times (The Elephant Man at the TRH, An Evening With Pacino at the Palladium, the Rolling Stones in Hyde Park and U2 at the O2), other than that I try to limit myself to to a top range of £60-£70, what with the travesty of a train service in London at the moment, I don't want to expose myself to any possible losses that can't be refunded/credited (booked to see The Human League at the Royal festival Hall tonight, and due to the strikes, won't be able to go unless I start walking now)
With places like the NT in the future, I'm only going to go if I can get the cheapest seats, especially after seeing rubbish like Evening At The Talk House and Peter Pan (thankfully didn't pay full price for either) I can't see how some theatres can justify charging over £50 for what they're putting on.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2016 12:27:54 GMT
even students always have beans They do indeed, emicardiff, but not post-doctorate persons, it seems... No, alas. Though I blame that on poor organisation skills not just being poor (in January it may be the latter)
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Post by shady23 on Dec 13, 2016 12:46:29 GMT
Tonight I am staying in Leeds, having booked to see Kerry Ellis but it was cancelled. My cheap "non refundable" hotel room doesn't seem too cheap now have travelled anyway. The things we do... I would have seen either Strictly Ballroom in Leeds or Annie Get Yor Gun in Sheffield or Sweet Charily/Billy Elliot in Manchester all in an hour away from Leeds. I would not be watching Holby City in my hotel room and I hope you didn't too. Strictly Ballroom wasn't on tonight or that would have been an option. The rest too much faffing on with trains so the pub it was. Was either that or seeing Scotty T in the local panto.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 13, 2016 12:57:50 GMT
Oh, and does anyone else feel the need to celebrate with theatre tickets to mark family birthdays right out to your third cousin and all pets (including individual goldfish), royals down to Duchess of Kent level, anniversaries of starting and leaving school and university, passing driving test, purchase of TV set, expiry of extended guarantee on TV set etc, etc, etc? Haven't thought of those. But whenever possible I do like to attend special events on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays AND Saturdays. I tend to have Sunday's off. After all I need to remind myself, I'm not a complete lunatic.
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Post by Jon on Dec 13, 2016 16:06:40 GMT
My upper limit is £65-70 but this year the most Ive spend is £100 on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child but that's a two part play so it's really only £50 each.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 13, 2016 16:56:32 GMT
Well I haven't spent that much on food this month Ah yes, my favourite recipe. As it's Christmas, I shall share it here: "légumes haricot, en la sauce tomate aux pain blanc avec fromage" (serves 2. Unintentionally. Basically, someone will spot what you are doing and demand a slice, more or less. If your place is anything like mine. Anyway).
Take 4 medium sliced slices of bread (Warburtons works for me, it's worth the extra over the own label stuff, as you can save on..) 1 tin baked beans (they all taste the same, so go for the cheapest and use the difference on the bread - see above) 4 slices cheese (Dairylea slices or Red Leicester for me, but your favourite solid will do. Don't use soft brie etc, it doesn't work)
Place bread in toaster to mark 5. It needs to be dark brown and hard to take what's coming next. Once toasted, arrange to cover dinner plate. Carelessly place slice of cheese on each slice of bread. Open and dump entire can of beans over bread and cheese, using fork to spread beans evenly over all slices. Place plate in microwave on high for 1 minute, or hot oven for 2 minutes.
Consume anything anyone else hasn't nicked from you.
The costing of this dish should roughly save you the entire price of a premium ticket each month, if consumed at least 3 times a week. It could also help with your gas bill if consumed 3 times a week, if you can get an "energy feedback" deal with your supplier... You could escalate this to cordon bleu level tm, simply by topping it with a scrunched up bag of pickled onion monster munch.
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Post by Michael on Dec 13, 2016 18:33:12 GMT
Just wondering, shouldn't the topic actually be called ticket prices?
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Post by wickedgrin on Dec 14, 2016 1:42:38 GMT
Well, if I had paid some of the premium prices in the West End I would have thought I HAD bought the theatre!
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Post by Honoured Guest on Dec 14, 2016 3:17:40 GMT
I paid £2,012 plus booking fee for Isles of Wonder, and it was worth it.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Mar 4, 2017 14:51:34 GMT
Not theatre, but I found today I still had my ticket stubs for some concerts I went to in 1982 and 83. ABC, Soft Cell, Mari Wilson and Yazoo, less than £15 for the lot (which is ~£37 in today's money). Also of note: the "No smoking, cameras or tape recorders" warning for ABC!
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Post by showgirl on Mar 4, 2017 22:07:26 GMT
My average price is still around £15, though much more splashing out on major West End productions risks ruining my record. For the occasional visit to something really special - as with Travesties this week - I'll pay up to £35; likewise for annual treats such as big musicals via GILT.
Parsley's hourly rate of pay system wouldn't allow me to see the more expensive productions (I'd rather miss out than book worse seats), as when I was working, I didn't earn that much, but I see his logic.
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Post by wickedgrin on Mar 5, 2017 11:02:12 GMT
£11.50 for August 1982 best seats on the revolve at "Cats." Off topic but THE best notice I have ever seen in a theatre foyer was for this show in the 80's which read something like .. "Latecomers will not be admitted due to the auditorium being in motion".
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Post by alece10 on Mar 5, 2017 11:18:58 GMT
£11.50 for August 1982 best seats on the revolve at "Cats." Off topic but THE best notice I have ever seen in a theatre foyer was for this show in the 80's which read something like .. "Latecomers will not be admitted due to the auditorium being in motion". I had one of those tickets and Paul Nicholas sat on my lap.
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Post by alece10 on Mar 5, 2017 11:25:38 GMT
Just dug out a programme and ticket stub for Liza Minnelli 1977. £7.50 rear stalls.
Most I have paid is £120 for the very last row before you go into outer space at the o2 for Babs.
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