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Post by andrew on Jul 1, 2017 0:54:34 GMT
I'm so poorly travelled I didn't realise that there were Pride events that did charge (other than after-parties). I had the privilege to be part of the Dublin Pride parade a couple of years ago and it was one of the most surprisingly uplifting experiences of my life. I'm not a very sentimental person (and certainly not one to readily find myself in parades very often) but it's one of those things I don't think I'll ever forget. It was such a raw, good thing. I'll be somewhere along the sidelines in London this year, hope to bump into some of you guys.
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Post by andrew on Jul 1, 2017 0:48:35 GMT
I like midnight the best personally, even as someone who regularly works night shifts, because as others have said you can stay up late, get up early or indeed probably find time in the middle of a shift to secure tickets before getting on with things. The best for theatres is probably mid-morning. I can't understand why 8.30am is when the NT goes for it, it seems totally bizarre.
On another personal note, I didn't have a rota for the next season when these were all released so had to hold off. I got said rota this afternoon, and had the dual pleasures of being able to successfully book a seat I'd want for Network, Dragon and Pinocchio AND not be working on my Hamilton ticket. Network is the only one that's hard to get cheap tickets for, I've ended up booking in February for the front row cheap seats as the discomfort is a tradeoff I'm OK with in these seats. After February there's good availability at all prices. Everything else has good availability other than press night essentially.
And sure, I'm working on Christmas this year, but my theatre-going plans are in motion and these are the things that matter.
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Post by andrew on Jun 20, 2017 22:42:22 GMT
Way too long. Otherwise I liked it. The back row of the circle was a bit of a pain with the planetarium. You could always see what was going on up there but it was a very poor view of it. I had no trouble seeing all the action as I was on a diagonal corner, with a block of audience below me where no action could take place.
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Post by andrew on Jun 12, 2017 17:18:29 GMT
Diane Abbot's son sitting on the fire-exit step at the Donmar on Saturday. As I open the door, his friend sensibly stands and moves away. I explain to the still seated person in front of the other door that 200 people are following me down the stairs and will expect to leave via the door he is sitting in front of. He failed to grasp the concept that 1 person leaving (and taking the time to warn him) is not the same as 200 on a stampede... Obviously didn't cover that in private school. Don't feel bad for him though, he has a West Indian mum...
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Post by andrew on Jun 8, 2017 2:33:44 GMT
Just managed to get a ticket on TodayTix for the middle of row R in the stalls for £23 for Saturday afternoon...really surprised as it isn't mentioned as one of the discounted shows...so basically a saving of £50. A friend of mine got a stalls row D ticket for today's matinee for £20 at 11.30am. I'm wondering whether to wait and risk it when we go down in September. I've not bothered to look through the seat plans for each night but at the matinee today there were half a dozen stalls seats unused. Even huge shows aren't going to fill every seat for every performance though so using TodayTix to throw away the spare seats isn't daft. Also comparing the midweek matinee to a weekday night some months ago, the amount of screaming and applauding over final notes was definitely reduced, a rare treat to be able to listen to someone singing uninterrupted.
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Post by andrew on Jun 5, 2017 8:39:04 GMT
Astounding. Visceral. Requires a lot of attention. Some of it is confusing since there's so much going on simultaneously but it's honestly one of the most powerful things I've seen in years. Well I've arrived home from a night shift and for lack of better things to do tonight have booked a ticket, hope I like it as much as you did!
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Post by andrew on Jun 4, 2017 18:49:08 GMT
Anyone catch Anatomy of a Suicide? Lots of availability and I'm wondering if I should book.
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Post by andrew on Jun 1, 2017 10:39:04 GMT
COVFEFE is coincidentally my TodayTix code, use now for £10 off your first purchase...
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Post by andrew on May 30, 2017 21:36:12 GMT
The soundtrack was quite good I thought, I don't usually stick around with these sorts of shows but I've re-listened quite a lot. And the audience/critical response on Broadway has been pretty incredible. It's a bit Next To Normal though in a couple of ways and that means it will NEVER EVER APPEAR IN THE WEST END
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Post by andrew on May 30, 2017 21:08:58 GMT
What a lovely feeling to have no particular place to go, and no particular time to arrive there. Very nice meal at Chicken Shop, a meander through Covent Garden down the Strand to the river & now on a boat to Greenwich watching Parliament disappear behind me. London has it's problems but on nice days just wandering through like that brings out it's best side.
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Post by andrew on May 30, 2017 17:55:47 GMT
The coffin gets lowered into the ground and then suddenly from several loudspeakers comes Patti yelling WHATS NEW! BUENOS AIRES! For no reason at all.
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Post by andrew on May 30, 2017 17:52:49 GMT
It could have been worse - originally I was going to put 3 pairs of pants on my chair but it was such a nice day! For fans of "The Unofficial Guide to Disney World," the suggestion (in this case, to stop someone stealing your stroller) is to get a disposable baby nappy, dribble a little root beer on it, and place in a clear plastic bag tied to the stroller or on the seat." May be helpful, perhaps? No bag needed, you'd likely keep the seats on either side of you free too if you just left a nappy sitting out on your seat.
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Post by andrew on May 28, 2017 21:56:10 GMT
With any luck that'll deter a few of the people who camp there for eight hours with their laptops. Yes there's quite an epidemic of student MacBook users at NT. Also, I frequently arrive quite early for a Saturday matinee and find the most serene area to read my book is upstairs in the Lyttelton foyer. Without fail at 11.00am a vivacious Japanese lady starts running a language course for some 12 or so students. They all hang on her every word and she's obviously pedagogically gifted. At the end a large bouncer type bloke collects the dosh (in cash) for the course! This has happened every time I've arrived early. I'm totally happy with all this, just wondering if anyone else has noticed this, or similar, and whether they are, slightly cheekily using the NT facilities, or have specifically asked permission. I love hanging around the NT, haven't ever seen anyone using it commercially like that. I would probably have mentioned it to security and see if they kick them out or not, somehow I don't like people taking advantage of the place, it being Our National Theatre...
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Post by andrew on May 28, 2017 21:43:56 GMT
Aaagh working nights that weekend. Maybe if I'm feeling ridiculous I'll hop on a train and come down for breakfast/dinner before going home to sleep but it seems unlikely.
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Post by andrew on May 21, 2017 19:21:33 GMT
Can't really decipher reading through if there's any consensus or not as to a date
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Post by andrew on May 1, 2017 22:32:29 GMT
Nothing wrong with this. It's good fun, at times is good theatre and for anyone afraid of participation, literally the entire audience is on your side, just have a go.
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Post by andrew on Feb 26, 2017 10:28:46 GMT
Has anyone had a look at the quality of the His Dark Materials recordings? I reckon if I was to go, that would be something I'd like to catch up on and I wonder if it was well captured by the archivists.
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Post by andrew on Feb 18, 2017 11:50:42 GMT
The wild party tonight
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Post by andrew on Feb 8, 2017 12:26:35 GMT
"Outrageously modern" is a phrase I wouldn't say was applicable to either Medea or Hedda Gabler. Especially Medea.
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Post by andrew on Feb 8, 2017 12:15:04 GMT
I really could not have predicted that this is where a thread about Hamilton spoilers would end up.
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Post by andrew on Feb 8, 2017 12:07:42 GMT
Might as well add my two cents. I saw this last night. I think my impression was similar to a lot of other opinions given, in that when the two leads were on I enjoyed myself, and as soon as the girl or the spear hunter appeared I just lost interest. There was a particular moment when Mark Rylance reappeared after being off stage for 10 minutes or so, and suddenly the play just kicked off again. Were he not the famous Mark Rylance, I still think he would have stood out as the highlight of the play. He gets laughs with just the way he slows down a sentence, or when he makes a slight noise. He's very much born for the theatre.
The last 5 minutes really sold this for me, I would have felt differently after the curtain call had there not been some acknowledgement of the style of the play or the notion of the audience trying to draw conclusions about what it means, or what had happened. I loved the absurdist trope of characters realising that they're in a play. The pacing of those moments in the play was quite well done I thought.
I must confess that I did not realise there was a puppeteer in this, in my head the small figures were being moved by a Disney-esque animatronic mechanism. Who knew?
Since it finishes earlier than most, I took the opportunity to get a ticket signed by Mark Rylance, who is now holding the joint prize with Ian McKellen as loveliest stage door presence. He even entertained the professional autograph sellers for a few minutes, which is not something I would bother with, were my signature worth more than the paper I write on.
Enjoyed.
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Post by andrew on Feb 4, 2017 0:21:11 GMT
everyone I overheard on the way out was complaining that they couldn't see the deck, and they didn't understand what the director was thinking. Is it a design issue, rather than direction. I didn't correct them...
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Post by andrew on Feb 3, 2017 23:27:22 GMT
And Russell Brand's Re:Birth tour booking opens this morning, after yesterday's pre-sale. Can't believe I missed that. What a shame.
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Post by andrew on Feb 3, 2017 23:26:17 GMT
I'm not saying you need alcohol to meet with TheatreBoard people, but it definitely helped.
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Post by andrew on Feb 3, 2017 23:24:53 GMT
Saw this a couple of days ago from middle of row D. If you're going to miss a side, you want to sit on the far left of the auditorium (low numbered seats). You also want to sit in a circle. Any circle. Anywhere in the stalls will lead you disappointed at what I'm sure was a very pretty stage floor. I won't spoil what it is (and to be honest with you I'd only be guessing as I couldn't see it at all) but everyone I overheard on the way out was complaining that they couldn't see the deck, and they didn't understand what the director was thinking. It's not important for the plot, but if you're in it for the aesthetics, you want height.
The actors and the play itself were great. I couldn't agree more with talkstagey and couldileaveyou. The second act was quite perfectly heartbreaking. Kate O'Flynn was excellent. It didn't really take off for me until the gentleman caller arrived, and then I was totally swept away.
Michael Esper I could take or leave. His accent was ropey at best, and despite being the central character and being able to talk directly to the audience, I couldn't get on board with him. Maybe that's what he wanted, but that's what happened anyway.
I got my tickets cheap on TodayTix as well, a couple of days ahead. I don't know if it was a particular deal or anything but central stalls for £32 wasn't bad. Even if I couldn't see the floor. And apparently I needed to see the floor.
Oh if I'd only seen the floor.
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