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Post by stuart on Feb 5, 2017 19:48:20 GMT
Surprised to see this advertised very heavily on billboards across Glasgow. Occasionally, you'll get the odd West End show appearing on a billboard at the southbound train station but I've seen a few for this show, advertising both the Manchester and London runs.
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Post by stuart on Jan 30, 2017 12:53:59 GMT
Do we think this will announce an extension relatively soon? It would make sense to announce it in the next few days to capitalise on the initial ticket buzz but can understand if they only announced it once the show opens to try and keep demand high.
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Post by stuart on Jan 27, 2017 15:16:44 GMT
I don't know why but I'm fully expecting Michael Ball to be announced as King George.
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Post by stuart on Jan 26, 2017 23:42:05 GMT
This cast looks brilliant but I was rather hoping we'd get at least one of the original Broadway cast transferring over to open the show. Still got my fingers crossed for Lin Manuel!
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Post by stuart on Jan 26, 2017 14:45:09 GMT
Could be, but why all the Tuesdays, though? Smaller allocation for (what they're assuming will be) quieter evenings earlier in the run so they can say there were tickets for all weeks available in the general sale? They could be holding the dates for the Hamilton schools programme if they're going to replicate that in London?
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Post by stuart on Jan 26, 2017 12:23:38 GMT
Nothing is on sale at the moment, Polly1. "Priority Booking" is over, and they don't start general sales to the public until Monday.
Sorry Monkey, didn't make myself clear. This was during priority booking, second or third day. I was browsing some dates in (I think) Feb and all the Tuesdays had 'currently not on sale' under them. Ticketmaster sometimes puts 'Not currently on sale' on shows which are sold out. Could just be to do with that?
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Post by stuart on Jan 25, 2017 7:52:40 GMT
The Woman in Black matinee on Saturday at King's Theatre in Glasgow. A group of 8-9 teenagers arrive 25mins late, noisily take their seats and make a fuss about what they've missed.
A few minutes later, I notice each of them reaching into their bags. One by one, they all pull out a similar shaped object. Turns out they were probably late because they clearly stopped en route to the theatre to buy the ideal snack - one which isn't going to disturb anyone, smell the Grand Circle out or be very messy to eat.
One by one, they each unwrapped a hot burrito. One person soon dropped said burrito on the floor, meaning we had the stench of chilli, mince and peppers filling the air for the rest of the play.
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Post by stuart on Jan 17, 2017 19:44:24 GMT
I'm already getting concerned that my £89 Row C Stalls seats are going to be obstructed by a high stage. Reading reviews from Billy Elliott which said the stage was high.
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Post by stuart on Jan 16, 2017 23:08:50 GMT
I used to work at a large arena where they've done the paperless ticketing thing for tours in the past and it worked for 99.9% of people.
You don't "collect" tickets, they swipe your card on the way in, check your ID and that will then print out a seating stub for you to find your seats in the auditorium (similar to the ticket machines train conductors carry). It takes seconds. Not much longer than ripping a ticket stub to be honest.
Ticketmaster will send out various reminders in the run up to the show that the tickets are paperless, you won't receive tickets, get in touch if your card has changed etc and this tends to work for most people meaning issues are resolved before the event.
The issue for the 0.01% comes when they haven't checked their emails, don't remember what card they bought the ticket on, bring the wrong card or simply haven't read the T&Cs. They were hard to miss with Hamilton but I imagine it will be the last one which catches most people out. Ticketmaster do seem to be quite sympathetic with people on Twitter today offering to change the card and name etc.
Touts do still get around this. They just buy an extra ticket they don't sell, charge you for that spare ticket (hence the extortionate pricing), arrive with you at the venue, come in with you once the tickets have been collected and ID shown and then leave. At least, that's what we saw happening. Obviously stops bigger tout businesses from operating but the odd scalper here or there can get around it (but will probably need to live locally to the Victoria Palace to actually bother).
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Post by stuart on Jan 16, 2017 19:39:18 GMT
Just a prediction, but I reckon the performance on December 12th (the one before Press Night which isn't on sale) will become a School's Performance or similar, given Hamilton's Broadway scheme of giving a percentage of seats per week to local schools.
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Post by stuart on Jan 16, 2017 13:43:43 GMT
Also, is Lin Manuel in this from November? Or is that not happening? I think he'll either open the show in the role for a very limited period (Nov-Jan?) or he'll be brought in to boost ticket sales a year or so into the run (if it needs it). I can't see him randomly doing 6mths in the middle of the run early on as the show will sell itself initially. It'll be whether he wants to originate the role in the West End too which will probably clinch it either way.
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Post by stuart on Jan 16, 2017 12:08:30 GMT
Well that was easy. Didn't throw away my shot and got my hands on decent seats!
Row C in the Stalls for Saturday 13th January 2018.
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Post by stuart on Jan 16, 2017 11:51:00 GMT
I'm assuming they've switched the pages off until 12pm. Not good for the nerves this!
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Post by stuart on Jan 16, 2017 10:35:54 GMT
I can't concentrate in work today. Roll on 12:01pm until I can actually get on with my day once I have these secured!
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Post by stuart on Jan 13, 2017 14:44:03 GMT
Going to see it next weekend, the ticket says "All ticket holders should arrive at least 45 minutes prior to the start of the performance to allow time for venue staff to verify tickets and conduct bag searches", do they indeed have issues with lines, or would getting 15-20 minutes in advance be fine? It should really say "Please arrive 45 minutes prior to the start of the performance so you can stand in a cold tent where there aren't enough seats for our patrons, browse the 4 pieces of merchandise we have on sale, wait in a queue for 15mins to use the dirty bathrooms and pay £4 for a warm can of coke before we rush you into the auditorium 10mins before the performance and start the show 5mins late". To answer your question, 15mins will be fine.
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Post by stuart on Jan 12, 2017 20:40:11 GMT
Do you think the first preview would be safe to book for? Or is there a likelihood it could be cancelled/delayed?
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Post by stuart on Dec 31, 2016 0:22:57 GMT
I thought the actual theatre was OK, a bit characterless, and could hear a few police sirens going off in the distance but my main gripe with it was the temperature (or lack of it), it was like sitting in an ice box, I was wearing a heavy overcoat and had to sit there with it buttoned up, God help anyone who went in not wearing a coat. Bless you for the warning. I permanently freeze in winter and I hate freezing in cold venues (my cinema is notoriously cold in winter too). Will make sure I'll be dressing up for the North Pole when I go! I hate to say, I was quite the opposite. Far too warm, to the point I wanted to remove my jumper within the first 5mins (but the rows were quite restrictive and I didn't want to spoil what little view anyone had for a few seconds) so just lifted it up and folded it over so it covered from my ribs up. I was at the very back though, as opposed to the front.
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Post by stuart on Dec 24, 2016 6:49:30 GMT
Cilla Black was given 150,000 for her Liverpool panto so big names are all on 20, 30 and 40k a week. It's a very lucrative job for a month over Christmas! She also demanded a chauffeur driven car to take her from her London home to Liverpool and back again everyday.
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Post by stuart on Dec 20, 2016 20:38:13 GMT
I was at Lazarus a few weeks ago and the audience were dreadfully behaved. It might have something to do with the incredibly uncomfortable theatre or the long running time with no interval but the amount of people who were in/out of their seats was ridiculous! Can you not hold you bladder or get drinks in before the show?! And that's despite the venue warning you multiple times (on arrival, in the foyer, before the show) that if you leave during the performance, there may be a considerable wait before you're allowed back in. Clearly wasn't the case that night. Or maybe they thought the passing sirens or noise overspill from the nearby pubs wasn't distracting enough already?
The woman behind me asked me to slouch about 3 songs in as she couldn't see a thing.. Even sitting up straight, I could only just about see the top third of the stage (and I'm over 6ft) due to the poor rake and another tall person in front of me. One of those situations where you want to be really good and let the person see, but know that in doing so will spoil what little of a view you actually have and that she still won't be able to see anything.
Guess that's what you get when you pay £15 to sit in Row ZF of a theatre...
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Post by stuart on Dec 8, 2016 22:52:48 GMT
I'm not sure what I just watched.
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Post by stuart on Dec 5, 2016 20:27:55 GMT
Nice Fish, B11 (centre seat in row), pre-show. She whips out a fried fish gougon (posh) / fishball (everyone else) - to go with her flute of champagne. At least the taste experience for her should make up slightly for the stink for the rest of us, for rows around. Maybe she just thought Nice Fish was also what you were meant to eat during the show?
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Post by stuart on Nov 28, 2016 21:09:09 GMT
I'm assuming dynamic pricing is in place with this? Just went to book tickets I saw earlier today and they've more than doubled in price?! From £15 to £40! No other £15 seats there for the performance (the back 5 rows are all £40+) but there are for every other date available.
EDIT: Yep, definitely automatic dynamic pricing. Just had another look and those seats were still there, back at £15!
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Post by stuart on Nov 22, 2016 12:54:17 GMT
What are the row Z onwards seats like? Are they as far back as the name suggests?
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Post by stuart on Nov 14, 2016 22:15:39 GMT
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Post by stuart on Nov 14, 2016 20:16:47 GMT
Press Night tonight, I'm expecting strong reviews off the back of the kids performance.
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Post by stuart on Nov 12, 2016 21:54:35 GMT
I don't know if this has ever happened to anyone, but it has to me quite a few times for some reason. Not really bad behavior, but do you ever buy yourself a program, have a read or flick through pre-show or during the interval in your seat, and the person next to you reads YOURS along with you? Some people have been more subtle than others (glancing away as I glance in toward direction), but I always can tell when they do it in the periphery of my vision, and earlier this year for a change the guy just asked to read along and leaned in even closer! But luckily that was like less than a minute before Act Two started). Don't get me wrong, I don't really mind when it happens and I try to be friendly and just let them, but sometimes it can make me paranoid that I'm either flicking through the pages too fast or too slow for them, or worry that they can't see and if I try to move it then it's an awkward invitation to allow them to read along, or have the feeling that I'm "in too deep" (as Bialystock and Bloom would say) and now I can't just put it down to have a drink or talk to whoever I'm with! - and then I start to think "I paid £4 for this, you go and get your own!" ....All that aside I probably am guilty of doing it myself now and then. At School of Rock on Wednesday, I came back from the toilet/bar at the interval to find the person sitting next to me reading the programme I left on my seat! They just said "oh, sorry" as they noticed me and handed it back. Worst of all, they were noisily eating Wotsits/Quavers/equally sticky crisps during the first act, the residue of which was now all over my white programme!
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Post by stuart on Nov 10, 2016 20:30:00 GMT
I was there last night too and loved every second of it.
Was in a £29.50 seat, Row K Seat 63. The set restricts your view of the rear of the stage for quite a few scenes (but you don't miss any of the action) and you have a side view whenever anything is happening at the very front of the stage but the price is justified. With the New London being as it is, you're actually only 3-4 rows back from the stage (and the stage extends out to the sides meaning the cast are only a few seats away from you at points). Also gives you a great view of the band (who are on a platform above the stage but stand up when the kids are playing, not sure if they'd be visible from the Stalls or Circle?) and of the theatre as a whole (especially good for the scenes where there are cast members in the audience or when ALW himself is stood at the back taking notes as he was last night).
David Flynn carries this show like no other actor I've seen. He gives such an energetic performance yet barely leaves the stage (if ever?). Surely he's the runaway favourite for the Olivier at this stage? I can't think of any other musical actor giving such a dedicated performance this year?
Now, on to the kids. I normally hate child actors in shows and was concerned that this was going to be a family friendly show that pandered to the kiddies. Boy, was I wrong. The kids in this show hold their own and, by the end, have the audience eating out the palms of their hands. Yes, their accents weren't perfect and a few of them missed their cues but they are children in previews, many of them probably performing on a big stage like that for the first time. Cut them a bit of slack! They got the laughs, their acting was perfectly competent and, most of all, they were INSANELY talented at each of their instruments. Like, seriously?! Talk about triple threats, these guys are quadruple threats and they're not even teenagers. They are the Stars of the show and they completely deserve it.
I do agree with some of the other posters that the first half starts off very slowly but picks up as soon as Dewey arrives at the school. One thing I didn't like was the Miss Mullins relationship. In the film, it's a running thread throughout. In the show, it is only mentioned for the first time in the second act. It felt extremely shoehorned in, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, for their to be a moment for a big ALW ballad. Secondly, because the show was trying to stay extremely loyal to the film and they had to fit it in somewhere.
The show succeeds in that. All of the major jokes and plot points from the film are included as are a number of songs. I was impressed by how loyal it stayed actually (but the man sitting next to me said during the interval that he was unimpressed by how similar to the film it had been, I'm not too sure what else he was expecting, to be honest?).
Surprisingly, there weren't any obvious Trump references last night. I was expecting him to be referenced during Stick it to the Man (when the Kardashians are mentioned, there was clearly an anticipation for it in the audience too). There was a full applause though following Dewey's line to Summer's mum "She should run for president, I'd vote for her".
I had a great night. It's the sort of show I think the West End needs at the minute - a new musical which is both good fun and uplifting but clever and with a strong brand behind it. There was also a surprising amount of young people in last night too (although Wednesdays have £10 student tickets so might have been the reason), good to see fellow millennials at a new musical for once! The buzz around the auditorium both during the show last night and after was electric. I must have counted six or seven mid-show applauses for jokes, which I haven't seen at a new musical for years.
There's a very neat reference to the New London's longest running production during the show which had the audience howling with laughter. While I'm not in any doubt that it will remain their longest running show, I think School of Rock will be remaining at the New London for a long, long time.
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Post by stuart on Oct 20, 2016 11:10:09 GMT
Howdy, I've got a friend who wants to see this on Saturday this week - does anyone know of any deals or is she pretty much destined to pay full price? It pops up on Tkts occasionally so worth checking their website to see if it will be available on the day (especially as they know give advanced notice of what will be on sale a few days in advance). I got a £55 seat for £25 from there a few weekends ago - brilliant seat right on the corner of the first row where the central aisle ends (think it was Row L?). Amusingly, the American people next to me at Tkts (who appeared to be buying tickets for everything on sale) when I was buying asked their cashier about the show when they heard me buy a ticket and he went "Everybody raves about it but I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't recommend it".
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Post by stuart on Oct 16, 2016 19:05:23 GMT
I'm down in London for work for a night this week and always try to catch a show when I'm down. On a slightly tight schedule this time though! Train arrives into Euston at 7:15pm but staying in Kings X. Don't want to buy a ticket in advance in case my train is delayed (likely!) but a few questions:
1) What are the chances of getting a ticket on the night?
2) Do they do the under 25s discount at the box office?
3) Will they offer any last minute discounts on the night?
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Post by stuart on Aug 19, 2016 8:29:10 GMT
So who exactly is in the cast this week? I saw the show on Tuesday and even I'm not sure as the programme hadn't been updated!
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