Everybody's Talking About Jamie - Sheffield Crucible/Apollo

Such good news it's coming back, and hats off to Nica Burns and her team, but I could happily live without the CV19 references - Baz says some students will be wearing masks. It's a bit like Strictly Come Dancing, you just want to be taken away from it all and forget about coronavirus for a bit. Not everything has to be relevant.

I was going to book it, but honestly the idea of seeing masks onstage just turned me right off it. I know the audience will have to wear them, but I could tune that out, not so much if it's right there onstage. Ah well.

Did anyone else buy tickets through today tix ?? For a performance now cancelled .... A blanket of silence from them no response to email Facebook messenger or Instagram 😤

I’d got the row b tickets too for 21st November on social media the theatre said they were re booking people but obviously can’t think they would do tickets bought else where ... really wish I had bought from Nimax now as after I found them a bit cheaper ... but had already booked via today tix app .... my order is still showing as live .... and can’t get any communication with today tix

My rebooked shows came through this evening. Upgraded from Stalls Row B (£20) to Stalls Row C (£67.50), which works for me. Thanks to Nimax for doing the right thing once again.

Finally heard off today tix I had row b tickets too mine were £23 each .... they say they are waiting for nimax to give them authority on what to do so I’ve just got to sit and wait ? 🥺😢

They were due to open on the 30th so not on that day, but maybe sometime in December if they do online rehearsals and we are able to open things up then?

They don't need to do online rehearsals - there is nothing stopping them doing physical rehearsals.

Not to mention the cast on stage are not all 2 metres apart.

I went to see Northern Ballet's Dangerous Liaisons on Thursday night. Although there was no corps, it was still very much a traditional ballet, with holds, lifts and much swapping of partners. There was even simulated love making! 😚

Oliver Dowden’s latest tweet confirms that rehearsals can indeed continue in person.

Managed to get a late release seat to see the Jamie re-opening this afternoon.

Fantastic performances and a super-hot crowd inside a Covid-19 secure venue.

Before the show, Nica Burns gave a speech thanking the Government for the support they've given the industry allowing theatres to reopen.

This was the first performance of Jamie with the updated book, bringing it right up to date in the middle of Covid-19. The pupils wear masks during class (or sometimes don't wear them, they're not the best behaved class). Lots of nice touches like Covid-19 awareness posters hung up in the school toilets. Traces of lipstick on one of the masks. Pupils deciding what masks to wear to prom. Some updated cultural references, with people like Paris Hilton is no longer being current. It's not a show to go to if you want to forget about the outside world, but it all work really well. And exams haven't been cancelled in this parallel universe.

The sound quality was as good as I can remember hearing it. Noah's voice, in particular, was way better than when I last saw him earlier in the year and he was really throwing his all into it (as well as being teary eyed for a lot of the show - it was emotional). I hope his voice holds up to the five-show weekends that are on the cards now. Melissa Jacques sounded perfect as always and you could hear every emotion in her voice when she sang He's My Boy.

As far as I can tell, all the advertised cast were on. Due to the entrance arrangements, it's very hard to see the cast board. The cast is almost as it was before lockdown, but with some small changes, such as Garry Lee transferring from the tour cast. There's no star casting in this version. Phil Nicholl is back as Hugo for a month until Shane Richie takes over (I'm sure Phil will end up playing Hugo off and on for the next few years).

As I mentioned, a really nice theatre. Excellent leg room with the way they've respaced the rows. I had a perfect clear view from the second row, although the stage is high. I did pay more than usual, but it was worth it.

Hopefully back on Thursday for the show I booked a while go, all depending on the updated tier announcements on Wednesday. Glad I got in before that announcement regardless. And strongly recommend this show, which is one of very few fully staged musicals open in London right now.