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Post by n1david on Jan 17, 2018 8:50:53 GMT
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Post by dani on Jan 17, 2018 10:47:56 GMT
The ladies' loos there are some of my least favourite, so this is good news. The Old Vic needs to do a few other things, though, as regards getting its house in order.
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Post by profquatermass on Jan 17, 2018 12:12:31 GMT
They had me at more ladies loos
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Post by TallPaul on Jan 17, 2018 13:16:13 GMT
Looks like basically they are moving the bar to the ground floor foyer, and converting most of the basement to toilet space. Just like at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane then. Until I looked at the planning application, I wondered if it was the same architect, but it seems not. The Old Vic is using the same firm that designed Storyhouse in Chester. |
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Post by Jon on Jan 17, 2018 15:22:55 GMT
Can they make radical changes as isn't it Grade I listed or is it Grade II
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2018 16:52:04 GMT
Well I'm all for it. I hate that queue of people waiting to use the loo always blocking my route to the bar.
Where do I give my approval?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2018 16:58:44 GMT
Unless they fix the appalling legroom in the Lilian Baylis, then any refurb work is a waste in my opinion.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2018 17:01:59 GMT
Whoops, just read the article. Improving accessibility is never a waste. But not addressing the LB Circle is a missed opportunity.
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Post by lynette on Jan 17, 2018 18:45:53 GMT
O joy! At last. My life is complete....well I’m pleased.
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Post by joem on Jan 17, 2018 21:03:16 GMT
Bang goes the Spacey portrait.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jan 17, 2018 22:58:15 GMT
I wonder if they go for a last hurrah and revisit the round? Warchus as AD hasn’t really used it apart from the bellyflop Future Conditional.
2 of the most successful shows in the Old Vic history The Crucible and The Norman Conquests (Hello Warchus) we’re done in the round. This also gave an extra bar under the new stalls.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2018 10:15:29 GMT
A Christmas Carol was done in a (different) in the round configuration
I would say the (apparently dangerous) overcrowding in the foyer has only become a problem recently, because they seem to insist on having all stalls ticket holders going through one narrow gap in a roped-off area to have their tickets checked, before they are checked again by the ushers at the two entrances to the stalls. And the situation in the downstairs bar was made worse by the change in layout there in the last refurbishment.
But welcome changes all the same.
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Post by n1david on Nov 15, 2018 12:54:09 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2018 13:25:49 GMT
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Post by n1david on Nov 15, 2018 19:57:04 GMT
I did that for the Drill Hall, the late LGBT theatre in Chenies Street that lost its Arts Council funding and ended up being used by RADA.
I supported them in an earlier refurb which meant that the Gents had a brass plaque on the door announcing them as “The David Axxxxxx Gents Toilets”.
Sadly, in the days before mobile phone cameras so never got a pic of it.
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Post by Jon on Nov 15, 2018 23:10:22 GMT
I think we should chip in and rename the Penny Bar, the Ryan bar.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2018 9:16:19 GMT
To be honest I have little sympathy with the Old Vic on this as I think they should have addressed all this during the last refurb rather than turning the downstairs bar into a cafe bar to make it less usable by theatre patrons.
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Post by lynette on Nov 16, 2018 17:56:41 GMT
Had email asking if I would like to contribute to the refurb. Bit of a cheek if you ask me. Just because I’ve been naggin them for yonks, I’m not paying for it.
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Post by showgirl on Nov 16, 2018 19:27:13 GMT
If they're going to meet the need (& demand) for more loos, don't spoil it by hiding them away in the basement but make them as accessible to all as possible, ie ground floor foyer. People simply get annoyed if they have to search or walk a long way for basic facilities.
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Post by Jon on Nov 16, 2018 19:57:10 GMT
If they're going to meet the need (& demand) for more loos, don't spoil it by hiding them away in the basement but make them as accessible to all as possible, ie ground floor foyer. People simply get annoyed if they have to search or walk a long way for basic facilities. Where on earth are they going to put the toilets in the ground floor foyer, there simply isn't space. |
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Post by showgirl on Nov 17, 2018 6:29:56 GMT
Swap the loos & the bar round, ie bar in basement & loos at rear of ground floor foyer. Toilet facilities are essential; bars aren't. And yes, I know the latter is potentially a source of income whereas toilets are a cost, but making it clear that you prioritise money over customer comfort & making people go out of their way to reach something you know they are likely to need will pee them off.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2018 7:13:31 GMT
If they're going to meet the need (& demand) for more loos, don't spoil it by hiding them away in the basement but make them as accessible to all as possible, ie ground floor foyer. People simply get annoyed if they have to search or walk a long way for basic facilities. Where on earth are they going to put the toilets in the ground floor foyer, there simply isn't space. David posted a link to the plans on the first page - they are adding lots of new space in the foyer by removing the back three rows of the stalls, and are using that space for the box office (where the current back of the stalls is) and a new bar (where the box office currently is) rather than putting toilets on the stalls level. Key documents: Cross section of building which looks like the size of the lobby area will be roughly doubled Floor plan of stalls showing the new box office and bar. Floor plan of basement showing the new layout of the loos. Again to be fair this looks like a significant improvement. If I'm interpreting this correctly the ladies toilet now occupies the space currently taken up by both sets of toilets, and the gents is now in what is currently the back area of the bar. But Showgirl is correct - they are making major changes here, and creating a lot more space in the lobby, but have chosen to leave the layout so the only loos are in the basement or on the balcony level - none on the stalls, dress or upper circle level. Although they are reducing the size of the basement bar to fit more toilets in. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2018 8:03:25 GMT
Plus (it occurs to me too late to add this to my previous post  ) this reinforces my previous point - the changes they are making to the downstairs bar are to the area they focussed on refurbishing last time around to turn it into the cafe bar. And these new changes are ones they could have made last time around if they'd thought it through. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2018 11:38:00 GMT
That lobby does need to be made bigger though. I've been unwittingly groped on several occasions trying to make my way through to the bar my seat.
No wonder Kevin Spacey loved working there.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2018 11:39:57 GMT
Toilet facilities are essential; bars aren't. Insanity. |
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) this reinforces my previous point - the changes they are making to the downstairs bar are to the area they focussed on refurbishing last time around to turn it into the cafe bar. And these new changes are ones they could have made last time around if they'd thought it through.