5,690 posts
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Post by lynette on Oct 1, 2018 11:16:54 GMT
Everyone seen that the Coliseum is making people empty their bottles of water outside in case they contain vodka? WtF?
I take a bottle of water either a small Evian or a water bottle of my own to everything. I would be mortified to be asked to empty it. And if I take a swig on the tube on the way, it won’t be a sealed bottle which they say they let in. ( not fans of Cabin Pressure are they?) I'm not planning a trip to the C any time soon but woe betide any other theatre following suit.
If they are worried about 'disruption' what is to stop someone getting blind drunk on one g&t ?
I sincerley hope the next production at the C is coughed off the stage and they they take nothing at the bar anyway as a protest.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 11:24:33 GMT
I get the outrage, but most large arenas and stadiums stop you taking a bottle in for health and safety reasons - you can (or could) take the actual bottle, but not the cap as the cap doesn’t crumple if you stand on it, which could cause more issues in a mass evacuation. Apparently.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 12:09:28 GMT
Yes, the policy was put in place for Chess, then they got bad publicity for being elitist about musical fans vs opera fans so decided to solve the problem by doubling down and treating everyone like sh*t. Seems to have been picked up on after a few people ranted on twitter about it (might have included me #innocentface), but I guess this is the start of the first opera season since this was implemented.
this is from the chief exec of ENO -
which doesn't address the point that no other theatre does this (in my experience anyway). To be fair they will let you take the empty bottles in and refill them. But it does mean that while the ROH is getting loads of publicity for opening up the foyers and letting the public in, the outside of the ENO has big signs saying "NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK" and people being forced to throw water away. (or in fact, throw it away or drink it outside, not sure how that helps if it actually is vodka!)
However since they are (presumably) not frisking people's jackets it would presumably be quite simple to get a fair amount of booze inside.
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43 posts
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Post by stuartww on Oct 1, 2018 12:16:20 GMT
I'm sure they had this policy in place when Bat Out of Hell was playing
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 12:23:54 GMT
If people aren’t prepared to pay for alcohol inside, then they aren’t prepared to pay for alcohol inside. Makes no difference if you make them empty pre-filled water bottles of vodka outside first or not.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 12:24:08 GMT
Again anyone who has listened to Cabin Pressure would easily pull a Douglas on the ENO and smuggle in some vodka (or Talisker in that case)
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 13:53:49 GMT
Easiest way round it is to carry a small water bottle and keep it in your pocket for the bag check (you may need to choose your dress or jacket for the day according to pocket capacity). I've snuck all sorts of non-vodka consumables into the ENO and never once caused a riot.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 14:23:36 GMT
The Live Nation type venues are just looking to make as much money as they can hence no water. But the ENO ! I can see some well bred Opera fans being very angry if they had to empty water away. I can understand the sealed bottle idea to stop people mixing alcohol but small mixer bottles can still be sneaked in.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 14:31:03 GMT
Who in their right mind sullies a voddy by sticking it into an empty water bottle to sneak into a venue? What is this? A student union bar circa 1992?
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349 posts
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Post by kimbahorel on Oct 1, 2018 14:43:53 GMT
I think it is America but a video showed someone was banned from taking a whole bottle of vodka on a flight so the woman stood there and necked the whole thing. Now... I have no plans to go to the place but I wouldn't throw away a perfectly good bottle of water and even though I would probably have to get up and pee after an hour but I would stand there and drink down the whole bottle if they didnt let me in with it. I certianly wouldn't thow it.
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5,690 posts
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Post by lynette on Oct 1, 2018 14:53:20 GMT
Yes, the policy was put in place for Chess, then they got bad publicity for being elitist about musical fans vs opera fans so decided to solve the problem by doubling down and treating everyone like sh*t. Seems to have been picked up on after a few people ranted on twitter about it (might have included me #innocentface), but I guess this is the start of the first opera season since this was implemented. this is from the chief exec of ENO - which doesn't address the point that no other theatre does this (in my experience anyway). To be fair they will let you take the empty bottles in and refill them. But it does mean that while the ROH is getting loads of publicity for opening up the foyers and letting the public in, the outside of the ENO has big signs saying "NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK" and people being forced to throw water away. (or in fact, throw it away or drink it outside, not sure how that helps if it actually is vodka!) However since they are (presumably) not frisking people's jackets it would presumably be quite simple to get a fair amount of booze inside. So we first world idiots are pouring water away onto concrete steps in front of an arguably elitist entertainment venue while the world dies of thirst and disease. Love that OMG. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 15:01:11 GMT
I'm sure they had this policy in place when Bat Out of Hell was playing Yes, digging around I think the policy was introduced for Bat Out of Hell following some problems with drunk audiences during that production, but not for the following year of opera. Then they imposed it again for Chess and were accused of elitism, so introduced the current blanket ban. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 15:02:46 GMT
I think it is America but a video showed someone was banned from taking a whole bottle of vodka on a flight so the woman stood there and necked the whole thing. Now... I have no plans to go to the place but I wouldn't throw away a perfectly good bottle of water and even though I would probably have to get up and pee after an hour but I would stand there and drink down the whole bottle if they didnt let me in with it. I certianly wouldn't thow it. Making aggressive eye contact the ENTIRE TIME. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 15:29:30 GMT
Edinburgh Playhouse (ATG) make you do this and have the cheek of charging £2.50 for the cheapest nastiest water they could find at the cash and carry. I refused to empty my bottle of Highland Spring so they took it off me. I object to paying £2.50 for water so I just dehydrated.
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Oct 1, 2018 16:12:27 GMT
Punishing the many for the crimes of the few. Terrible management.
Just stop wimping out and tackle the people causing the trouble. Cowards.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 16:47:05 GMT
Yes, "Hmm... shall we hire more ushers or piss off the entire audience?"
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4,955 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Oct 1, 2018 17:31:11 GMT
ENO really struggle to find an audience, every year I go less and less. This is another screw up for them and I’m losing good will for this company
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Oct 1, 2018 18:14:45 GMT
Yes, "Hmm... shall we hire more ushers or piss off the entire audience?" Or just one usher whose knowledge of opera is scant but is built like a brick sh*t house. I really do not believe that the decanting of hard liquor into water bottles is endemic amongst those who attend the ENO. And for the small-ish number who are doing it most of those will enjoy their tipple without bothering anyone. The minority within the minority who are hell bent on getting ratted and causing trouble are not going to be stopped by this move. But this isn’t just about people getting drunk at the opera is it. Or even about the challenges of removing unruly audiences members. It’s also the indignation of the ENO that people are managing to circumvent their ridiculous bar prices and drink their own very cheap booze on their sacred premises. |
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2,323 posts
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Oct 1, 2018 19:02:29 GMT
I went to ENO today. Not for the opera obviously, I just wanted to beat the water police.
Dressed my bottles of water, into which I had previously added my decanted vodka, as turkey drum sticks which were part of my picnic wrapped in tin foil. One nil against the water facists.
Is this really a problem at the ENO? Drunk vodka drinkers not my turkey drummers.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 19:15:42 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 20:11:37 GMT
"We're not elitist. After paying our bar prices everyone is poor."
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227 posts
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Post by galinda on Oct 1, 2018 20:34:13 GMT
I hate it when theatres try and ban food and drink.
I managed to sneak my water bottle in during chess. Went to collect my tickets and so didn’t get bag checked. I think the usher asked me if I was coming out after collecting my tickets. I lied.
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1,481 posts
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Post by steve10086 on Oct 1, 2018 21:58:27 GMT
During BOOH they were saying the water ban was for “security reasons”. When I was stopped I just put the bottle in my coat pocket and went to a different door.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 22:45:22 GMT
I usually manage to sneak water in via my bag. It has different compartments and I’ve only ever been asked to open the main bit.
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8,096 posts
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Post by alece10 on Oct 2, 2018 6:11:58 GMT
I blame Michael Ball. That last grime album of his just attraced the wrong type of fan.
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