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Post by fiyero on Jan 4, 2022 12:49:36 GMT
It’s possibly a good time to get into London to see something, as long as you’re flexible about what you want to see? I have a 5 show weekend (friday evening - sunday evening) coming up. Not sure if all 5 shows will be the same as what I've currently booked but will make the most of it! |
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Post by Dawnstar on Jan 4, 2022 12:57:27 GMT
It’s possibly a good time to get into London to see something, as long as you’re flexible about what you want to see? Only if you're also prepared to risk getting covid and/or getting stuck in London due to the many train cancellations currently happening! |
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Post by robertb213 on Jan 4, 2022 13:20:42 GMT
I use the spray (which costs like £2) and it works like magic. Not a hint of fog. Would you mind posting a link to the spray you recommend please, a lot of the reviews on Amazon seem quite contrary as to whether the products actually work or not, so I'll happily take a better recommendation! 😀 |
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Post by zahidf on Jan 4, 2022 14:07:22 GMT
Planning to see 5 plays this week. Mix of worst end stuff (2.22 ghost story) and stuff at the Young Vic/Bush theatre.
Got my 3 jabs and some mild covid in Dec, so I'm not worried.
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Post by Dave B on Jan 4, 2022 14:15:34 GMT
Plus there being a good chance of an upgrade if you book upper circle tickets and the level is closed... Bad for the theatre, admittedly, but good for a bargain. Just got upgraded for Les Mis this evening. We had restricted view in the Grand Circle, now moved down to non restricted in the Dress Circle. Tickets were a tenner too through some promo many months ago!  |
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Post by danb on Jan 4, 2022 16:12:39 GMT
It’s possibly a good time to get into London to see something, as long as you’re flexible about what you want to see? Only if you're also prepared to risk getting covid and/or getting stuck in London due to the many train cancellations currently happening! You can mitigate against most of that by wearing a mask, washing your hands and driving. “A life lived in fear is a life half lived”. |
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Post by firefingers on Jan 4, 2022 16:28:23 GMT
I think part of the problem is the collapse of international tourism. Pretty much every person in the South East of England who might want to see Les Mis or Phantom has plenty of opertunity, so why go now? Particularly if you've caught the news that both those examples are now stripped back productions.
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Post by Dawnstar on Jan 4, 2022 17:53:04 GMT
You can mitigate against most of that by wearing a mask, washing your hands and driving. “A life lived in fear is a life half lived”. I don't own a car. The train is my only realistic option for London theatregoing. I'm not impressed by the number of late night trains Thameslink seems to be cancelling in the near future. |
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Post by craig on Jan 4, 2022 18:22:17 GMT
We had a train cancelled on us last time we were in London for the evening. No biggie. We just got a burger and waited for the next one!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2022 18:35:35 GMT
Only if you're also prepared to risk getting covid and/or getting stuck in London due to the many train cancellations currently happening! You can mitigate against most of that by wearing a mask, washing your hands and driving. “A life lived in fear is a life half lived”. That's a bit unfair - not everyone drives or can afford a car. And many people are constrained by last train times as not all train lines run all night. |
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Post by danb on Jan 4, 2022 18:41:35 GMT
I didn’t say it was fair. I realise that we are all in different situations with different levels of risk. This is how I have got around it.
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Post by Mark on Jan 4, 2022 23:20:56 GMT
Arrived at Southwark Playhouse just after 3pm to find the 3:30 matinee of Gatsby cancelled. Not the venues fault but it is frustrating to find out only 25 minutes before the performance that it isn't going ahead. But hey ho, we went along to the Tate for a look around before an extended dinner and wine before our evening show of Bring it On tonight.
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Jan 5, 2022 0:09:02 GMT
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Post by robertb213 on Jan 5, 2022 0:29:30 GMT
Thank you, I'll keep an eye out for it! |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 5, 2022 16:21:56 GMT
Still struggling with the concept of rolling up to the theatre at 6pm for a 7.30 show as ATG ask me to do for School of Rock this week. What the actual you-know-what do they expect me to do for 90 minutes? Even if the auditorium was open, which it won’t be until 7.15, I’m still not prepared to do this because I see no rhyme or reason for it. In fact I think it’s dangerous. If this is about forcing people into the bars it is a dreadfully cynical move by ATG or any theatre doing this. The Palace has some reasonably sized public areas, certainly bigger than some theatres but equally nowhere near big enough to accommodate this policy safely. I’ll turn up about 7.15, join a queue in the fresh air outside and be in my seat for 7.25 as has been the case for years.
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Post by zahidf on Jan 5, 2022 16:56:20 GMT
Still struggling with the concept of rolling up to the theatre at 6pm for a 7.30 show as ATG ask me to do for School of Rock this week. What the actual you-know-what do they expect me to do for 90 minutes? Even if the auditorium was open, which it won’t be until 7.15, I’m still not prepared to do this because I see no rhyme or reason for it. In fact I think it’s dangerous. If this is about forcing people into the bars it is a dreadfully cynical move by ATG or any theatre doing this. The Palace has some reasonably sized public areas, certainly bigger than some theatres but equally nowhere near big enough to accommodate this policy safely. I’ll turn up about 7.15, join a queue in the fresh air outside and be in my seat for 7.25 as has been the case for years. They've never enforced the 'get to the theatre at this time' type of thing at all the things I've been too for the last year or so. I just rock up 15 mins before doors and they waved me in. |
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Post by ruby on Jan 5, 2022 16:59:16 GMT
Still struggling with the concept of rolling up to the theatre at 6pm for a 7.30 show as ATG ask me to do for School of Rock this week. What the actual you-know-what do they expect me to do for 90 minutes? Even if the auditorium was open, which it won’t be until 7.15, I’m still not prepared to do this because I see no rhyme or reason for it. In fact I think it’s dangerous. If this is about forcing people into the bars it is a dreadfully cynical move by ATG or any theatre doing this. The Palace has some reasonably sized public areas, certainly bigger than some theatres but equally nowhere near big enough to accommodate this policy safely. I’ll turn up about 7.15, join a queue in the fresh air outside and be in my seat for 7.25 as has been the case for years. I agree. As far as I'm aware, ATG haven't enforced the arrival times at any theatres I've been to (Bristol Hippodrome and Savoy). I was given 6pm for Pretty Woman at the Savoy and turned up just after 7 with no issues. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 5, 2022 17:01:57 GMT
I know they’re not enforcing it, because they can’t. But some people will comply (there’s evidence of that here on this forum) and I think it’s wrong to even ask people to do this.
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Post by talkingheads on Jan 5, 2022 18:05:07 GMT
I know they’re not enforcing it, because they can’t. But some people will comply (there’s evidence of that here on this forum) and I think it’s wrong to even ask people to do this. Isn't it so that the entire audience doesn't do what you do thus staff having to check a few hundred Covid passes ten minutes before curtain up? |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 5, 2022 18:14:34 GMT
I know they’re not enforcing it, because they can’t. But some people will comply (there’s evidence of that here on this forum) and I think it’s wrong to even ask people to do this. Isn't it so that the entire audience doesn't do what you do thus staff having to check a few hundred Covid passes ten minutes before curtain up? Might be, but they’ve been doing bag searches on the queue for some years now and it’s a different person who looks at the bag, looks at the covid pass etc. really, the amount of attention given to covid passes us nominal. You show your phone, they look at it and wave you through. And anyway, even if that was a reason and it was causing delays is that more important that herding people into small spaces? |
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Post by Phantom of London on Jan 5, 2022 21:11:12 GMT
It is a cynical policy to sell more drinks, shame on them. I would say hanging round a bar drinking unmasked and you are more than certain to get Covid. I would be more than happy to turn up at 6:50 and that would be the Caffe Nero a few doors down, where I can sit down in comfort with a nice cappuccino and feel more safer and turn up at the theatre 30 minutes later.
On a side note - bar sales do matter for ATG, I was in one of their venues in Manchester and after a prolonged interval, I saw the FOH manager check the bar before giving the go ahead for act 2.
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Post by talkingheads on Jan 5, 2022 22:48:10 GMT
It is a cynical policy to sell more drinks, shame on them. I would say hanging round a bar drinking unmasked and you are more than certain to get Covid. I would be more than happy to turn up at 6:50 and that would be the Caffe Nero a few doors down, where I can sit down in comfort with a nice cappuccino and feel more safer and turn up at the theatre 30 minutes later. On a side note - bar sales do matter for ATG, I was in one of their venues in Manchester and after a prolonged interval, I saw the FOH manager check the bar before giving the go ahead for act 2. I'm honestly surprised ATG sell any drinks at all at their prices. |
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Post by Mark on Jan 6, 2022 0:13:32 GMT
Just following what I’m reading in the Phantom thread rather than going off topic there, I am quite surprised we haven’t had any closure announcements for West End shows (no complaints here!), wheras Broadway has had quite the blood bath with numerous early closures.
If the West End can make it the next few months with some decreased schedules and only Cinderella postponing for a month, then it’s not doing too badly. (Not including POE in this as it had a lengthy final closure announcement).
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Post by Stephen on Jan 6, 2022 0:41:20 GMT
We have just booked ticket to see Cursed Child in NYC in April. We had our pick of pretty much the entire theatre. I worry for many shows with advance sales being so low especially if shows like Harry Potter aren't selling. Don't get me wrong I don't care much about Harry Potter closing but it does mean that smaller excellent plays are unlikely to survive.
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Jan 6, 2022 13:08:06 GMT
We have just booked ticket to see Cursed Child in NYC in April. We had our pick of pretty much the entire theatre. I worry for many shows with advance sales being so low especially if shows like Harry Potter aren't selling. Don't get me wrong I don't care much about Harry Potter closing but it does mean that smaller excellent plays are unlikely to survive. Still one performance rather than two shows? |
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