Sunset Boulevard - Alexandra Palace / RAH

I think the costs of mounting a concert at the RAH are probably so enormous I'm genuinely surprised they chose that venue without a major star for Norma.

Why not go with a smaller venue in the West End?

I don't think the concerns are about whether it will be any good - the previous iteration at Alexandra Palace seems to have had a lot going for it, but falling short on sound balancing, costume, learned lines.  As it's an exciting prospect, and one of scale, I was hoping the producers' brave chutzpah (in setting out their stall) would be followed by a more controllable version from them in a venue that was guaranteed to buoy it up.  They seem to have chosen further risk - which I can marvel at, but doesn't make me confident to book for.  Despite many years of improvements at the Royal Albert Hall (on acoustics) it's often reported as volatile for sound balance - something that a one-off show is more prey to.  

To me it just represents horrible value. Setting aside producers interests, in terms of what the consumer gets for their money these events are really only for die-hards or the wealthy.

As you point out, not enough rehearsal time or time given to the noise boys to figure out the venue, how to balance the orchestra/ensemble, dark spots in the house, learn the speaker layout, know the piece inside out, tech mic pick up cues. All of this stuff contributes to these shows usually sounding awful. 40 piece orchestra is so commendable and sounds great as a sales pitch, the reality is they are usually so under rehearsed it can actually end up being more disappointing. And they chose a shocking venue. Lots of prestige, no practicality

You can see where the money has gone, but these occasions depend on FOMO and it's not like Bonnie & Clyde where it is a one time chance to see it. Or even the recent Glenn Close production where you get to see a legend. It's Sunset Boulevard - "another one". I just don't get it.

Drifting from the main subject, but for a huge chunk of theatre & concert-goers, the whole evening is the event. It's not just about going to see xxx as yyy in zzz for whatever reason, but it's a social affair that starts with food and ends with a show.
That's why so much of Central London offers pre-theatre dining menus. If a venue has the facility to offer twinned dining and show tickets, good for them. It certainly makes it even easier for the patrons who don't need to worry about moving down the street in the rain, trying to find the theatre, after a bottle of wine.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't ATG offer it for some of their theatres? I know Palace Manchester had ticket offers with the restaurant next door at one point. Are you saying you refused to go to any shows at Manchester Palace whilst they were offering Dining & Ticket deals? Same question re: The Lowry, with their pre-theatre dining deals at Pier Eight?

As for being embarrassed about eating a meal in a theatre, tell that to the Lord Lloyd Webber and his multi-million pound investment in Theatre Royal Drury Lane. 

One of the biggest red flags as far as I can see is the exorbitant price of the licence - and where does the profit from that go to? ALW's private fortune?

I mean having a meal in the auditorium as is the case with Cabaret. If people want to go to a restaurant before the show that’s different, but paying a fortune to be served food down the front of the stalls… show offy and naff. 

Perhaps they should introduce it.  An eating game, rather than drinking game, scoffing something every time someone sings 'Let's Have Lunch'

Professional licenses kick in to a completely different scale to amateur, and there's a sliding scale of fee based on auditorium size, so this is a one-off biggie.

The involvement of Alpha suggests the producers of the Alexandra Palace version may have played a blinder, if their first version attracted an organisation that has members with deep pockets and an established buy-in to their social calendar. Perhaps we should look at it all a different way: like the Medici sponsors of artists, we're getting a (probably far off) seat at a table that wouldn't have existed otherwise.  Not sure I'm grafeful enough to book yet.  Tantalising with a one-off, as there's no chance to hear it was brilliant after all and book a later performance.

As Alpha have staged Best West End concerts at the venue before, perhaps they do have a template sound design they know works.  As long as it's not just pointed at the Alpha members in the best seats...  ; )

Has anyone tried ringing the box office and asking if it’s possible to book an arena seat without the dining option. I’ll probably be going to see this on my own and don’t fancy forking out £300 to sitt in a posh restaurant by myself before the show.

Otherwise what is the view like from the stalls? I’ve heard the acoustics are much better here but won’t the stage feel very far away? Or will there be screens on the side? Thanks.

 It's only the five front rows of the Arena that include dining. There are plenty of non-dining seats further back priced either £136 or £93. 

 Also the view/acoustics from the stalls is no worse and probably better than from most of the (non-raked) arena. Stalls seat prices are usually higher than arena.

 If it helps, as I type this the best single seats available - in purely my opinion/experience - are Stalls Section O Row 3 Seat 111 and Arena Section F Row 8 Seat 29. If I were booking now I'd choose the stalls seat for   £103 over the arena one for £33 more.

I thought I'd wait until hopefully disounts popped up somewhere, and I just managed to get a stalls ticket for £50 here: www.hoorahtickets.com/events-tickets-sunset-boulevard-royal-albert-hall

There are several more stalls seats available there (though apparently some have to be purchased in pairs).

SB fans might enjoy this podcast:

podtail.com/en/podcast/the-sunset-project/

15 minute or thereabouts episodes, very digestible. It fizzles out towards the end a bit (sounds like the creator was struggling with some personal issues) but for the most part it’s lots of gossipy fun.