Bad Nights and Odd Days - Greenwich Theatre

No singles ? Disgraceful. I have been to that theatre on and off for the last 40 years, I've *never* been there when it was more than 50% full and often much much less than that. I wonder what makes them think that in the current circumstances they will sell out this show so don't need every audience member they can get ? Is Paul McGann that much of a draw ? Because Caryl Churchill isn't. 

Some theatres are taking an opposite approach and prioritising singles - I think the Orange Tree has about 30% of tickets for singles (I forget the exact number). This seems a better idea - the people prepared to "risk" going to the theatre first will be the real enthusiasts, and those people are also the ones most likely to go on their own. 

They have quite a few groups of 3, I wonder in practice how many people go to the theatre in groups of 3 in normal times never mind when they all have to be in the same bubble ?

One time I was there they had curtained off the back of the auditorium so only the front rows were in action - an admission of defeat. I am not really sure what the problem is, they've tried all sorts of programming and nothing has really worked. 

It’s not fair. Not everyone is coupled up with someone - maybe they just want to see a show on their own.

The venue is spacious too - I don’t understand why they can’t facilitate this. More needs to be done in my opinion.

They do say to contact them for different sized bubbles on the booking page. Maybe booking single seats is the new equivalent of leaving single seats, we can't do it but the box office can!

People finding in the interval for Brooklyn, I knew it was bad, but it wasn’t that bad. BTW - I did see Brooklyn.

There was pre-Covid plans to build a new theatre in Greenwich, not sure of the status now, but 2 theatres in Greenwich.

Thats right there was a theatre to open in Woolwich, (good luck with that one) which is nearer to me. If Greenwich cannot succeed there would be no chance in Woolwich. Selladoor also wanted to build a theatre in Greenwich.

www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/greenwich-festival-theatre-2021-new_49317.html

I agree and Kingston and surrounding area also isn’t poor, think the same happens as well for the Richmond Theatre, again in a very affluent area.

You think all 3 could sell out a well known play for a week’s run. We are only talking 2500 - 4000 tickets, which isn’t much considering each theatre has a catchment of a 1m.

That’s true, it is just a receiving house.

I have been to Richmond and it has been practically empty, especially a play. I have only been to Kingston twice though. Saying that I would have thought Kingston would do better. Just had a look on Google Maps and Kingston seems to be helmed in by Richmond Park and Hampton Court, saying that it still has a massive catchment area and I include in that North Surrey.

The Rose Theatre is quite a trek from Kingston Station, wondering if it is easy to park near there?

I have walked up an hour before the performance and got a ATG cardholder day ticket and been asked where do I want to sit.

Good point @tallpaul.

Always easier to catch a bit of food and go to the Theatre after work if you worked in central London.

The change in work practices which as you say will likely impact ABC1s the most could change the landscape as the local/regional Theatres will pick up the weeknight crowd who don’t want the hassle of going into central London and just want to get out of the house for a few hours.

Richmond is one of my favourite Theatres and catch most touring productions there and often double up with the Orange Tree to make a day of it, the Rose is one where I always drive, the car park is just round the corner as the trains are just too much of a pain. The Rose is often fullish when I go but this is most probably due to only going to popular shows and the Rose will always have a soft spot as the The War of the Roses trilogy in one day was one of the best days I have had in any Theatre.

I’m pretty sure it isn’t a good thing for the West End if this happens but could be an unexpected consequence if the move to home/hybrid working is the future for office workers.

So I went to the first night last night - not sure if anyone else here was there or is planning a visit?

I really enjoyed these four short plays (I think it was originally going to be three, but they then added a fourth), which were all new to me, as was Greenwich Theatre.

My favourites were the first and last. Seagulls is a three-hander about a woman who worked at Marks & Spencer who has become a showbiz and scientific sensation because of her telekinetic powers. However, when we meet her, she doesn’t seem terribly happy. The other two characters are her manager and a long-term fan. To me, it had a slightly “sci-fi Alan Bennett” feel - I thought it was great.

I’m not sure why the final one, Not Not Not Not Not Enough Oxygen, isn’t better known - it was apparently originally a radio play broadcast back in 1971, and it’s set in a futuristic/possibly post-apocalyptic London that seems to have been ravaged by some sort of environmental catastrophe - the air outside is a noxious smog. Everyone is living in high-rise blocks, and it’s dangerous out on the streets because there are “fanatics” roaming around who attack and kill passers-by - and themselves too. This is another three-hander.

The other two are both set on/in a double bed. The longer one is Three More Sleepless Nights, which involves two couples. There are quite a few laughs in this piece - one of the two men is a film nut who drones on at great length (but very amusingly) about the plot of the film Alien!

The other one is a slightly more puzzling piece that was again a radio play back in the early 70s. Called Abortive, it’s a provocative and intriguing little number about a couple lying in bed talking about the aftermath of a shocking event: she has just had an abortion after being raped by a man who they seemingly took under their wing.

I’d definitely recommend them if any of that sounds like your cup of tea! There were some very good performances from the six-strong cast. And I really liked the theatre. It wasn’t full - hopefully they’ll get a few reviewers along, and that’ll help them shift some tickets…

This sounds interesting. I looked at booking but can't make the remaining dates. Re the discussion upthread about the lack of single seats, it says on the website to phone the box office if you want different numbers than the groups shown on the seat plan. So if anyone's been put off by the groups of twos and threes, I'm sure they'll sell you a single if you ask.