Post by wickedgrin on Sept 9, 2017 9:12:48 GMT
First - a rant.....
I have often posted my great experiences with Box Office staff at WE theatres - getting deals on tickets at the last minute by just rocking up and being charming and polite...so I think it only fair to report when this doesn't happen and my irresistible charm proves ....well resistible!
I was unexpectedly free in the WE last night and too late for TKTS or Today Tix so I rocked up at the box office at the Trafalgar Studios at 7.15pm to buy a ticket and of course in search of a deal. The foyer was busy. I asked the girl on the box office when it was my turn to be served if she had a single seat for tonight (with a smile of course) and her response was " You want to buy one?" "Yes" I replied. "You're not picking up a ticket?" "No, I'd like to purchase one" I responded. "Oh, just wait a minute while I serve people picking up tickets". She then proceeded to deal with other people in the queue behind me. Several minutes went by and I was stood there like a lemon. Eventually her male colleague called me over and said "Can I help?" "Yes" I responded. "I would like to purchase a ticket for Apologia, sorry to be a nuisance, it seems buying a ticket from a box office is unheard of!". The girl, who was stood doing nothing now looked sheepish! "I can offer you £35 at the back or £65 at the front". "Can you do me a deal on a good seat?" I asked oozing what little charm I could muster at this point. "No" - he responded " We are very busy tonight". "Excellent" I said "I'm delighted you have managed to sell a few tickets, I'll leave it, thank you for your time anyway". "Just a minute" he says "I can offer you a mid side stalls ticket with a slightly restricted view for £35". "OK I'll take that" I said and bought the ticket. When I got into the auditorium at 7.28 there were swathes of empty seats - it was around 60% full. The row behind me was empty - so I moved back a row and along and sat in a £65 seat! The box office guy must have known the seats were empty on the screen......? No-one challenged me about moving just before the lights went down and I thought if they did they were going to get their head ripped off!!!
Rant over!
So....to the play. I was glad I wasn't sat at the back as I simply would not have heard several members of the cast.
A mixed bag I thought. Act One was excellent, good plotting , lots of laughs and really enjoyed it. But I thought the play fell apart in Act Two and did not live up to the promise of Act One.
Performances mixed too. Loved Laura Carmichael, who stole the show for me and Desmond Barrit was hilarious - no projection issues there. Joseph Millson, I thought was unconvincing as the two brothers and his monologue in Act Two was almost completely inaudible.
Stockard Channing, was OK, looked amazing for 73, and a dream of a role but I could not help but think what a better actress could have made of it - think Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Julie Walters.
An enjoyable evening though as I was not familiar with the play and some really good laughs - loved the business with the dress!! LOL.
I have often posted my great experiences with Box Office staff at WE theatres - getting deals on tickets at the last minute by just rocking up and being charming and polite...so I think it only fair to report when this doesn't happen and my irresistible charm proves ....well resistible!
I was unexpectedly free in the WE last night and too late for TKTS or Today Tix so I rocked up at the box office at the Trafalgar Studios at 7.15pm to buy a ticket and of course in search of a deal. The foyer was busy. I asked the girl on the box office when it was my turn to be served if she had a single seat for tonight (with a smile of course) and her response was " You want to buy one?" "Yes" I replied. "You're not picking up a ticket?" "No, I'd like to purchase one" I responded. "Oh, just wait a minute while I serve people picking up tickets". She then proceeded to deal with other people in the queue behind me. Several minutes went by and I was stood there like a lemon. Eventually her male colleague called me over and said "Can I help?" "Yes" I responded. "I would like to purchase a ticket for Apologia, sorry to be a nuisance, it seems buying a ticket from a box office is unheard of!". The girl, who was stood doing nothing now looked sheepish! "I can offer you £35 at the back or £65 at the front". "Can you do me a deal on a good seat?" I asked oozing what little charm I could muster at this point. "No" - he responded " We are very busy tonight". "Excellent" I said "I'm delighted you have managed to sell a few tickets, I'll leave it, thank you for your time anyway". "Just a minute" he says "I can offer you a mid side stalls ticket with a slightly restricted view for £35". "OK I'll take that" I said and bought the ticket. When I got into the auditorium at 7.28 there were swathes of empty seats - it was around 60% full. The row behind me was empty - so I moved back a row and along and sat in a £65 seat! The box office guy must have known the seats were empty on the screen......? No-one challenged me about moving just before the lights went down and I thought if they did they were going to get their head ripped off!!!
Rant over!
So....to the play. I was glad I wasn't sat at the back as I simply would not have heard several members of the cast.
A mixed bag I thought. Act One was excellent, good plotting , lots of laughs and really enjoyed it. But I thought the play fell apart in Act Two and did not live up to the promise of Act One.
Performances mixed too. Loved Laura Carmichael, who stole the show for me and Desmond Barrit was hilarious - no projection issues there. Joseph Millson, I thought was unconvincing as the two brothers and his monologue in Act Two was almost completely inaudible.
Stockard Channing, was OK, looked amazing for 73, and a dream of a role but I could not help but think what a better actress could have made of it - think Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Julie Walters.
An enjoyable evening though as I was not familiar with the play and some really good laughs - loved the business with the dress!! LOL.