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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 22:28:59 GMT
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 22:20:48 GMT
What? Have they done a major refurb ? Nothing special about the Barbican loos, surely? There has definitely not been anything done to them. Hence the comment caught my attention!
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 22:17:50 GMT
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 22:09:12 GMT
Sorry no. The answer is The Barbican.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 17:33:27 GMT
Caught this today. I enjoyed it. Of course it’s not as incisive as his other plays, but it was fun.
I was in a front stage seat. They are fine and a steal for £15.
Has anyone else mentioned audience participation? The show looks back quickly over 3 earlier quiz shows. For each members of the audience are used. For 2, FOH asks for volunteers beforehand from stage seats and front row stalls. So you are not pressured during the show. However, for one the presenter does choose an unsuspecting member of the audience. I won! Got myself a free interval ice cream!
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 17:23:29 GMT
“I’m going to take a picture of the toilets, cos they are so great”.
Anyone want to guess which London theatre this was said at?
I’ll post the answer after the show tonight.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 11:09:19 GMT
Thanks bellboard27 for the info, about to set off to see it this afternoon, good to know I am not the only one who likes to experience Shakespeare through the medium of surtitles. It's how he would have wanted it!
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 10:10:26 GMT
Boob I didn't really find the atmosphere lacking. Perhaps as when I went there was a reasonable crowd there. Personally I was happy to see one of London's historic theatres used as a theatre again and I suppose this production is appropriate given that the venue is now a cinema and the production draws on cinema and includes film within it. Anyone interested in the history of the old Carlton Theatre, its transformation as a cinema, etc. should have a look here: www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/CarltonHaymarket.htm
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 9:55:42 GMT
Caught this yesterday. It's not perfect, but I enjoyed it. It opens with Pericles in hospital being attended by staff. He then recalls his story. The cast all play several parts, which largely works well, although a couple of times this did confuse me!
The production zips along, moving quickly from scene to scene. The advertised run time is 2 hours, no interval. In fact it is 1 hour 40 minutes.
The production is in French and the surtitles are far enough back to be relatively easy to follow from the front row. I was centre row B, so there was a bit of looking up, but it was fine. At times though the pace of the dialogue can mean that the surtitles flash along – don’t blink at this point.
Note that the rake in the Silk Street Theatre is excellent, but there is an extra row in front of row A and row A is barely above it – hence it is the only row where someone in front is likely to get in the way.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 7, 2018 9:32:42 GMT
^*Cough* I think he likes her showgirl .🤭@theatremonkey.com is a well known pillar of the community
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 6, 2018 10:03:44 GMT
I would like to have been at the first performance of the Rite of Spring in 1913 and, of course, the trouble that ensued. Yes, other people, including Mr Snow, have also mentioned the riot that was caused by the first performance of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in 1913. Well, on 31st May 1964 I attended a performance of Bellini's 'Norma' at the Paris Opéra starring Maria Callas, and experienced what amounted to a minor riot in the theatre that night. In the opening scene, after Callas had sung her opening recitative and aria ('Casta Diva') to moderate applause, there is a further recitative ('Fine al rito') before the cabaletta ('Ah! bello a me ritorna). For some inexplicable reason during this recitative, Callas let out what can only be described as an ugly squawk on the top B flat before she went on to sing the cabaletta without any further trouble. But the audience had not forgotten that cracked note and as Callas made a majestic exit to the rather stately slow march that followed, members of the audience began literally fighting with each other, some decrying Callas for the broken note, others defending her and people started yelling things like 'English pigs!' and 'German swine' at each other, some altercations actually taking place between people in the stalls with others in the higher regions of the house. The atmosphere was quite frightening and the brawling continued on into the first interval when it arrived. I read afterwards somewhere that the French police were called to quell the fighting in the foyers during first interval although I never actually saw any police. But I did meet somebody some years later who was also there and said that he was genuinely concerned for the safety of his pregnant wife when the fighting broke out in the stalls. Fortunately there were no further problems in the rest of the opera and Callas received a triumphant reception after her magnificent performance of the final scene. I can genuinely confirm that the disturbance earlier in the night was no fun and I hope never to be at a performance of anything where such a situation happens again. That is insane! It just goes to show the responsibilities that singers have. One wrong note and a World War could break out!
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 5, 2018 19:23:12 GMT
Look I might as well stay “on brand” and say Rent (as heartbreaking as it is that first performance after Larson died) and Angels in America (could I teleport between the London and NY openings) I wish I had put money on this. But I suppose I wouldn’t have got very good odds.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 5, 2018 15:46:12 GMT
I would like to have been at the first performance of the Rite of Spring in 1913 and, of course, the trouble that ensued.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 5, 2018 8:51:51 GMT
There were bag checks when I went. My bag was checked last night. Oddly most theatres check as you enter the building, but I was checked as I showed my ticket to enter the auditorium.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 4, 2018 17:27:35 GMT
I think it was me who showed you that - let me try and dig it out! I think you're right, you sent me it on messanger! I think that’s the guy I spoke to at the Coliseum and saw last night. I seem to recall something about a Facebook group (I’m not on Facebook so can’t check so easily).
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 4, 2018 15:48:11 GMT
I went yesterday and had previously seen it at the Coliseum. I was quite taken with this when I first saw it, but less so this time. There are some great performances and I like the music. So, not sure what was missing for me.
One issue might be sound. It certainly sounded a lot less clear than at the Coliseum. Obviously this is start of previews and the Dominion should be able to get this right.
It certainly attracts its fans. I saw someone I spoke to when I went to the Coliseum who seems to have gone to it endless times. Some were dressed up, some very excited and some seemingly engaged in a quasi spiritual experience.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 4, 2018 11:57:09 GMT
Really? I hadn't heard this, what's your source please? Are they just trying to do it quietly in the hopes that people won't notice? Sorry, to make it clear Edward Hall says in the programme notes it may be "the last year in which Downstairs will operate as a year-round producing theatre". Perhaps it's just a threat so the neighbours will rattle their jewellery and dip into their trust funds. The white, middle-aged, middle-class male Artistic Director then gives some impressive BAME stats about casts at the Theatre Downstairs. No BAME stats for audiences though, maybe they don't compile them? Money is money after all. You forgot to disparage his sexual orientation.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 4, 2018 11:29:43 GMT
Don't go mad, just put a few rips in your shirt and apply a bit of eye liner So, the usual Royal Opera House outfit, then. Thanks for the tip. I'm in Row A next Tuesday night so I am finding these dress code tips very helpful. As I am now almost bald, should I wear a wig of some kind? I don't want to obstruct the view of the people behind me but I do very much want to fit in. Any further advice will be gratefully received. Bald, you say? My recommendation, if you are sitting in row A, is a very tall hat.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 4, 2018 10:37:55 GMT
^I have to admit it's a fair part of why I booked stalls row A for this one. Knowing the likely crowd, at least any disruption is going to happen behind me and thus outside of my conscious sightlines. Should also be loud enough down the front to drown out noise, too. Stalls row A last night did have its fair share of very keen fans of the show. Apart from an occasional hand wave and a few whoops, however, they seemed to be reasonably well behaved. If there are still there on your visit, you should be well in the mix.
Dress appropriately! [Don't go mad, just put a few rips in your shirt and apply a bit of eye liner]
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 4, 2018 10:19:08 GMT
Bat Out Of Hell yesterday generated a pair of persistent offenders. Sitting in row D of the stalls (I was 3 rows behind), a couple of women proved particular pests (partly fuelled by alcohol intake). To begin with it was hand-waving, which FOH asked them to stop (not least as there was a child sitting behind them who would have difficulty seeing the show).
However, then they started talking and talking. FOH asked them to stop. They didn’t. One of them did video part of the show, but this was not spotted by FOH. A woman in the row behind them eventually shushed them early in Act 2. This prompted one of the couple to leave her seat, go to the woman and lean into her face and say “Don’t you shush me!”. The woman called FOH. In the meantime, another woman sitting next to me said “shush” rather loudly and when one of the couple turned round, pointed at her and said “shush” again. This time, they did not try to intimidate her. By now more FOH turned up and more words were spoken.
Only when the songs became slower did the talking stop and the couple started getting into each other. At least the groping was less distracting than the talking! Of course the talking returned. Eventually FOH came back again and this time asked one of the couple to come outside about 20 minutes into Act 2. She went without objection. Her companion sat there looking around for about five minutes and then went out. Neither came back. FOH did, however, come back to retrieve their coats, so I assume the couple were not being allowed back in.
This was obviously a hard one for FOH to deal with. What do you do when people simply won’t shut up? They gave them several opportunities and then removed them. After the show I spoke to one of the FOH involved and thanked them for how it had all been handled.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 3, 2018 16:29:29 GMT
^ I was glued to that post.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 2, 2018 17:07:30 GMT
Honest question from a non-religious American: Why were many of you prefacing your posts with "because it's Easter..."? I suspect it was simply theatreboard members warning us that they were high on chocolate and, therefore, their postings might not be free of cognitive impairment.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 2, 2018 17:03:13 GMT
I remember a couple of years ago at the NT Dorfman. I have a little draw string back pack (you know of of those Nike ones with the tick) that lives on my back. When I went in the usher told me as I was going in that I had to put it in the cloakroom and said rucksacks weren't allowed for safty. Someone went in with an a4 size plastic bag. So I ask her if I took everything out and put it into the a bag would she let me through. She said yes. So the plastic bag in my backpack came out all the contents into the plastic bag and I was allowed in. Even though they let in someone of those massive shoulder bags. I always carry a plastic carrier bag to the NT and put my backpack in it for this purpose. When I get to my seat, I swap back. I have checked with FOH and been told this is fine. However, on my last visit to the Dorfman I could not be bothered and simply showed the two bags and said that I would undertake this pointless process if needed. I as told to head inside anyway.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 2, 2018 11:46:14 GMT
You lot need spelling lessons. The spelling of interval is G-I-N-A-N-D-T-O-N-I-C
Teaching is a gift. You're welcome.
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Post by bellboard27 on Apr 1, 2018 21:23:26 GMT
Ghosts/spirits are interesting in Shakespeare, only men can see them, women can’t. Why ? Oh now that is interesting, I was wondering why it is that Horatio etc. can see the ghost but Gertrude can't, Hamlet yes, but the others? Hadn't thought that in Macbeth it's another man. This is an interesting article on ghosts in Shakespeare and contemporaries, although it doesn’t answer the men only question www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/ghosts-in-shakespeare
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