Mary

I've just written them an email of complaint, saying I have no intention of going to the theatre until they change these policies.

I simply can't afford to pay so much  money (travel etc as well) for such a poor experience, and I object to the theatre allowing this behaviour as disgracefully rude to the majprity of the audience and to the performers and whole Company.

Yes...

just what a Prince should be like...........

7 hours ago, JennyTaylor said:

Talking about perfection, how about Marianela and Vadim this evening!  Glorious 

Agreed..and as well as technical perfection they displayed every other kind: the performance was full of character...nobility..warmth..and joy. 

'Reasons to be cheerful part 3' , sometimes hard to find currently, must include watching these two at their peak and Marianela's smile. 

I shall have nightmares now remembering the Makarova version 'cheeky cherubs'  who pulled the curtains across  ......

We only have to glance at the news though. Life has no warnings, it just happens. Terrible, unspeakable things are happening. I suppose we can try to ignore and shut it out, avoid being upset.

But perhaps the best approach is to give people when they are  growing up strong principles and courage to deal with, and try to improve things.  I admire the many young people who are doing just that.

I have seen a few but they have gone again quickly.

She used to run a line of ready to wear/off the peg dresses that were a lot more - er - wearable.  I bought one in a sale from a little boutique that was closing down - which I have worn for every special occasion for the past 20 years and will no doubt see me out.  No tartan, rips, slashes, huge bows, slogans or anything like that! Just very wearable, comfortable, timeless and very forgiving for a woman of any age to wear. That seems to me a real achievement in designing, far more so than all the outrageous catwalk stuff.

I agree whole heartedly with all of the above.  The whole point is to be there.

But also, we all know how unsatisfactory even  the best professional film of the performance can be. How much more so in the case of a little video made on a hand- held phone. It is not going to be very good!

Merry Christmas everyone

Thanks to all on the forum for your information, advice, opinions, and virtual company this year.

Every day I look at the weather, then the forum!  It's indispensable.

Mary

I've had to return tickets far more often than I would have wished in the past 3 years, and I must say the Box Office have been consistently  very helpful and efficient.  I usually email.

1 hour ago, Fonty said:

Just musing thoughtfully here, but has there every been any choreography for the SPF solo that actually fits in with the music?  I've seen two or three different productions, and on each occasion it looks as though the dancer is doing an awful lot of steps, most of which are out of time to what is being played.  

 

How interesting. i have never really liked it: this very basic explanation might make me understand why!

Well, it's continental isn't it, to serve the teabag on the side.   I never mind when I'm in Italy...because- well being in Italy makes up for it.

But it isn't at all the thing in this country.

I think the point about hygiene is just made up...I mean- er- on that basis we wouldn't want the sandwich unless we were presented with a wrapped loaf and a packet of cheese!

Nice reply anyway.

Tucked up in bed with my new copy of the Killar Cranko biography- a really interesting read so far, with quite a lot of photos too. Thanks to the Forum for alerting me to this.

2 hours ago, Geoff said:

There is a lot wrong. However as the tenor of this thread is universal delight it seems churlish to mention anything negative. But one place to start might be the comments just made on Instagram by Alastair Macaulay (scroll down the comments here, his appear near the top, also in discussion with others):-

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmGp8Kysc7A/

I would always like to hear different views, positive or negative- it's very interesting.

The points Macaulay makes are surely valid- but he makes them in a rather rude, abrasive tone.

Still, I would rather hear what everyone thinks. Despite Alan Bennett's excellent advice to anyone 'going round' that 'comments should be restricted to the one word -  'Marvellous' uttered repeatedly'...it would really be rather pointless

(as  we've all said many times) if we all followed that advice on the Forum....

Great Rat photo. I see there's a bluebird further down too....

I  agree it would be great to see Liam Boswell at the schools matinee..

I was hanging around ROH on 7th and saw all the crocodiles of children coming in for the schools matinee:  it was lovely, really brought a tear to the eye to see their excitement and one group gave a great chorus of 'ooohs' as they entered the building.

Yes- it really is easy! you are asked if you want to use one and it shows you what you have- and then you click on that and if it doesn't cover  the full sum,  your total to pay is reduced accordingly ( a nice feeling)

so if you have a voucher for £20 and you buy a ticket for £30, it just changes your value to pay to £10.

I have found it very user friendly......

Were you in the amphi? I was and the coughing was very annoying indeed in Act 1 -apparently no attempt was being made to muffle it..very anti-social.

Really happy to be seeing Nut tonight and just had a thought that it was a nice change not to have a tavern scene with 'whores' .. ! 

but snowflakes and etc.....

5 hours ago, Linnzi5 said:

Nutcracker isn't the sort of ballet to give me a lump in my throat.)

I know what you mean............. and yet it does,  because of the glorious music, and so did  these photos actually, - something about it all coming back again, after the pandemic, and Sir Peter Wright, and Gary Avis with his long overdue bouquet, choked me up over my muesli- thanks for the photos Dawnstar!

Not all trains and routes are the same though. Short commuter journeys are one thing :  longer haul or multi-stop routes, routes in more remote areas, especially those where stations have no staff-  all sorts of variations- make guards more necessary.

That's very disappointing for Steven McRae, sorry to hear it.

But several posts have expressed admiration for the orchestra during the Mayerllng run, my own included.

As regards costumes and sets, doing a backstage tour made me realise what amazing care goes into them. There are some productions that seem disappointing- yes, sure. But not the 3 act ballets, for example- they are wonderful.

I am also very aware of the way the organisation looks after the dancers, and nurtures such a wealth of talent- look at the RB- and how many of those dancers go off to other places, and spread the good work around. The place takes care of injured dancers, keeps most of them in fabulous condition, it  has world class facilities backstage, (try looking round the back of the Coli by comparison, as was pointed out in a recent post, or for that matter any West End theatre, and I have looked because I have family working in wardrobe round the West End- conditions for the artists and technicians alike  are often pretty deplorable.)

Then we have a beautiful building, open most days, where you can wander round,  sit and read a book, have a coffee etc -  go to the loo!- right in the heart of central London.

No,  the more I think it over, I just can't agree that one gets a poor experience at ROH: taking it all in all I feel I get a really excellent experience- although, of course, things are not perfect.

I have moaned a fair bit in my time, but having recently lost a great amount of cultural riches in my local area, I am starting to think about how 'you don't know what you've got till it's gone'......

I think we should support our cultural centres, make suggestions for how they can carry on without raising prices any more, certainly - but stick up for them, because frankly they are under threat.

10 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

 

If they did another Ashton triple, wouldn't that be a guaranteed sell out as well as a continued homage to his legacy? Given how much the loyal audience members want to see more Ashton, and I believe the triple bill earlier this year may have brought in new fans?

It is what I want to see! - but is it a guaranteed sell out?   I don't know.

Some of the new pieces must also be aimed at pleasing the Arts Council- they can't risk losing that funding.

I fully agree Lizbie1 - cutting quality is the wrong direction, and just to add that I am also happy to pay more for ROH knowing I will not be sitting next to people eating and drinking, so I hope they don't start allowing that in a desperate bid to make money.

I don't like all the bills either, but the choice of production should not just be decided on whether it can easily fill the theatre- we know where that would lead in the end.

In the end though only better state subsidy or more private support is going to make the sums add up.