Geoff Posted October 17, 2018 Author Share Posted October 17, 2018 Many thanks Don Q Fan - what magic did you use to post those photos, I have never managed this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Thank you for sharing these, Don Q fan! They’re lovely photos. I am really interested to see the Caterpillar’s shoes too. I always thought that they were purple! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 1 hour ago, Don Q Fan said: I popped in last week to have a nosey around - its very "open", and somewhat disconcerting no security checks at all, but just like any other modern building now - characterless I suppose. . The escalators up and down sides have been switched round so the up is now on the left and down on the right. That threw me! I had my bag checked on Monday before the Mayerling performance, as I entered through the new main entrance. I must look a disreputable character!! The 'decor' in the newer part of the building (the beige/magnolia fest) that's been 'opened up' is pretty dull - but at least they have put up some attractive displays (of tutus etc, as your photos admirably show) And yes, the switch of the long escalators threw me too - and if on autopilot, still does! 🙂 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 7 hours ago, Fiz said: Thank you for sharing these, Don Q fan! They’re lovely photos. I am really interested to see the Caterpillar’s shoes too. I always thought that they were purple! Me too but I think the colour has faded a bit. Still lovely though😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 7 hours ago, zxDaveM said: I had my bag checked on Monday before the Mayerling performance, as I entered through the new main entrance. I must look a disreputable character!! The 'decor' in the newer part of the building (the beige/magnolia fest) that's been 'opened up' is pretty dull - but at least they have put up some attractive displays (of tutus etc, as your photos admirably show) And yes, the switch of the long escalators threw me too - and if on autopilot, still does! 🙂 Good to hear there were checks. There were quite a lot of staff and security type chaps around when I wandered in on Sunday afternoon but no one checked my bags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 10 hours ago, Geoff said: Many thanks Don Q Fan - what magic did you use to post those photos, I have never managed this? I have to tweet them first on Twitter then copy the URL off the photo and paste into here. It's really frustrating that this forum set up won't let you simply post photos straight from your pc directory. I don't know why this is as other forums I've used all facilitate the posting of photos. Such a shame. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 2 hours ago, Don Q Fan said: Good to hear there were checks. There were quite a lot of staff and security type chaps around when I wandered in on Sunday afternoon but no one checked my bags. I got checked again this evening! I am definitely a disreputable cad! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colman Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 27 minutes ago, zxDaveM said: I got checked again this evening! I am definitely a disreputable cad! Big bag? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 9 hours ago, Colman said: Big bag? Yes, a rucksack type. That is probably why then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 (edited) 13 hours ago, Don Q Fan said: I have to tweet them first on Twitter then copy the URL off the photo and paste into here. It's really frustrating that this forum set up won't let you simply post photos straight from your pc directory. I don't know why this is as other forums I've used all facilitate the posting of photos. Such a shame. You can post photos directly from your PC, and your phone. I did that for a couple of my Mayerling photos last week. The only issue is that there is a file size limit of 152kb per post, so you’d need to crop/resize/compress them first Edited October 18, 2018 by Rob S 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Had my first view of the "new" ROH yesterday, it all looks very stylish and expensive, confusing at first but great to be able to sit down anywhere and relax instead of waiting in a queue. Was surprised that everywhere except the auditorium was open to explore, the entrance hall, lobbies and foyers, didn't dare go into the Crush Room as the waiters were setting up, but I think I could have! The amphi terrace was filled by a large group, so I had to sit on a bar stool (something I have never tried before) and managed not fall off, also able to eat my own small sandwiches while looking out to the Piazza, the apple juice was on sale for £2 so happy to buy that! Strangely I couldn't find any details of performances, all the Box Office in Russell Street had was a Season Guide, no dates or prices. not much encouragement to buy a ticket! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 3 hours ago, Beryl H said: Strangely I couldn't find any details of performances, all the Box Office in Russell Street had was a Season Guide, no dates or prices. not much encouragement to buy a ticket! Oh, so that's where it is still, is it? I quite agree that at the moment there does seem to be a disconnect between opening the place up and encouraging casual visitors to consider buying a ticket. They may be trying to go relatively paperless, but I'd still have thought some flyers would be a good idea instead of expecting people to get their phones/tablets/whatever out and start hunting for information - especially if that entails getting through that horrible front page! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Weird isn't it? I used to love those long paper strips with all upcoming performances...and all the leaflets with luscious photos and dates and full information. I remember once filling in a booking form then and there and handing it in as I left. Surely if you want people in, you should give them some information? On the terrace there is nothing- why not put some out on the tables? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 11 minutes ago, Mary said: Weird isn't it? I used to love those long paper strips with all upcoming performances...and all the leaflets with luscious photos and dates and full information. I remember once filling in a booking form then and there and handing it in as I left. Surely if you want people in, you should give them some information? On the terrace there is nothing- why not put some out on the tables? Leaflets have clearly been sacrificed on the altar of digital marketing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 20 minutes ago, Mary said: Weird isn't it? I used to love those long paper strips with all upcoming performances...and all the leaflets with luscious photos and dates and full information. Me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Actually, those might be quite a convenient take-away - and not too heavy on paper use, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loveclassics Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) On 20/10/2018 at 13:59, alison said: Oh, so that's where it is still, is it? I quite agree that at the moment there does seem to be a disconnect between opening the place up and encouraging casual visitors to consider buying a ticket. They may be trying to go relatively paperless, but I'd still have thought some flyers would be a good idea instead of expecting people to get their phones/tablets/whatever out and start hunting for information - especially if that entails getting through that horrible front page! Last night I went to the ROH for the first time since early 2017. I missed the display cases in the old entrance but noticed there was a smallish box office there on the side nearest the Floral Hall. Sadly there are a lot of new staff who don't know what/where the Floral Hall is. Neither do they seem to know the difference between the new door numbers or how to get from one side of the stalls circle to the other. What was wrong with stating which side of the auditorium your seat was? I was perfectly happy with a simple 'left' or 'right' but door 1A or 1B had me completely flummoxed. And the new coffee bar is awful - I felt I was at Stansted Airport but without the revolutionary design. Still, I suppose the newbies won't care - assuming that is that any of them will make a return visit. I hope the coffee is better than it was, I wasn't prepared to risk it. It's really astonishing that the PTB don't see the contrast between the truly astounding quality of the performances and the dreary nondescript surroundings they take place in. I had a magical evening once inside the auditorium but as for the venue? 'Meh' is about all there is to be said. Such wonderful dancers* should have a theatre more worthy of them. Linda * and singers and musicians. Edited October 21, 2018 by loveclassics footnote. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 6 minutes ago, loveclassics said: Sadly there are a lot of new staff who don't know what/where the Floral Hall is. Neither do they seem to know the difference between the new door numbers or how to get from one side of the stalls circle to the other. What was wrong with stating which side of the auditorium your seat was? I was perfectly happy with a simple 'left' or 'right' but door 1A or 1B had me completely flummoxed. Well, to be fair, the Floral Hall hasn't been called that for a few years now, so it's understandable that the newer ones might not recognise the name. But yes, the lack of "left" or "right" is really confusing - as is the fact that the letters in the lifts have all been changed to correspond to the level numbers as well. I really had to concentrate hard to work out which floor I was on, especially since I was in a part of the theatre I don't tend to visit that often, and I tend not to use the lifts normally. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 9 hours ago, alison said: Well, to be fair, the Floral Hall hasn't been called that for a few years now, so it's understandable that the newer ones might not recognise the name. I don't actually think it is understandable. It shows a lack of training and knowledge of the history of the building that is not acceptable. This is a world-class venue that purports to be proud of its history and the development of its site etc, and it should train its FOH staff in these matters. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 I've always referred to the Floral Hall, and I couldn't even tell you what its new name is/was. I keep saying to myself, "Why?" I would love to attend a talk where the creators of these ideas explained the thinking behind it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 What is it called if not the Floral Hall? Goodness, I am not keeping up..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 1 hour ago, Mary said: What is it called if not the Floral Hall? Goodness, I am not keeping up..... I was thinking the same. When the house reopened c.2000 it was named the Vilar Floral Hall. A few years later the 'Vilar' part was dropped: the donor, Alberto Vilar, was found to be involved in some financial scandal IIRC. Like Mary, I didn't realise the name Floral Hall had also been dropped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saodan Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 The Floral Hall was renamed the Paul Hamlyn Hall in 2007 in recognition of philanthropic support. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Goodness, I hadn't realised it was that long ago already. Understandable, therefore, that newer staff might not recognise the designation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 2 hours ago, Saodan said: The Floral Hall was renamed the Paul Hamlyn Hall in 2007 in recognition of philanthropic support. Ah yes, now I remember that that is the "new" official name. It doesn't exactly trip off the tongue. At the time I couldn't see why the original name had to be got rid of completely. If they wanted to recognise his philanthropic support, why not something like the Hamlyn Floral Hall? Anyway, I still call it the Floral Hall. 🙂 (And always will.) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esmeralda Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Has anyone here already tried out the Live at Lunch series? I wanted to try it last friday but my flight was delayed and I arrived later. On Friday, 2 November the Royal Ballet will be in their daily class. https://www.roh.org.uk/events/c5g97 I will probably still be there at this time - how are these events embraced by the audience? Are there many people and you need to be there early to see something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minder Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 I went for the first time last night. New areas are like any average international hotel. My ticket was what I know as Balcony left but level 3 on the new system. Sat down and looked round at the signs with upstairs as levels 4,5 and 6 only. But surely level 3 must be up there as well? Of course it was but very confusing - as with some road signs its best just to ignore them. Rather strange also to be able to walk in from the piazza with no bag checks or actually anyone being there and carry on to the amphi to have a look round. Looks like all the staff have been deployed on ticket checks at each and every door - and there are a lot of doors! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thalia Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 8 hours ago, Minder said: Looks like all the staff have been deployed on ticket checks at each and every door - and there are a lot of doors! I don’t know what happened on Saturday night but my ticket wasn’t checked at all even though there were staff on the door to the staircase. Maybe it was because I looked like I knew where I was going... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loveclassics Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Thalia said: I don’t know what happened on Saturday night but my ticket wasn’t checked at all even though there were staff on the door to the staircase. Maybe it was because I looked like I knew where I was going... My ticket wasn't checked until I reached the Stalls Circle (after a last-minute panic because my ticket didn't say left or right and I couldn't remember which side my seat was on). Then I was directed to the wrong row but it was too late to change so I sat in the same same number seat but in Row B. Row C seemed to be full for the second act and stayed that way. Dutifully I tried to find the seat I'd paid for (C36) but at the end of the last interval the usher, obviously thinking 'poor old thing's lost again' firmly directed me back to row B. So, I had a perfect unrestricted view for the whole ballet. On arrival I just strolled in by the traditional exit, up the old staircase to the Floral Hall and up the down escalator to the Amphi terrace bar. I understand why tickets are checked on entrance to the auditorium but no bag check is a bit worrying. Or does the new 'open' policy make the ROH seem less prestigious and so diminish its value as a target? Incidentally if they persist in only checking tickets at the auditorium doors, the intervals should be extended to their original length because it takes much longer now to get everyone into their seats. Linda Edited October 23, 2018 by loveclassics clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 1 hour ago, Thalia said: I don’t know what happened on Saturday night but my ticket wasn’t checked at all even though there were staff on the door to the staircase. Mine neither. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Nor me. And yes, there was a jam to get in to the Stalls with a flustered member of staff telling us all to wait while she got help. As soon as she’d gone, we just went through anyway. Hopeless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 I didn't realise that new tickets won't have left or right on them!! Are there still signs which say Amphitheatre Left and Right once up there? I can imagine a lot of unnecessary tooing and throwing if there is no help with which side of the theatre your seat is on!! I get get very exasperated sometimes when a system which has worked really well is replaced ....almost for the sake of it ....with something new whether it's better or not. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 3 minutes ago, LinMM said: I didn't realise that new tickets won't have left or right on them!! Are there still signs which say Amphitheatre Left and Right once up there? Not that I noticed. I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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