EmiCardiff

This is true, a good debate about theatre would defiantly make me interested. Presumably you'd know your interests where vaughly compatible by going to the same performance, it wouldn't be good to end up paired with ALW's biggest fan if you hated all musicals after all...

Oh I don't know there's something to be said for the strong and silent type...or just the silent type

Perhaps some kind of interval speed dating: tell me your thoughts so far in 90 seconds to find out if your theatre views are compatible

Haha great idea! Theatre Speed dating-you sit with one person for Act 1, another for Act 2 whoever is the best behaved audience member gets another date

Haha but spotted across the Olivier circle that deserves credit! (though I was with some then very confused friends that time)

I do go alone (though not as often as I used to, I seem to have adopted some theatre liking friends!) the 'no single seats' rule really infuriates me though, but as said it's sometimes an advantage to ticket buying to be alone.

We need badges or a signal or something (though Mallardo did impressively track me down at the NT once!)

It does sound ridiculous, but I think in this case a 'don't shoot the messenger' type scenario....big, dare I say is 'corporate' shows like Gruffalo are extremely fussy in all kinds of ways and house managers and by default ushers get it in the neck for not complying. Is it right? no, particularly for kids shows some leeway on many things should be allowed but staff often at the mercy of big bosses.

(that said as an usher I've turned many a blind eye at kids shows when I can...not least because the wrath of parents isn't worth it often!)

I am relativity 'yooful' and having seen the reviews was ready to hate it....but then I watched it, and I laughed. A lot.

Is it particularly 'high brow' or 'clever' no. It's not comedy in the vein of 'The Thick of It' or other 'cerebral' comedies, but damnit if Ian McKellan being bitchy and waltzing around in a dressing gown didn't make me laugh. There were some clunky moments in it admittedly but still, it's not the worst thing on our tv screens by a long stretch.

Oh and I never watched the Office either, because personally I find Gervais the TV version of fingernails on a blackboard, so however new and modern it was I was never going to 'get' it.

Wolf whistling at Ghost last night.

Also some comedy commentary from the grannies behind me who were most confused about who was dead or not at a given point. Which would have been annoying, had it not been so funny.

daniel., on 22 April 2013 - 12:16 PM, said:

Agreed! We're often at the mercy of visiting company's demands, and regardless (and depending on the type of house you're in) physically getting to the offending audience member is sometimes more disruptive! I also once had a visiting stage manager complain that I opened the door during the performance (they were big on blackouts) as I was letting a young girl with learning difficulties out who was being disruptive, therefore her Mum decided to take her out and calm her down, it's often the lesser of two 'evils' (also that SM called me a boy to my manager, who was less than impressed....)

On the subject of children at the theatre I was ushering this weekend at a show that a small boy was far too young for. Dad did his best to keep him quiet but my favourite outburst was 'Romeo and Juliet, that's a tragedy because they die!'

I saw this on Tuesday and really loved it. I thought it was a real breath of fresh air among the musical offerings in London. Admittedly if it had not been a success in NY it probably would have started life in a smaller fringe type venue and hopefully gained buzz and transferred  I saw it from the rear of the stalls and it felt very intimate and having seen Blood Brothers from 'on high' in the Phoenix the whole space never feels that big anyway.
I really hope it finds an audience, the cast are talented especially the two leads and it's been a while since something so fresh has been seen in London's musical theatre scene.

It's an interesting one, and something I discuss in my work actually (I'm a PhD student). I'm in favour of both recording as a matter of record for archives and think that extending some productions to cinema is a positive thing.  I agree that it's far from the same experience seeing cinema broadcasts but that it has a far from negative effect on theatre.

Personally, although I go to London frequently to see theatre, not living there means I have to be very picky about what I see, cinema broadcasts allow me to see things I wouldn't have time to in London. Doesn't mean however I won't see it because there's a cinema broadcast (saw 'This House' a couple of weeks back despite the upcoming NT live broadcast) but it allows me to see things I've 'missed'.

Another useful aspect is for students, I teach at a University and getting a coach load of students to London to see a play is time consuming and costly, however if an assigned text is being broadcast at cinemas (Othello is a good example considering it's sold out also) then getting students there to see the theatre version is a wonderful resource.

Some classics at 'Peter and Alice' on Monday. First I spotted two people eating a McFlurry in the circle (in fairness not disturbing anyone but still illustrates what is 'acceptable' at the theatre) Then over the course of a relatively short play 3 mobile phones went off. Including one at the climax (which is virtually silent) therefore somewhat ruining the atmosphere.

Then at 'Once' on Tuesday I had a few people I'd cheerfully hit over the head with my programme (had a bought one they're £6 at Once!) the lady in front decided she couldn't see properly and spent the whole of the first act jiggling up and down in her seat (with her very large hair) sighing and yawning pointedly. While also looking around constantly for somewhere to move to. The gentleman to my left on the other hand felt the need to tell his partner where to look on stage constantly and ask her very loudly if she was enjoying it about 10 minutes in. Her response however was quite brilliant "Well it's quite different isn't it"