Royal Ballet cinema showings 2017-18

[Melody]

I had to go up to Baltimore to see the Royal Ballet triple bill, which is at least better than having to drive for nearly 3 hours to Philadelphia, which for months was the nearest cinema on the ROH "find a local cinema" site. I think it cost $15 but I'm not totally certain. There were about five people in the theatre, and the manager came in beforehand to warn us that there were a couple of places where the sound cut out and that was on the film, it wasn't a cinema problem - he looked rather despairingly at the mostly empty theatre and asked how we'd found out about it - seems that it was mostly from being ROH subscribers or something. He was obviously pretty upset that there hadn't been any local advertising by the ROH or RB, so I'm not sure how much of the 2017/2018 season will be shown there.

Edited August 10, 2017 by Melody

[alison]

3 hours ago, pianolady said:

given the choice I'd rather opt for an Encore given the choice as I think (don't know for sure) these are likely to be more technically reliable? 

 

That was what I'd hoped, too.  Turned out I was very wrong

[Mimi]

6 hours ago, Melody said:

 He was obviously pretty upset that there hadn't been any local advertising by the ROH or RB, so I'm not sure how much of the 2017/2018 season will be shown there.

 

Our city lost all the RB transmissions for just this reason.  There were no promotions of any sort for the RB, so you had to already know that they existed.   The tickets were inexpensive, but without ads, nobody came to the theatre.  I have vague hopes that the local art-house cinema may have picked up the ballet season to go along with the operas, but I suspect not. 

[alison]

Oh dear, that's terrible.  I had to nag and nag Odeon just to get them to set up a mailing list for arts events (not for a moment suggesting that I was the only one).  Some of them do make a rod for their own backs, don't they?

[Melody]

It seems like such a shame that nobody is sending mailings to local dance schools. I suggested that to the cinema manager, and he said they didn't do any advertising themselves, they just depended on whatever marketing was done by the ROH and the US company distributing the programmes - which is to say nothing, as far as I can gather. I mean, you sometimes see advertising by Fathom Events and others during the time before movies when they have promotional stuff running on the screens, but that isn't really targeted to people who might be interested in dance performances.

[penelopesimpson]

It would be interesting to know who is making the money.  My local where I can see any film for £3.50 which is a bargain, or £4.50 for a 'lounge' seat, is now charging £15 for ballet and £18 for opera.  Last year it was £7.50 for ballet and the performances are always overbooked with a waiting list.  Don't begrudge RB the money but would just like to know who is collecting.

[penelopesimpson]

On 8/10/2017 at 21:14, Melody said:

I had to go up to Baltimore to see the Royal Ballet triple bill, which is at least better than having to drive for nearly 3 hours to Philadelphia, which for months was the nearest cinema on the ROH "find a local cinema" site. I think it cost $15 but I'm not totally certain. There were about five people in the theatre, and the manager came in beforehand to warn us that there were a couple of places where the sound cut out and that was on the film, it wasn't a cinema problem - he looked rather despairingly at the mostly empty theatre and asked how we'd found out about it - seems that it was mostly from being ROH subscribers or something. He was obviously pretty upset that there hadn't been any local advertising by the ROH or RB, so I'm not sure how much of the 2017/2018 season will be shown there.

Seems a little unreasonable to expect ROH or RB to advertise locally in each of the locations that they have a cinema feed, particularly when they are out of the UK.  Surely there is an opportunity for a local venue manager to start getting a mailing together and gradually build an audience - its certainly whats happened in my local cinema.  When you go on their website they can tell you all the Arts events they will be showing for at least a year and I know that when they first began audiences were weak whereas now, a few years in, all the performances are over-subscribed.

[alison]

What *is* the situation like in the US (and elsewhere outside the UK)?  Are the showings in cinema chains, independents, or what?  In the UK, for instance, they'll be shown at Odeons, Picturehouses, Vues and so on.  Certainly if it's a chain I'd expect them to be proactive about advertising.

[Mimi]

They're shown in a mix of chains and independents.  Our major local indie, for example, picked up the opera broadcasts after the chain dropped them.  The indie actually promotes the operas, whereas the chain did zip. 

[Melody]

A couple of years ago the Royal Ballet was showing at a chain about 10 miles from here, but not at all the cinemas in that chain if I remember right. Last year there was practically nothing in this area; now there are two or three theatres showing the Royal Ballet around DC. I thought I'd read on a thread here that the Bolshoi insisted on being shown exclusively, so that if Fathom Events (the major entity showing arts movies, including the Live from the Met series) wanted to carry the Bolshoi it couldn't carry the Royal Ballet. Fathom did drop RB a couple of years ago; pretty sure it's still carrying the Bolshoi.[eta - yep, Fathom still has the Bolshoi Ballet on its list of events] I've never been in a cinema with more than about five people for any RB performance I've seen, including popular ones like Swan Lake, so I can sort of see their point.

 

I was a bit surprised at the manager's attitude - bemoaning the empty theatre but saying it wasn't their business to advertise to potential local viewers. Baltimore is a pretty good-size city and there's a major university there as well as dance schools in the city and suburbs. I assume the theatre just won't be carrying RB feeds in the future, if that's the way it is.

 

At least I finally got to see Symphonic Variations in a format larger than YouTube. At this rate I'll probably have to go to New York to see the next Ashton triple bill.

Edited August 12, 2017 by Melody

[jmhopton]

14 hours ago, Melody said:

At this rate I'll probably have to go to New York to see the next Ashton triple bill.

 

Whenever that is!!!! One of my major gripes about next season's offerings is no Ashton mixed/double bill and no cinema relay of Sylvia. WHY?????????? As I've said before I don't understand why we needed another relay of Winter's tale when it was shown comparatively recently, and certainly years later than the last Sylvia recording which was so long ago I don't know if the cinema relays had started and it was filmed for dvd/tv. A very poor decision by someone as I'm sure there would have been a far bigger market for a Sylvia dvd (especially if it featured Vadim and Marianella) than Winters tale. Indeed as the Winters tale cast is very similar to the previous cinema relay (again why!!) there is probably no intention to issue another dvd.

[Fiz]

I had the most nonsensical reply from the Odeon this afternoon. Apparently "different performances cost different prices". I answered "Why? It's the same seat in the same cinema" so the writer said he would pass on my concerns and get back to me. I'm not holding my breath.

[Indigo]

On 8/7/2017 at 18:53, Fiz said:

I think the cinemas are just being greedy. The price rise for us is nearly £4 and I can't believe costs have increased that much.

 

Similar story at my local Odeon. Around three years ago, they were charging £15 for standard seats at ROH live opera & ballet screenings. Now they charge £20 for a standard seat. (This price rise of £5 also applies to Bolshoi & National Theatre Live screenings.)

 

However, I know Odeon cinemas elsewhere currently charge £16.50 for the exact same ROH screening & £15 for NT Live.

 

When I queried this with Odeon, I was advised prices may vary from area to area & the price increase at my local cinema was due to Odeon operating "dynamic pricing". I understand this to mean that each cinema adjusts ROH screening ticket prices according to demand & the perceived ability/willingness of their customers to pay.

 

Personally, I've pretty much stopped going to these screenings at my local Odeon. I find the feeling that I'm being fleeced is a bit of a buzz-kill. 

Edited August 12, 2017 by Indigo
Emoji addition!

[pianolady]

we had a problematic Bolshoi screening (I think it was the first one they'd done) at our local Odeon a while back where we lost the first 20 minutes or so of the beginning of the ballet. The situation at the time for a number or reasons suggested that it was a human error problem at the cinema. We were given vouchers which, when I tried to use them for another screening shortly afterwards, was initally told that they weren't valid for those types of performances. When I explained that the whole point of the vouchers was to make up for an abortive screening they quickly changed their mind. Don't think all of the cinemas are at all geared up for these events. It's a shame because they're so fantastic when everyone gets it right.

[capybara]

I have just received a promo e-mail from the ROH about the cinema relay of Winter's Tale. I quote:

 

"The work is a showcase for the entire Company, with performances from Lauren Cuthbertson, Edward Watson, Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Laura Morera and Matthew Ball."

 

Darcey Bussell will be joined by broadcaster and last year’s winner of Strictly Come Dancing, Ore Oduba, to give audiences around the world a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes as they present the live cinema relay."

 

Unbelievable that they can't get the casting right AND that they give more prominence to the presenters than to the dancers.

[alison]

Possibly nobody thought to tell the marketing department or whoever it is?

[penelopesimpson]

2 hours ago, capybara said:

I have just received a promo e-mail from the ROH about the cinema relay of Winter's Tale. I quote:

 

"The work is a showcase for the entire Company, with performances from Lauren Cuthbertson, Edward Watson, Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Laura Morera and Matthew Ball."

 

Darcey Bussell will be joined by broadcaster and last year’s winner of Strictly Come Dancing, Ore Oduba, to give audiences around the world a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes as they present the live cinema relay."

 

Unbelievable that they can't get the casting right AND that they give more prominence to the presenters than to the dancers.

Hmm.  I have no interest whatsoever in hearing what the ever-irritating Ore Oduba 'glimpses behind the scenes.'

I enjoy Strictly, but to have it used as credentials for presenting ballet is ghastly.

Edited February 9, 2018 by penelopesimpson

[Anna C]

15 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

Hmm.  I have no interest whatsoever in hearing what the ever-irritating Ore Oduba 'glimpses behind the scenes.'

I enjoy Strictly, but to have it used as credentials for presenting ballet is ghastly.

 

But it gets "bums on seats" in the cinema, which is what is needed to keep local cinemas all over the country showing the live streams.  I'd rather put up with some "irritating" parts of a broadcast by a very popular presenter than lose the live streams because only seasoned ballet fans are turning up.  

[alison]

47 minutes ago, Anna C said:

 

But it gets "bums on seats" in the cinema, which is what is needed to keep local cinemas all over the country showing the live streams.  I'd rather put up with some "irritating" parts of a broadcast by a very popular presenter than lose the live streams because only seasoned ballet fans are turning up.  

 

and/or because people are getting put off by the ever-increasing prices and want "value" for their money. 

 

Good point, Anna.

[Sharon]

7 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

Hmm.  I have no interest whatsoever in hearing what the ever-irritating Ore Oduba 'glimpses behind the scenes.'

I enjoy Strictly, but to have it used as credentials for presenting ballet is ghastly.

I'm afraid I find Darcey Bussell even more irritating. While she's doing this behind the scenes sequence, I wonder how many times she will manage to mention her own career like she always does.....🙄

[Fonty]

18 hours ago, Anna C said:

 

But it gets "bums on seats" in the cinema, which is what is needed to keep local cinemas all over the country showing the live streams.  I'd rather put up with some "irritating" parts of a broadcast by a very popular presenter than lose the live streams because only seasoned ballet fans are turning up.  

 

Is that the thinking behind it?  Because if it is, I don't get it.  Surely, people go to the cinema to watch the film, whatever it happens to be, and the presenters are immaterial.  

[bridiem]

6 minutes ago, Fonty said:

 

Is that the thinking behind it?  Because if it is, I don't get it.  Surely, people go to the cinema to watch the film, whatever it happens to be, and the presenters are immaterial.  

 

But people who wouldn't otherwise think of going may get interested in the possibility of watching the film because they recognise/like the presenters.

[Fonty]

But has that been proven, Bridiem?  I am sure the publicity people would like to think that, but it seems rather a long shot to me.  I can't believe anybody would pay the inflated prices charged for cinema tickets for live streaming of over two hours of ballet, simply because they've heard of the presenters and like them doing something else.

 

The only way to find out is to ask people in the cinema.  And more to the point, ask them if they would come again.  If they hated every minute of it, no amount of Ore Odube screen time is going to persuade them to come back! 

[penelopesimpson]

12 hours ago, Sharon said:

I'm afraid I find Darcey Bussell even more irritating. While she's doing this behind the scenes sequence, I wonder how many times she will manage to mention her own career like she always does.....🙄

…I feel exactly the same as I am not a big fan of Darcey but it isnota popular opinion on this board so I tend to just ignoreherignore her

[Fiz]

I feel the same and it’s sad because I want to like her. She was a wonderful dancer and still is when she dances other styles.

[bridiem]

6 hours ago, Fonty said:

But has that been proven, Bridiem?  I am sure the publicity people would like to think that, but it seems rather a long shot to me.  I can't believe anybody would pay the inflated prices charged for cinema tickets for live streaming of over two hours of ballet, simply because they've heard of the presenters and like them doing something else.

 

The only way to find out is to ask people in the cinema.  And more to the point, ask them if they would come again.  If they hated every minute of it, no amount of Ore Odube screen time is going to persuade them to come back! 

 

I don't know, Fonty! But that's clearly the thinking. As you say it would be interesting if there were surveys of the cinema audience/s to find out why they've come and etc.

[Anna C]

6 hours ago, Fiz said:

I feel the same and it’s sad because I want to like her. She was a wonderful dancer and still is when she dances other styles.

 

I'm going against the grain here but Darcey doesn't bother me one bit.  She struggles with the autocue at times but I think that's due to her dyslexia?  I'm always happy when she's teamed with Ore; I think they work well together and he is a very natural presenter.  I don't find either of them irritating. 

[Anna C]

7 hours ago, Fonty said:

 

Is that the thinking behind it?  Because if it is, I don't get it.  Surely, people go to the cinema to watch the film, whatever it happens to be, and the presenters are immaterial.  

 

No idea, but as most of the cinema-goers for ballet where I live are elderly or young girls, who also seem to be fans of Strictly, the audience as a whole always seems pleased to see Bussell and Oduba.  

[Fonty]

1 hour ago, Anna C said:

 

I'm going against the grain here but Darcey doesn't bother me one bit.  She struggles with the autocue at times but I think that's due to her dyslexia?  I'm always happy when she's teamed with Ore; I think they work well together and he is a very natural presenter.  I don't find either of them irritating. 

 

I haven't got a problem with them either, but while I find Ore pleasant enough, the fact that he is one of the presenters puzzles me.  Sure, he is supposed to be high profile, although I must confess I had never heard of him until he took part in SCD.

 

However, I would rather Darcey worked with another person from the ballet world. It might help her to relax  a little bit more in front of the camera, as I never feel she is entirely comfortable.  I thought Jonathan Cope came across very well when he did some presenting.  He was comfortable in front of the camera, very charming, and he and Darcey have known each other for a long time.  He would be my choice.  

 

Of course, it is never going to happen, sadly.  Much more important to get someone the plebs might have heard of. 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Fonty

[Anna C]

Ore's a sports presenter, I think.  I'd be delighted to see Jonathan Cope too.  Kristen McNally always comes across very well; I'd like to see her presenting more live streams. 

[bridiem]

38 minutes ago, Fonty said:

 

I haven't got a problem with them either, but while I find Ore pleasant enough, the fact that he is one of the presenters puzzles me.  Sure, he is supposed to be high profile, although I must confess I had never heard of him until he took part in SCD.

 

However, I would rather Darcey worked with another person from the ballet world. It might help her to relax  a little bit more in front of the camera, as I never feel she is entirely comfortable.  I thought Jonathan Cope came across very well when he did some presenting.  He was comfortable in front of the camera, very charming, and he and Darcey have known each other for a long time.  He would be my choice.  

 

Of course, it is never going to happen, sadly.  Much more important to get someone the plebs might have heard of. 

 

Well the more 'plebs' who decide to watch a screening the better, in my view.

[Jan McNulty]

1 hour ago, Fonty said:

 

Of course, it is never going to happen, sadly.  Much more important to get someone the plebs might have heard of. 

 

If Ore Oduba and Darcey Bussell were presenting a live streaming from, for example, the 6 Nations tournament this rugby pleb (and proud of it) might be tempted to go!

[Vanartus]

Plebs???!!! For heaven‘s sake - get a grip!!!