bridiem Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 2 hours ago, Dawnstar said: Even in a theatre the size of the Birmingham Hippodrome (assuming you were seeing BRB there) you'd think that would be noticeable! Veering off topic, I remember Sandra Madgwick as Clara in BRB's Nutcracker when it was televised in about 1994. She was a fantastic Clara! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 8 hours ago, capybara said: Really? I booked for Zamora! Yes really! It was a performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome. In the days when casting was given way in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 28 minutes ago, Darlex said: Yes really! It was a performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome. In the days when casting was given way in advance! OK. But, by the time I booked, it was Zamora. I must have been way behind the pace! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarriott Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 16 hours ago, Darlex said: I remember that performance. It was supposed to have been Miyako Yoshida dancing originally! 10 hours ago, capybara said: Really? I booked for Zamora! Yes, we booked for Zamora too - it was her debut. Very confusing when Sandra Madgwick popped out for the balcony scene, with her blonde hair in a ponytail. Nothing against Sandra, of course - lovely dancer - but we were terribly disappointed about and for Zamora. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jam Dancer Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 On 06/12/2018 at 17:29, Lizbie1 said: Typically, any new development work will go through several stages of testing to try to eliminate any unforeseen problems with it, including being put on what's called a staging environment, which mimics as far as possible the "live" (real) website to make sure it doesn't do something drastic like make the whole thing go down; only when these hurdles have been cleared is it "released" so that it's on the public website. Very often there are specific windows (sometimes only once a month) when this last can happen, as it can be a little like performing surgery: there are protocols involved and you need to have the right people on hand if things go wrong to make fixes or if necessary "roll back" to the last version. I know it sounds long winded, but many serious problems are averted by following this procedure; though it does make me wonder if they're following it how on earth some of the rubbish we've seen already on the new website slipped the net. Increasingly there's a move to being a lot more flexible about all this, but you need the right systems and people to do that successfully; all the evidence points to the ROH not being in that position. I agree that talk of "releasing the code" isn't very helpful! p.s. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I think what I've said is broadly correct and reflects standard practice. Spot on Lizzie1! Software development is a bit more complicated than the media makes it seems and I think ROH probably for itself in a pickle with what seems like some not fully thought through changes so let’s hope they get it right this time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Perhaps you could ask them to write it in English next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 7 hours ago, Jam Dancer said: Spot on Lizzie1! Software development is a bit more complicated than the media makes it seems and I think ROH probably for itself in a pickle with what seems like some not fully thought through changes so let’s hope they get it right this time. they are in the process of hiring 2 new web developers to add to the team - perhaps once they are up and running the problems will get solved 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) On 01/12/2018 at 21:56, Bluebird said: On Wednesday I booked for the Spring season. My booking list for the mixed bill was compiled from the casting listed on the ROH website before my priority booking opened. After booking my tickets, I decided to double check them and discovered that the casting which was now on the website was different to my original list. Assuming I’d made a mistake when I copied the casting, I booked a couple of extra tickets so as to make sure I had tickets for the casts I wanted. I have since discovered that the casting when I am not logged in corresponds to my original list. However, when I am logged in, the casting is completely different. I now have no idea which is correct! Yesterday, a friend, who was keen to see the Osipova performances, queried the casting for the Spring mixed bill. Since the above post was made around six weeks ago, I decided to check if the website had been updated. I was amazed to find that the casting information when I am not signed in is STILL different from the casting information when I am signed in. The first screenshot is the information I get when I'm signed in. The second screenshot shows the information available to those who are not Friends of Covent Garden and for whom booking opens later this month. You will see that the dates given for the Osipova performances vary. Two of them are the same (May 8 and May 18 evening) but the others are different. EDITED to add that I've just checked the casting in a different way. When clicking on each separate performance from the May calendar, the casting seems to correspond to the first screenshot. i.e. it seems that they might have fixed the problem on the calendar. They have not, however, managed to fix the problem on the production page which is, of course, what most people would use to choose their performances. Edited January 13, 2019 by Bluebird 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Many thanks Bluebird - this really is poor as the problems have been flagged up for weeks. I’m still pretty sure that the correct information is when you’re signed in as the format matches the ballets. It may well be that when public booking opens the information you get when signed in as a Friend and able to buy tickets is then available to all but as I say this is poor. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Bluebird said: Yesterday, a friend, who was keen to see the Osipova performances, queried the casting for the Spring mixed bill. Since the above post was made around six weeks ago, I decided to check if the website had been updated. I was amazed to find that the casting information when I am not signed in is STILL different from the casting information when I am signed in. The first screenshot is the information I get when I'm signed in. The second screenshot shows the information available to those who are not Friends of Covent Garden and for whom booking opens later this month. You will see that the dates given for the Osipova performances vary. Two of them are the same (May 8 and May 18 evening) but the others are different. EDITED to add that I've just checked the casting in a different way. When clicking on each separate performance from the May calendar, the casting seems to correspond to the first screenshot. i.e. it seems that they might have fixed the problem on the calendar. They have not, however, managed to fix the problem on the production page which is, of course, what most people would use to choose their performances. This is really bad Bluebird. Might I suggest you send you a quick email to the new and supposedly wonderful Customer Services E-Mail (customerservices@roh.org.uk)? Just a link to your comment should be enough to make the point. As you probably know there is another thread on here for feeding back what - if anything - you get by way of response and action: Edited January 13, 2019 by Geoff 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 It’s a mess. And it is so annoying. In the end I booked for the first night just to be sure even though it wasn’t my first choice. I remember the weird thing that at one time it showed the live broadcast without Osipova which I thought could not be the case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 18 minutes ago, Vanartus said: It’s a mess. And it is so annoying. In the end I booked for the first night just to be sure even though it wasn’t my first choice. I remember the weird thing that at one time it showed the live broadcast without Osipova which I thought could not be the case! But isn’t the cinema relay Takada and Campbell: https://www.roh.org.uk/showings/don-quixote-live-2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Perhaps my mind is addled but I was talking about the Pite triple bill... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Apologies Vanartus - it’s my mind which isn’t keeping up! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 At least the Pite Triple Bill cinema information matches the casting information when signed in: https://www.roh.org.uk/showings/within-the-golden-hour-new-sidi-larbi-cherkaoui-flight-pattern-live-2019 When not signed in the information really is hopeless as Bluebird and others have pointed out, and for some weeks now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) It is rather strange that Osipova (only) is listed as cast in 4 of the 7 performances of the new SLC work, with no mention of any casting for the other 3 performances. But otherwise, I don't see what the problem is: if you are signed in and you click through to the details for any performance/ date, you can see such cast details as are currently available for each part of the triple. Or if not signed in, you can get the same details via the Spring Calendar of Events route. Edited January 13, 2019 by Richard LH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 9 minutes ago, Richard LH said: But otherwise, I don't see what the problem is: if you are signed in and you click through to the details for any performance/ date, you can see such cast details as are currently available for each part of the triple. It's precisely the "if you are signed in" bit that's the problem. Anyone who isn't signed in when they are trying to work out which performance to go to is being misled, and they'd have no reason to suspect that (unless they're keen followers of this forum). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) Lizbie I have just edited my post to point out the same details can also be seen if not signed in. And surely people will sign in before looking to book. Edited January 13, 2019 by Richard LH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) 44 minutes ago, Richard LH said: Lizbie I have just edited my post to point out the same details can also be seen if not signed in. But only if you know to click through. 44 minutes ago, Richard LH said: And surely people will sign in before looking to book. I don't unless I need to in order to get access to the Friends booking period, and I imagine it's the same for many non-Friends whenever they book. And if someone is planning things out before they're ready to book there's no obvious reason to sign in at that stage. The fact that Bluebird was caught out by this surely shows that there *is* a problem. Edited January 13, 2019 by Lizbie1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Sorry Richard LH. The website really is a mess. When not signed in, the opening page for the Pite Triple Bill is hopelessly deficient. You say if you go to a particular performance the details are the same if signed in or not. But try 15 May - no details when not signed in. And when it comes to General Booking, do people ‘sign in’? Also people might look at the opening page for an overview of what’s on/who’s performing and decide on preferred performances from that information which as I say is sadly lacking. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 6 minutes ago, JohnS said: And when it comes to General Booking, do people ‘sign in’? Exactly! And if you're a first-time booker (that precious commodity) it seems unlikely you'd have an account in the first place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saodan Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 This may not be too much of an issue right now, as tickets are only available to people signed in with their friends account, but as soon as public booking opens it will become a big deal. If you are not a friend, there is really no reason to sign in before you come to pay. This means choosing your date, selecting your seats, and adding tickets to your basket before signing in at checkout. Non friends may be just as interested in accurate casting information as friends, and we should not be expected to cross check the information from different sections of the website. The information available on the booking page should be accurate for all who view it. Anything else is unacceptable. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) Sorry I must be missing something! The only issue I see really is on the summary page for the mixed bill, if not signed in, in which case there is just rather a jumble of names for each date, but as this page does not even attempt to link those names to the individual works, it isn't anything I would take much notice of anyway. But even if not signed in, you can see all the available individual casting information for each ballet for each date, including 15 May, by clicking on the dates shown in the Spring Calendar of Events page.https://www.roh.org.uk/seasons/2018-19/spring/events 1 hour ago, Saodan said: This may not be too much of an issue right now, as tickets are only available to people signed in with their friends account, but as soon as public booking opens it will become a big deal Assuming it works like the Winter Season did, as soon as public booking opens the mixed bill pages will revert to the same as they are now for anyone signed in, with all available details. So it should all be fine! Hopefully the above makes sense: it is easier to do, than to explain clearly here. Edited January 13, 2019 by Richard LH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 1 minute ago, Richard LH said: Sorry I must be missing something! The only issue I see really is on the summary page for the mixed bill, if not signed in, in which case there is just rather a jumble of names for each date, but as this page does not even attempt to link those names to the individual works, it isn't anything I would take much notice of anyway. But even if not signed in, you can see all the available individual casting information for ballet for each date, including 15 May, by clicking on the dates shown in the Spring Calendar of Events page.https://www.roh.org.uk/seasons/2018-19/spring/events Assuming it works like the Winter Season did, as soon as public booking opens the mixed bill pages will revert to the same as they are now for anyone signed in, with all available details. So it should all be fine! Hopefully the above makes sense: it is easier to do, than to explain clearly here. I think the point is that the summary page is the only page people (except Forum members who sadly now know better) are normally going to look at. Why would you click on the calendar date - let alone sign in, assuming you have an account which a lot of people don't - when the casting info is apparently already in front of you? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 If you go to Spring, the Pite Triple Bill, and then 15th May, you do not get any casting details. That route through the website seems perfectly reasonable to take but sadly it does not give you the information that is available by taking other routes. That cannot be right. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 10 minutes ago, bridiem said: I think the point is that the summary page is the only page people (except Forum members who sadly now know better) are normally going to look at. Why would you click on the calendar date - let alone sign in, assuming you have an account which a lot of people don't - when the casting info is apparently already in front of you? I can't make assumptions about what others do when looking at the site. The information is there though. And at the time of general booking, the summary page for the triple bill page should change to the full details anyway, like it did for the Winter Season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 12 minutes ago, JohnS said: If you go to Spring, the Pite Triple Bill, and then 15th May, you do not get any casting details. That route through the website seems perfectly reasonable to take but sadly it does not give you the information that is available by taking other routes. That cannot be right. Yes you are right John that is a particular quirk. But there is the other route, and as I say, these pages change back to the more sensible ones when general booking opens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saodan Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) 40 minutes ago, Richard LH said: The only issue I see really is on the summary page for the mixed bill, if not signed in, in which case there is just rather a jumble of names for each date, but as this page does not even attempt to link those names to the individual works, it isn't anything I would take much notice of anyway. The jumble of names for the 9th May includes Osipova, although she is not scheduled to dance according to the published casting, and both casts for Within the Golden Hour. Listing dancers in the wrong order is an inconvenience; listing at least 6, possibly 7, dancers who are not scheduled to dance is a problem. 40 minutes ago, Richard LH said: Assuming it works like the Winter Season did, as soon as public booking opens the mixed bill pages will revert to the same as they are now for anyone signed in, with all available details. So it should all be fine! That is a good point. It was true for the autumn season as well. Which begs the question: why do we need this new interface at all. And it doesn't help those who may choose dates ahead of time based on the information on the booking page and don't double check when booking opens. The point remains, people should not get different information depending on how they choose to access it. Edited January 13, 2019 by Saodan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 6 minutes ago, Richard LH said: I can't make assumptions about what others do when looking at the site. The information is there though. And at the time of general booking, the summary page for the triple bill page should change to the full details anyway, like it did for the Winter Season. I think it's making a bigger assumption than bridiem's to expect people to sign in before looking at casting information, or to go through quite a circuitous route to it via the calendar. I very much hope that the correct information will be up in time for General booking; but I for one *always* make decisions ahead of booking opening about which dates to go for, either because I need to co-ordinate with friends or work commitments or whatever, or because it can be a bit of a scrum getting decent seats for certain performances. I wouldn't then normally expect to have to check it again at the appointed hour. As for the casting for the triple bill on the summary page not making sense: well, I agree, but for many semi-casual ballet goers they'll see the name "Osipova", for example, and go for that one without looking any further into it (particularly when none of the ballets is notably familiar). 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 I agree it would have been better if these particular changed pages had not been introduced. But the issue quite specific, being limited to mixed bills, to pre general booking, and to not being signed in. This issue has been pointed out to the ROH before, as I recall, who responded with a promise to sort it out. That seems to be taking longer than expected and in the meantime other pages do have the correct information even if not signed in. But no, not ideal. And last time I looked the ROH online shop was still in a mess. Otherwise, though, the ROH website remains the best event/booking facility I have ever come across. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 3 hours ago, Richard LH said: Otherwise, though, the ROH website remains the best event/booking facility I have ever come across. Many thanks for all your explanations Richard. The disappointment in some respects is that before the changes I thought the website excellent but it has certainly lost some if its functionality and it is taking time to get things sorted. I like the look of the new design and how some of that design has been used in Open Up - I just hope there will be sufficient investment to sort things out properly. In addition to the problems highlighted in recent posts, including your point about the online shop, I’m afraid it seems casting details are not being updated following performances. We still have the website showing Alastair Marriott as Drosselmeyer on 5 January - an example I’d noted and thought worth keeping an eye on. If systems aren’t in place to do things routinely there’ll be an ever growing backlog and ad hoc comments from audience members certainly do not provide a control! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 19 hours ago, Lizbie1 said: I very much hope that the correct information will be up in time for General booking; but I for one *always* make decisions ahead of booking opening about which dates to go for, either because I need to co-ordinate with friends or work commitments or whatever, or because it can be a bit of a scrum getting decent seats for certain performances. I wouldn't then normally expect to have to check it again at the appointed hour. I have had various experiences in the past which have indicated that some of the ROH box office staff are completely clueless about the processes and habits of its customers. Neither of these experiences is particularly recent, but I can think of a couple of examples within the last five years or so: 1) that booking period when the last new website had just been launched, and it transpired that the online booking function wasn't going to be ready in time, so my booking day (I think I was a Supporting Friend at the time) was announced as being telephone-only. I (obviously??) prepared a shopping list with performance date, preferred ticket choice, etc for all of the performances I wished to attend in my booking period, as I would have done if I'd been booking online, for maximum efficiency. When I got through on the phone, the assistant expressed shock at my level of organization! Surely most people with a fairly long list of performances to book for would take a shopping-list approach... 2) I had three standing tickets for different performances to return, totalling less than £30. The box office assistant expressed surprise that I would bother returning them... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 Sorry to receive the ROH’s email: “Due to injury Cesar Corrales will be replaced by William Bracewell as The Creature on 5,11, 20 and 23 March.” Very much hoping Corrales is fully recovered for Romeo. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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