alison

I don't think it does, actually: faute de mieux, even from a child, I have always left my ice cream cartons neatly on the floor under my seat in the cinema (and sometimes elsewhere if necessary). After all, they pay someone to come round and pick them up afterwards, and there's usually nowhere else to put them. What I wouldn't do, though, is to scatter items of food or drink on the floor like the disgusting people I had the misfortune to share a row with when I went to see Skyfall.

Isn't it a repeat?

Week two, now: Saturday 27th December 8 am: Bolshoi Unseen: Spartacus 4.45 pm: Les Patineurs Sunday 28th December 10 am: Les Patineurs 10.30 am: Nuages 3.20 pm: Peter and the Wolf (actually, I think we had this problem last year: I'm assuming this is the ballet, particularly since various transmissions of it follow directly on from Les Patineurs) Monday 29th December 2 pm: Stomp: Live BBC1, 10.30 pm: Darcey Bussell's Looking for Audrey Hepburn - a slightly tenuous dance link, perhaps, but given who's presenting it I thought it appropriate Tuesday 30th December 8 am: The Nutcracker (whose? RB?) 9.50 am: Le Jeune Homme et la Mort 8 pm: Sleeping Beauty (RB: Cuthbertson, Polunin) (repeated at 2.15 am next morning) Wednesday 31st December 8 am: Sleeping Beauty 10.30 am: Les Patineurs 2 pm: Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake - don't know which version 4 pm: Dance on Screen 6.50 pm: Black Swan pdd 8 pm: Giselle (RB - presumably Osipova?) (repeated at 2.15 next morning) New Year's Day 8 am: Giselle 10.05 am: Gala from Berlin 2012 - not sure whether this has any dance content? 8 pm: Romeo & Juliet (RB - Cuthbertson/Bonelli) (repeated at 2.15 next morning) 4.45 am next morning: Dance on Screen Friday 2nd January 8 am: Romeo & Juliet 8 pm: La Bayadere (RB - Rojo/Acosta) (repeated at 2.15 next morning) 4.25 am next morning: Dance, Dance, Dance I think that's it, but please let me know if I've missed anything.

Interesting cast changes last night: announcements on the doors indicated that Anton Lukovkin would be performing the role of Mouse King - there was also an announcement from the stage that it would be Shevelle Dynott, which I assumed would take precedence over the typed announcement, but since he was down to dance the Arabian and no replacement for *that* was announced I was left wondering until the end precisely *who* was under the mouse mask! (It was Dynott) I was wondering whether it would be possible for him to change out of the mouse costume in time for the Arabian ...

That's a relief. I couldn't imagine Anna in the role Thanks for the clarification, everybody.

Well, the double-issue Radio Times starts tomorrow, so here's what I've found so far (all Sky Arts 2 unless indicated otherwise): Monday 22nd 2 pm: Bolshoi Unseen: Don Quixote (repeated 3 am next morning) 4 pm: The Bolshoi: Dancing for Russia (repeated 2 am next morning) 5 pm: Nuages Tuesday 23rd 8 am: Bolshoi Unseen: Don Quixote 10 am: The Bolshoi: Dancing for Russia 2 pm: Bolshoi Unseen: Giselle (repeated 3 am next morning) 3.55 pm: Les Patineurs 4 pm (eh?!): Peter and the Wolf Wednesday 24th 8 am: Bolshoi Unseen: Giselle 2 pm: Bolshoi Unseen: Swan Lake (repeated 3 am next morning) 4.20 pm: Bolero (I assume the Bejart) 11 pm: Les Patineurs 11.30 pm: Nuages 5.25 am next morning: Peter and the Wolf Christmas Day 8 am: Bolshoi Unseen: Swan Lake 1.30 pm: Bolshoi Unseen: The Nutcracker (repeated 3.15 am next morning) 7 pm, BBC4: The Winter's Tale (repeated next morning at 1.55 am - with subtitles) (next morning) 5 am: Les Patineurs Boxing Day 8 am: Bolshoi Unseen: The Nutcracker 9.45 am: Peter and the Wolf 2 pm: Bolshoi Unseen: Spartacus (repeated 2.40 am next morning) Does anyone know what these Bolshoi Unseens are? Is there any relation to the recently-issued DVD box set of rarities? 7.30 pm, BBC4: Carlos Acosta's Cuban Night

My worst one was probably when my then-downstairs neighbour ordered a new upright vacuum cleaner (I was going to say Hoover, but it was actually a Dyson ). The guy came round to see whether I would take it in. At the time I had a front door which opened into a square area only slightly bigger than the width of the door, with stairs going immediately up from it. There was literally nowhere I could have put it without lugging it upstairs, so I had to refuse. The worst thing is that someone called the other day with a parcel for downstairs, and I knew there was someone in there, but there was no reply to the bell (maybe he was in the shower/bath?). Fortunately I was about to go out, so was able at least to put the parcel in the shared hall.

More cast changes for Alice: http://www.roh.org.uk/news/cast-changes-for-alices-adventures-in-wonderland-on-19-22-23-24-and-27-december-2014

ShowSavers Flash Sale! SEATS FOR JUST £18! The Wind In The Willows The Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre production brings Kenneth Graeme’s classic tale of the friends on the riverbank to life through dance, song, music and puppetry, directed and choreographed by Will Tuckett, with narration by Alan Titchmarsh Vaudeville Theatre Certain performances Until 17 January (must be booked before 9am on 21 December) Seats for £32.50/£30/£19.50/£18 (usually £48.90/£34) 020 7907 7064 Quote "ShowSavers Offer" Or book online at Love Theatre: www.lovetheatre.com/showsavers/ticket_offers Further information on the show from Royal Opera House: www.roh.org.uk/productions/the-wind-in-the-willows-by-will-tuckett

I went to a concert including "excerpts from The Nutcracker" the other day. Whoever selected those excerpts completely left out that "glorious music" - in fact, left out pretty much everything between the March and the Snowflakes - thus denuding the ballet of most of its magic, in my opinion. I was really disappointed

And of course ENB/LFB had the Ben Stevenson version back in their Festival Hall days.

Is that the multicoloured stuff you see athletes and tennis players plastered with these days? I know someone spotted that Roger Federer had some on his back the night he injured his back at the O2 last month, so I guess it didn't help that much

All the recent discussions about mail order have given me something else to add to this thread: people who frequently order things by mail order and are never in to receive them, thus expecting their neighbours to do all the receiving without even bothering to ask. I don't mind the odd parcel, but when it's every few days? There's one poor woman a little way down the road from me, and couriers seem to regard her as some sort of automatic repository for anything which is undelivered. I had to go and collect something from her once when our doorbell was misbehaving (I was actually in, awaiting the delivery!), and felt really bad about it, because it wasn't as if I even knew her - it wouldn't have been so bad if we'd reciprocated or something. Then there are all the couriers who just drop a "Sorry you were out" card through the letterbox without even bothering to write anything on it at all. You know you have to take ID when you go to pick something up? What happens if you get a blank card, go all the way down to the delivery office with your ID and then find it's for your downstairs/upstairs neighbour, not you?! Or the time when they've hidden it somewhere, not bothered to tell you where it is, and you find it weeks later, when it may well be too late?

Yes, why should we keep having to have different casts in the RB's version the whole time? I'm losing track: is it 1 Ansanelli, 3 Yoshidas, 1 Marquez thus far?

Are they *all* on the same date? I thought it depended on the cinema.

Is that the pdd they did for Men In Motion? I really liked that one.

This is from the Daily Telegraph Box Office, in case it's unclear! 40% off tickets until Sunday only Celebrate the festive season and New Year with English National Ballet’s magical productions ofNutcracker and Swan Lake in the splendour of the London Coliseum. With 40% off tickets in the dress and upper circle for selected performances, now is the time to book! More than 100 dancers and musicians bring these classic ballets to life, with exquisite dancing, beautiful sets and Tchaikovsky’s glorious scores played live by the English National Ballet Philharmonic. Expect enchanted toys, sparkling snowflakes and mischievous mice in Nutcracker, and of course, the breathtaking sight of more than 20 ballerinas moving in unison in Swan Lake, the world’s favourite classical ballet. *Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. * See website for full terms and conditions. A postage charge of £2.50 is payable on bookings made 5 days or more from the date of the performance. Please note that for discounted tickets, phone bookings are charged at a £1.50 supplement per ticket over our internet prices.

This is from the Daily Telegraph Box Office, in case it's unclear! 40% off tickets until Sunday only Celebrate the festive season and New Year with English National Ballet’s magical productions ofNutcracker and Swan Lake in the splendour of the London Coliseum. With 40% off tickets in the dress and upper circle for selected performances, now is the time to book! More than 100 dancers and musicians bring these classic ballets to life, with exquisite dancing, beautiful sets and Tchaikovsky’s glorious scores played live by the English National Ballet Philharmonic. Expect enchanted toys, sparkling snowflakes and mischievous mice in Nutcracker, and of course, the breathtaking sight of more than 20 ballerinas moving in unison in Swan Lake, the world’s favourite classical ballet. *Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. * See website for full terms and conditions. A postage charge of £2.50 is payable on bookings made 5 days or more from the date of the performance. Please note that for discounted tickets, phone bookings are charged at a £1.50 supplement per ticket over our internet prices.

ShowSavers Flash Sale! SEATS FOR JUST £23.50! English National Ballet London Coliseum The Nutcracker Journey back in time to a frost-covered, gas-lit Edwardian London and join Clara, her Nutcracker doll and the magician Drosselmeyer in this traditional, festive tale for all the family, choreographed by Wayne Eagling Certain performances 24 December - 2 January (must be booked before midnight on 21 December) And Swan Lake Derek Deane's spectacular production of the world's most popular ballet, a love story and a battle against an evil sorcerer, set to Tchaikovsky's glorious music, performed by a company of over 100 dancers and musicians Certain performances 7 - 18 January (must be booked before midnight on 21 December) Seats for £35.50/£27/£23.50 (usually £59/£45/£39) Book online at Theatre-Ticket: www.theatre-ticket.co.uk Further information on the shows from English National Ballet: www.ballet.org.uk Partner this ticket offer with a restaurant deal from £13.50 at 5pm.co.uk: www.theatrenet.5pm.co.uk NB: NOTE THE BOOKING DEADLINES!

ShowSavers Flash Sale! SEATS FOR JUST £23.50! English National Ballet London Coliseum The Nutcracker Journey back in time to a frost-covered, gas-lit Edwardian London and join Clara, her Nutcracker doll and the magician Drosselmeyer in this traditional, festive tale for all the family, choreographed by Wayne Eagling Certain performances 24 December - 2 January (must be booked before midnight on 21 December) And Swan Lake Derek Deane's spectacular production of the world's most popular ballet, a love story and a battle against an evil sorcerer, set to Tchaikovsky's glorious music, performed by a company of over 100 dancers and musicians Certain performances 7 - 18 January (must be booked before midnight on 21 December) Seats for £35.50/£27/£23.50 (usually £59/£45/£39) Book online at Theatre-Ticket: www.theatre-ticket.co.uk Further information on the shows from English National Ballet: www.ballet.org.uk Partner this ticket offer with a restaurant deal from £13.50 at 5pm.co.uk: www.theatrenet.5pm.co.uk NB: NOTE THE BOOKING DEADLINES!

And *I've* edited the title so that it more faithfully (if more boringly) reflects the entire content of Bruce's post, and not just one sentence of it

Oh, thanks, spooky. There are a couple of places I could perhaps go to if necessary.

Well, if they do that, at least they won't be allowed back in again until the interval. I forgot to mention that I tend to find the smells of beer, red wine and popcorn particularly nauseating, so you can imagine how I feel when someone brings any of them anywhere near me!

I'm now starting to formulate a very tentative hypothesis that it may have something to do with my having the forum open on two different computers at once, and maybe being active on both of them. I had several weeks' worth of links showing as unread, have posted on the Chromebook and accessed links on the PC, and suddenly all the weekly links threads are greyed out

Only from BRB.