RuthE

My point about Hannah’s class was that it never used to be on a Sunday afternoon, which is generally a lot more convenient to me than the Friday-evening class she used to teach!

Absolute music to my ears, this. I’m especially pleased to note a Sunday-afternoon Beginner class from Hannah Frost (and it doesn’t hurt ONE BIT that the new Central premises are extremely easy for me to get to and from). https://www.centralschoolofballet.co.uk/adult-classes-to-recommence-on-19th-september/

yep… and factor in hayfever while walking to the venue, and it’s a choice between whether the pollen goes in my eyes or my throat!

I can’t help, but would like to report a successful nabbing of a pair of returns this morning. I bookmarked the page and have been checking back a couple of times a day and (as usual) it paid off eventually!

Sending it back to the box office now.

I’m selling Amphi C80 for tonight’s 7pm performance if anyone is in need of it. It’s a bit restricted view, but on the end of the row so very easy to get in and out of. £9 - please PM me if interested.

I quote from the draft letter: ”It should have been immediately obvious to everyone that the social distancing requirements of the past year would temporarily greatly increase the proportional demand for single tickets for any live performance, even among people who may usually book as one of a pair. For anyone who is the only member of their household wishing to attend a performance, the choice has been to go alone or not go at all, and while this should become easier in Step 3 of the Government roadmap, it will not cease to be a problem until the vaccination programme is far closer to completion.”

The letter makes this point very clearly!

I don’t think that contradicts anything I said, does it? I know that Glyndebourne for one opened their whole season for booking on that basis. If the show is on, it’s up to you to risk-assess who your +1 is.

Anyway, letter is drafted and will be circulated today to those who’ve asked.

What we’re awaiting for confirmation of, post-17-May, is if we are going into Step 3. This allows (a) 50% capacity audiences, and (b) household mixing indoors. If they can open at all, it’s (legally) OK to go with somebody not in your bubble.

Actually, not necessarily. It’s up to the venue to sort that out to their satisfaction if they give a certain seating layout to your group. If you all skooch up together, you may no longer be compliant with distancing from the people in front and behind.

Having now drafted the letter, I’ve acknowledged that any “chessboard” pattern would need to have designated areas to accommodate people whose groups include young children or a disabled person. Other than that, I’m sure families can survive sitting with one seat empty between members for an hour and a half at a time. (As one of my friends said - she’s been with her husband virtually 24 hours a day for over a year, so is quite sure she won’t miss him unduly while sitting a metre apart while watching a show.)

Or perhaps not. A friend of mine (who could have booked as a Friend yesterday but forgot) reports that the best she could do this morning (following public booking opening) for any performance of Don Giovanni was a £184 stalls seat.

Perhaps they release a new allocation for general public? It’s always (in recent history) been a requirement of their funding agreement, though I don’t know if this is currently waived.