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Rob S

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    Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker Winter 2021/22

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    35 minutes ago, alison said:

    Going off at a slight tangent, and it's probably too late to do anything about it for this season, but it strikes me that the ROH may be missing a trick in relation to refreshments.  Now ice creams are allowed in the auditorium, why not sell them shortly before the start of the performance, too?  Then people (children?) can take them in for the start of the performance, leaving the interval free for ... buying more refreshments/food/drink? ... as well as going to the loo and so on.  I suppose it may be a staffing issue, but if you already have people selling programmes, why not?

     

    😲

     

    Has someone hit you on the head with a pointe shoe recently!?😆

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1

    Open Barre Podcast with Freed of London

    in Doing Dance

    Posted

    It was a great episode, extra long and very appropriate listening for me today during an 18 mile walk in brand new walking boots! I think the only thing I was left wondering is why personalised pointe shoes don't come with ribbons attached, in the place specified by the dancer. Would they simply get in the way of their added breaking in ritual and have to be reattached anyway?

    • Like 2

    Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker Winter 2021/22

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted · Edited by Rob S

    1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

    It was a joyful performance and everyone was on great form, with Olivia Cowley as a young, energetic and graceful dancing mistress, and Tom Whitehead as a mysterious and deep Drosselmeyer, both new to me in these roles. After watching many shows of this, I always wondered if the stick/baton for Grandfather in the magic trick ever refused to cooperate and tonight it did -oops! (But Whitehead and Kevin Emerton, as Grandfather, handled -pun unintended- it well.) I’m afraid I was the one who let out an audible gasp when the Nutcracker broke as an extra piece seemed to fall off and bounce towards the orchestra pit and I thought Nutcracker had lost his legs!! Luckily “he” was ok - looked like a stage light fixture that broke off. 

     

     

    It's the second performance in a row I've seen that the wand trick hasn't worked...Bennet Gartside had problems with it too. From what I saw the Nutcracker's handle was what made a break for the orchestra pit...Ashley retrieved it from near stage edge and put it with the main body before Drosselmeyer came to repair him.

     

    I enjoyed seeing Olivia as the dancing mistress, not a character I pay much attention to usually. I've noticed she's the only Arabian dancer so far that doesn't get carried off at arms length at end (and during the red run), she sits on the man's shoulder....maybe she's about as keen on heights as I am!!

    • Like 1

    Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker Winter 2021/22

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted · Edited by Rob S

    48 minutes ago, LinMM said:

    Rob S ...I was there on the 9th ...just a bit late in writing review. 
    The thing is I didn’t spot him as a Forum member! I was hoping it was going to be you so I could thank you in person for all the lovely piccies! When he said oh do you mean Rob from the Forum he somehow took it for granted that I would know what that meant!!! It’s why I thought he must know you! 

    Another piece of luck that night... though not sure if should be revealing this ...was I was with a friend who was standing in D9 so pretty close to where I was sitting just further round to the right and the seat next to me remained empty ...must have been the only one in whole of Row A! 
    When the time over ran for starting we sort of assumed nobody was now coming so she came and sat next to me as lights went down ( luckily an end seat so could gracefully leave if somebody did turn up really late) and was able to sit there the whole time!!  I couldn’t see the point of it just remaining empty. 
    I felt particularly pleased for her as usually she can only stand or sits in middle to back Amphi ( I can’t usually sit next to her any more because I can’t sit that high up these days) So it was a real treat for her as well!! 
    I was having a look at the Standing along that side and decided D.7 to D.14 is really the most excellent for view (except D.10 has a post a little bit in the way). But I think only Friends would be able to book these initially as they’ve usually gone by public booking. I don’t know whether it’s similar along the other side for viewing but some of the more direct central standing on our side do have lights hanging down but wasn’t sure whether that’s because it was being streamed or whether they are always there. But anyway those Stalls Circle Standing are amazing value for money at £10 or sometimes even less!! 
     

     

    I know very few Daves but clearly this can be my chance to meet a new one, the next time I see anyone else with a decent camera I shall ask 🙂

     

    I never sit in any empty seat, in part as I just know the rightful owner will turn up with a second to go...or later I've seen!! A couple of weeks ago someone invited me to sit in one and I declined, sure enough the owner turned up just as the lights went down. The main reason though is that as you say, the views you get for, in the case of Nutcracker £10, are excellent and amazing value, I feel I'm robbing the ROH as it is, to sit down as well is totally out of the question except the time the usher invited us to sit down as there were so many....it was Frankenstien...but even then I declined one on the second occasion as it would affect the appeal of the seat I'd actally paid for for the third visit.

     

    I was in D16 last week and it's true that a ceiling mounted light and in particular a loop of cable hanging from it did get in the way if I stood up straight but I'm a bit of a leaner...something not understood by the woman sat in front of me that thought I'd want to rest on her scarf and coat even when I said I want to lean here!! 'Have you sanitized your hands!?' 😄🙄

     

     

    • Like 2

    Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker Winter 2021/22

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    2 hours ago, LinMM said:

    Rob S ....at the end of the performance during the curtain calls I could see a man with a  decent looking camera taking piccies so decided to risk it ...once it was obvious the dancers were finally going home ...so said to him “Excuse me you’re not Rob are you” But he replied “No I’m Dave” but then immediately “oh did you mean the Rob who puts pictures on the Forum” so then wasn’t sure whether he knew you or not!  He added maybe I should post some of mine there too.  So you may get some competition lol...which can only be great for us of course! 


    😆 At least you spotted a fellow forum reader though 👏 I was in SCS D46 last night. Alternative viewpoints are always good 🙂

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