postie

They seem to attract more publicity than 100,000 people marching through the West End every Saturday at the moment.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the House, pricing for Jephtha (Dress tonight) looks almost suicidal. Possibly 55% of seats taken for Wednesday. Plenty of £200 and - the next level down - £193 available.

I know they were advertising for data analysis person/people a while ago, I wonder if the newcomers have got a little over-excited.

Anyway, someone's got a lot of *disappearing* to organise. Again.

Not as exciting as kings, queens and presidents but it is possible to imagine ballet, in particular, has considerable filmic potential. Lots of creative routes to explore.

They might be trying out new filming techniques for, say, combining movement/music/steps. I shouldn't think body cams though certainly tracking shots, on-stage hand helds, overheads, shared screens, up close foot work, etc.

A number of things that could interfere with the enjoyment of a regular audience.

Having not seen it since the Dress, I managed to squeeze in as well last night - a very handy spot popped up about 5.45. A gent from Bristol returned it when his friend couldn't come, making it into a donation.

Goodness me, it's polished. Not to say it wasn't previously, but it's .. so polished!

It's clearly also long, though the great thing is so many in the cast do get their moment in the spotlight. Moments, even.

Peak Fumi is like a force of nature.  I don't know what she has for breakfast or what's afoot in her private life but something is certainly working.

I have a quite strange experience with this production. It's the reverse of what used to be the case, which is that old Hollywood films of classics like this reminded me of a stage version, but now the staging is reminding me of old Hollywood films.  I suppose that means this is a very traditional version. Anyway, I won't see it in the cinema for fear of smoke coming out my ears.

Second helpings of this and the equally lovely Du Pre in the same week - even Charles and Camilla can't say that!

I looked at La Strada but have been stung too often recently by 'independent hires' (rather than being part of the regular SW season). I will probably regret it ..

They're getting away with murder at these prices - currently one at the back of the Amph for £52 ..

Public booking open ..

Very glad to have returned last night for a second viewing. Second helpings rarely fail me; I tend to think you can relax into the piece more and let the art and emotion weave its magic.

That moment when Barenboim shows up and she responds by playing Elgar with her whole body ... ouf.

If anyone from the forum picked up the adjacent SCS positions, I'm sorry to have missed meeting you. I did look over and saw two women chatting in the interval and hoped they were forumites (sic?).

Isn't it extraordinary how they all just vanished.

A last-minute scramble for a hundred+ seats mostly priced at north of £100 .. hmm

I know that seat and bench well. Or I did until the price gorging gathered pace.

My app says 5' on Wed evening, with a fairly rude wind.

I saw that earlier. Friday Rush?

8 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

You could also try popping in to the box office on the night and saying "I only have £15 (or similar) before my credit card is maxed out or declined. Don't suppose you have anything you can help me with?"

Thanks Emeralds. I somewhat freakishly picked up a SCS place a minute after I posted - 3 together had literally popped up (see post above). I will still go to the box office and ask, though

I'm now wondering if the three SCS places are the result of people speaking to the box office .. 🤔

Goodness! After I posted this I checked again and 3 SCS had popped up (for Wednesday). Still 2 there if anyone is looking (D16 and D17, I believe)  ..

Sad to see the Stalls about a quarter unsold for Wednesday evening.

I'd love to go, it's just frustrating to know many of those seats will pass discretely to *staff and family* while muggins with his Friends+ won't get a sniff. Or worse, be left empty.

Sigh: to amphitheatre or to not amphitheatre ..

I'll shut up then 🙃

Fwiw, I loved the muted palette, especially the contrasts with orchestra sections (as depicted by bright shirt colours).

She grew up post-war amid ration books and urban bomb craters - what do they want multicoloured strobes.

Quote

Sadler’s Wells Associate Company English National Ballet presents Johan Inger’s Carmen. Scottish Ballet’s award-winning production of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire returns to London for the first time since 2015. Northern Ballet brings one of its most beloved productions, Romeo and Juliet. Birmingham Royal Ballet returns with Sir Peter Wright’s acclaimed The Sleeping Beauty.

Enough time for me to think myself in, and out, and in and .. out, several times before 3rd November. Streetcar top of my pile.

Don't understand popcorn full stop. Seems just another daft US import. Is it Halloween yet?

Have to say I didn't understand some of the comments in this thread and wondered what the critics had to say. Felt sufficiently reassured I wasn't losing my mind after reading the topmost reviews from Mr Google - both effusive and 4/5: gorgeous, joyful, etc. Having endured one or two of disappointments on Roseberry Avenue recently it has been a great relief to have Anemoi and The Cellist stay with me since Friday lunchtime.

2 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

 I found myself so much more involved in The Cellist than I seem to remember having been previously.  I think this may have been because I wasn't so put off by the use of so many dancers as simple filler.  Now I accept this simply as part of this Company's current ethic.  Indeed, now I could see how it actually helped draw the taut strings of the core trio more closely together; allowing each audience member a chance to focus on their magnificent achievements.

Not much has been said about 'The Instrument'. Having not seen this before, I have wondered if that role has evolved somewhat since the first go-around - it's so integral to the success of the whole ..

So strange for me to come home after a rehearsal and find this news.

I was at the dress for Like Water for Chocolate - side stall, from row - and there were 2 spare seats next to me before a young woman sat on the end of the row. At the interval, a tall woman appeared and asked if I minded if she sat down. I made a light-hearted comment about something to do with the first half and we got chatting. It was Hadyn. I don't know why I couldn't place her - pinned her down to either an actor or a BBC news-type, or perhaps a journalist with a profile. Lovely, warm engaging woman. A huge ballet fan, been coming forever. Mentioned bringing her boys when they were young (but they didn't take to it, at that age).

IIRC, there was a second interval and she went off, presumably to where the favoured people gather, but came back and we mused on the piece. She did then mention some of the most senior people - set designer (a hot topic!), movement, shapes of the story and character arcs, etc. I remember she had something to say about A Winter's Tale .. vaguely. Perhaps we talked about Scarlett, or was it McGregor ..

At the end, we chatted on the way down the stairs and I shook her hand outside, before she wandered off along Floral Street and I went to Holborn. Back to North West London, she said. She was coming back to see it again later in the season.

It was nice. Would have been awkward to ask her who she was.

As sometimes happens at rehearsals, it was just two fellow Friends sharing the experience of a new work. She was terrific company.

I'm fascinated by the demographics of the 'new' audience/s.

If I had my time again, I'd love to build a career on this type of data analysis.

Do people think the audience for opera has grown at the same rate?

8 hours ago, PeterS said:

Note to self: Never book a matinee following an opening night. 
This performance was so dissimilar to what I witnessed in Birmingham a few weeks ago that I came away wondering if it had been a case of The Emperors New Clothes? The energy, flair and innovation that I applauded in Birmingham had evaporated yesterday. Flat as a pancake in places, without the “je ne sais quoi” that i had experienced in Birmingham, the afternoon dragged.
One dancer I spoke to afterwards volunteered that it hadn’t been an afternoon to be proud of, that exhaustion and jet lag from the recent transatlantic hop made by the Company to the USA have caught up with them. 
I hope for the sake of their audiences that they found their second wind for the evening show and the remainder of the run. 
 

'flat' was exactly my experience. I know we're hugely blessed in London with the Royal and ENB and other organisations but, even so, this was so disappointing in pretty much every respect. The art in the piece seemed to be in making so little go around: never mind the quality, feel the width.

But I'm sure it will have gone down well at funding partner Birmingham City Council.

Oh my. I thought The Cellist was marvellous. So lyrical, full of grace, elegance and .. family and ... dignity ... and pathos. Can't say there wasn't a dry eye in the House though I suspect many were moved more than they expected by the power of the storytelling. Phew: a memorable afternoon, indeed!

If there is anyone you'd like to introduce to the Royal or ballet, I think this would make a very good choice.

14 hours ago, Rob S said:

To this day it still says I’ve exceeded the ticket limit and won’t even show me the seating map….this is after I have deleted the cookies for the ROH website on Chrome….I guess I’m doomed to be an incognito tab user on my worktop pc for the rest of my career 

Fwiw, I'd have to phone the box office and see if anyone could offer an explanation.