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The last of a true breed of professionals. We won't be allowed to have another comedian like him as there is generally a mass sense of humour fail these days. We are lucky to have had him, and to have had the freedom to laugh.

I did sit through it three times during the last run, and it just didn't improve for me on further viewings. I will try it again on Thursday night in case there have been any changes that improve it, but I'm not holding my breath. I fear this will be another Strapless or Frankenstein for me!!

The scenery is lovely and the music is fab....but the choreography is incredibly dull. For me, anyway.

Oh what a shame; I hope Laura gets better very soon. However, whether it's Morera or Lamb, nothing or no-one can save that ballet for me, so if anyone wants to join me in the Floral Hall for that one....there I will be!!

So am I....and even more, Lest We Forget. Back in 2014 when I first saw it, I said to someone "I hope they mark the centenary of the end of the war by showing it again in 2018" so I am very glad they are!

What a pain. Although I only ever bought food and flowers there, it was a very convenient to pop into between work and ballet, to have something to eat before the show. If a behemoth like M&S can't afford the soaring business rates, then I wonder how long before smaller stores start to close as well? Such a shame.

I saw Klimentova/Vogel do it here in London, and they were magnificent. Sets and costumes not as sumptuous as the RB's, but I didn't care because the dancing was so good. Such a shame that it didn't do better. I hope it does this time around.

ENB have just announced their new season. A bit of a shame that they are doing Manon and Swan Lake just after the RB have done both. Delighted to see Rite and Broken Wings coming back. Not jumping up and down about the rest of it....although these are the highlights. We will post more details as and when we get them. 2018-19 season announcement Priority booking opens this Thursday – become a Friend today Ahead of our move to a new home at London City Island next year, we're thrilled to announce our new 2018-19 season. Highlights include: Christopher Wheeldon's in-the-round version of Cinderella at Royal Albert Hall. Following 2016's She Said, we present She Persisted, a second bill featuring female choreographers, including a new work inspired by Ibsen's A Doll's House choreographed by First Artist Stina Quagebeur, and also featuring Pina Bausch's Le Sacre du printemps and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Broken Wings. Kenneth MacMillan's classic Manon goes on tour for the second time only in 30 years. Derek Deane's Swan Lake goes to Liverpool, Bristol and London. Our Christmas favourite Nutcracker returns to the London Coliseum.

I very, very much doubt it.

From the BBC news website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-43369131

I also loved the pointer! But the winner was lovely too. And we even had a "pitch invasion" at the Crufts final....whatever next?!

Thank you for those gorgeous photos, DonQFan. A lovely representation of a very special night!

I was thinking the same thing about the music.

It was a very special night last night, and a truly memorable way to end what has been a fascinating and lovely run of Giselle. No time to write much at the moment, but I just had to say how much I have enjoyed the whole run. A very special mention not only to all the 'lead' dancers, but the corps de ballet, as always in the RB's Giselle, just couldn't have been more perfect. Show after show, even the final one, they look as if they have just arisen from their graves for the first time, still as fresh and full of energy as on the opening night. They are truly to be admired, respected and thanked, and BBB's gesture every run of Giselle recognises this and is very much appreciated. I noticed at the end of the performance last night that Natalia was in tears, and cried through most of her curtain calls. It must have been such a mixture of emotions for her, and I think that many of us cried with her, whether externally or internally. In the absence of the noble David Hallberg, she was very lucky to have Matthew Ball as her Albrecht. They had so little rehearsal time, but you would never know it. As with Yasmine Naghdi, Ball seems to have a natural affinity with Osipova, and his partnering of her was tender and heartfelt, as was his emotional pain at what he had done, and the realisation that he had lost her forever. He is a true danseur noble. And oh, that wonderful Act 2 lift again. That alone choked me up!! Osipova's Giselle is a very special thing to witness, and what is so wonderful about her is that no two performances are ever the same, but each one has something superb to offer. I never tire of watching her in what is, for me, her signature role. Thank you to the whole company for brightening up what has been very cold, dark weather. The two hours spent in the company of these superb artists make the sun shine for every performance. I always really miss Giselle when the run finishes, so I am already looking forward to the next one!

Gasparini was in fact dancing with Joseph Sissens.

Wow, that's quite a coup! Great news.

Yes, especially since Fonteyn was instrumental in actually creating the English style.

I would also vote for Robert Parker. He knows the company so well, and has now had experience of how to run something as well!

Very sad news, but I wish David Bintley all the best in his future endeavours. He has done so much to enhance the reputation of BRB in so many ways. I only hope that he promotes Brandon Lawrence to Principal before he steps down!!

I gave up reading programme notes on anything to do with Wayne McGregor years ago. They made me even more confused than his choreography did.

Probably to the Board of Scottish Ballet.

Brandon will perform there on Sunday 18th.

Lovely review Jan!

I got a call on Saturday. I am still in row A, but there will now be a bench in front of me. They asked if I'd rather sit on the bench so that I were still in the front row. So I said I get a choice between an uncomfortable seat but a clear view, or a comfortable seat with perhaps someone's head blocking me? I was assured that my view wouldn't be impeded by the people on the bench, so I opted to keep my row A ticket. Most absurdly, I now have to post the ticket back to the Barbican box office. They will then send me a new ticket with the same seat number and row. I said that this was an absurd waste of time, paper, postage and effort for all concerned, especially the poor box office staff. He agreed but I could feel the heavy heave of his shoulders over the phone. They are just doing what they are told. I said "so I have to return you a ticket that says A18, and you will then send me a new ticket that says A18? That is ridiculous." He said it is something to do with an audit. I then asked him why the producers couldn't have got the seating layout correct before they put the tickets on sale. He said they were wondering that too, but that sadly there was nothing they could do about it. He then had to break the bad news that Ed is being replaced by Thiago....but I told him I already knew that so I had had time to recover from my disappointment! The whole thing sounds ludicrous to me, so I can only hope that the actual event will be much better organised and have much better production values and content. I am sure it will.

I think you'll find that the cheering Matthew Ball fan club were his parents and a crowd of their friends. They actually know loads about ballet....but were just bursting with pride over their son/brother/friend !!