ROH Open Up changes

[John Mallinson]

54 minutes ago, alison said:

Brilliant.  Guess that means we have to go and stand on Bow Street to get our fresh air - after all, it's not as if there are any other options, are there?

 

Another use for those wind machines maybe?

[fashionista]

I most certainly agree that it does seem rather a waste of money to be closing and refurbishing both the Amphi Bar and Restaurant which seemed pristine.  My thought since the ROH re-opened after the huge refurbishment works 20 years ago, was that the "non-use" of the former "Crush Bar" was a total oversight.  It has always meant that the large proportion of the audience struggle to enter, obtain drinks and circulate in the Floral Hall.  When the House re-opened after the major works, there were a number of audience surveys, and I always mentioned that not using the Crush Bar was a huge mistake as there is always a bottle neck of people scrambling to get served in the Floral Hall.  Although the former Crush Bar has reopened as the Dorfman, it is not the same as in former days.  I know one should always move forward, but sometimes, change is not always for the better.  Similarly, all toilet facilities are located on one side of the house since the refurbishment - again causing too much time wasted in getting to these facilities if sitting on the opposite side of the House - I always prefer getting tickets on what I call the "user friendly" side!!!!  Surely an Opera House of this size, can manage to allocate facilities on both sides of the theatre thus easing congestion?  

 

In summary, it is rather bad planning that after only 20 years, such a major refurbishment is necessary - one hopes that we will all benefit and reap the results of the time, money and inconvenience which is going into the "Open Up" project.  

[bangorballetboy]

19 minutes ago, fashionista said:

I most certainly agree that it does seem rather a waste of money to be closing and refurbishing both the Amphi Bar and Restaurant which seemed pristine.  My thought since the ROH re-opened after the huge refurbishment works 20 years ago, was that the "non-use" of the former "Crush Bar" was a total oversight.  It has always meant that the large proportion of the audience struggle to enter, obtain drinks and circulate in the Floral Hall.  When the House re-opened after the major works, there were a number of audience surveys, and I always mentioned that not using the Crush Bar was a huge mistake as there is always a bottle neck of people scrambling to get served in the Floral Hall.  Although the former Crush Bar has reopened as the Dorfman, it is not the same as in former days.  I know one should always move forward, but sometimes, change is not always for the better.  Similarly, all toilet facilities are located on one side of the house since the refurbishment - again causing too much time wasted in getting to these facilities if sitting on the opposite side of the House - I always prefer getting tickets on what I call the "user friendly" side!!!!  Surely an Opera House of this size, can manage to allocate facilities on both sides of the theatre thus easing congestion?  

 

In summary, it is rather bad planning that after only 20 years, such a major refurbishment is necessary - one hopes that we will all benefit and reap the results of the time, money and inconvenience which is going into the "Open Up" project.  

 

If the Crush Room were to be used as a bar it would significantly impede the flow of patrons from the grand tier and balcony to the floral hall and other areas to the left of the old house.  I have never struggled to obtain a drink in the floral hall (or the conservatory bar for that matter) as I do the sensible thing and order interval drinks beforehand.  I have sometimes struggled to circulate in the floral hall but that's more to do with patrons who choose to stand in awkward places rather than at the side than anything else.

 

As for the toilets. your posting suggests you don't know the location of all the toilets in the building!  At ground floor level, there is access to the new "downstairs" ladies toilets from both side of the auditorium.  When the work is completed, the "downstairs" gents will be relocated to the ground floor and what is currently the "downstairs" gents will become facilities for the ladies (which explains the rather unorthodox layout of the urinals at present...).  At amphi level there are toilets on both sides of the house (and also on the stairs up to the upper amphi seats), as is also the case on the balcony level.  Grand tier level loos are on the right hand side.  Even before the current works are finished, I'd say the ROH lavatory facilities are better than in any other opera house I've been in.

[Sim]

On the positive side, it's good that they are managing to keep the House open during all of this refurb.  I for one would be suffering terrible withdrawal symptoms if the place had to close.   Yes, it's a total drag, but for me it would be even more of a drag if it weren't open at all!!  

[bangorballetboy]

6 minutes ago, Sim said:

On the positive side, it's good that they are managing to keep the House open during all of this refurb.  I for one would be suffering terrible withdrawal symptoms if the place had to close.   Yes, it's a total drag, but for me it would be even more of a drag if it weren't open at all!!  

 

Exactly.  I'd have thought that would be obvious to all, but it doesn't seem to be.

[RuthE]

One thing I would welcome being accessible on both sides of the auditorium is free drinking-water.  If I am on house right, which I often am, partly because it avoids the crowds heading for the bars on house left, I have little choice but to take my own bottled water.

 

I wonder whether they've considered this.  A drinking-water station somewhere near the bottom of the right-hand staircase, and perhaps another on the curve of the corridor behind the Amphitheatre, surely must be possible without obstruction of fire exit routes.

Edited November 14, 2017 by RuthE

[capybara]

It's all very well for the Gents in the audience but there are many Ladies as well who one notices having physical difficulty accessing the downstairs toilets. Yes, I know that there are lifts at both ends, and I sometimes use them, but not everyone is aware that they are there and, in any case, they involve a long wait.

 

Signage for the Ladies' improved (I think in response to audience feedback) but exiting on the right hand side of the auditorium involves walking through the waiting queue. This would not be the case if the entrance and exit were reversed. Why don't they think of these things?

[bridiem]

2 hours ago, RuthE said:

One thing I would welcome being accessible on both sides of the auditorium is free drinking-water.  If I am on house right, which I often am, partly because it avoids the crowds heading for the bars on house left, I have little choice but to take my own bottled water.

 

I wonder whether they've considered this.  A drinking-water station somewhere near the bottom of the right-hand staircase, and perhaps another on the curve of the corridor behind the Amphitheatre, surely must be possible without obstruction of fire exit routes.

 

You also can't buy ice-creams on both sides of the Amphi, so you have to follow the masses edging towards the bar when all you want is an ice-cream. (Not that I have one on every visit, of course...). I once asked an usher why ice-creams aren't sold at the other end too (knowing full well that it's because they want everyone to go in that direction and patronise the bar) and the answer was 'because they're only sold at this end'. Which rather flummoxed me.

[bangorballetboy]

I had my booking for the spring period this morning and I thought I'd mention that all the insight events I booked are now in the Royal Ballet School Linden Studio.