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ROH Nutcracker Amphitheatre

Dani
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Dani

Dani

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I am just about to buy tickets to the Nutcracker, but can only afford seats at the back of the amphitheatre.
I was wondering, brutally, if it is worth it? The only other time I was at the ROH was for an opera, and there were subtitles so location mattered less.

Will they put the ballet up on screens for people to see at the back? Will we be able to see anything?

Any advice would help. Thanks so much! :)

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Anna C

Anna C

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Hi Dani, welcome to the forum.  No, they won’t put the ballet on screens.  You would be very high up and probably need binoculars, especially to see faces.  Personally, I wouldn’t want to be that high up for Nutcracker; it would be a better viewpoint for Swan Lake/Giselle/any ballet where the Corps makes lovely patterns onstage.  That’s just my opinion though; there are people who love the Amphi.

 

Are there no Stalls Circle Standing places available?  If not, would you be eligible for a Welcome Performance at the ROH, which offers hugely discounted seats?

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alison

alison

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Of course, the Snowflakes make "lovely patterns" too, but perhaps not long enough to justify the choice of seat :)  Personally, I don't think the amphi's too bad for Nutcracker, but then I guess it depends on your expectations and your budget.

 

I've added a "seating" tag to this thread: click on it and see if it brings up a recent thread in which someone posted the view from row N, to give you some idea of what the view will be like.  There was also some information in that thread about some cardboard opera glasses the ROH sells, I think.

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Anna C

Anna C

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10 minutes ago, alison said:

Of course, the Snowflakes make "lovely patterns" too, but perhaps not long enough to justify the choice of seat :)  Personally, I don't think the amphi's too bad for Nutcracker, but then I guess it depends on your expectations and your budget.

 

I've added a "seating" tag to this thread: click on it and see if it brings up a recent thread in which someone posted the view from row N, to give you some idea of what the view will be like.  There was also some information in that thread about some cardboard opera glasses the ROH sells, I think.

 

Yes, good point about the Snowflakes! 🤭 Sorry.  I’ve just thought of another option; if Dani’s budget is £10-£20 per ticket and the back of the Amphi is too far back, then they are streaming Nutcracker to cinemas on 9th (?) December, where you will get close-ups and a much better view, albeit from your local cinema rather than the ROH itself.  (Then you could apply for a Welcome Performance of Swan Lake 😉).

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LinMM

LinMM

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As far as I can see Nutcracker is sold out for all performances before Christmas I think there are seats for early January though. 
I don’t know why but I don’t like seeing Nutcracker after Christmas!! Though I might if I was travelling abroad somewhere or there was a visiting Company had always wanted to see etc. 

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Dani

Dani

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12 minutes ago, Anna C said:

Hi Dani, welcome to the forum.  No, they won’t put the ballet on screens.  You would be very high up and probably need binoculars, especially to see faces.  Personally, I wouldn’t want to be that high up for Nutcracker; it would be a better viewpoint for Swan Lake/Giselle/any ballet where the Corps makes lovely patterns onstage.  That’s just my opinion though; there are people who love the Amphi.

 

Are there no Stalls Circle Standing places available?  If not, would you be eligible for a Welcome Performance at the ROH, which offers hugely discounted seats?

Thank you so much, Anna and Alison! I had never heard of Welcome tickets before, although, from what I've seen on the website, they've stopped this now. Seems like it might be a pre-pandemic offer, at least for the time being. :( However, I will definitely check this further - and I also came across Friday rush tickets. So hopefully there be some more options there.

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Dani

Dani

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9 minutes ago, LinMM said:

As far as I can see Nutcracker is sold out for all performances before Christmas I think there are seats for early January though. 
I don’t know why but I don’t like seeing Nutcracker after Christmas!! Though I might if I was travelling abroad somewhere or there was a visiting Company had always wanted to see etc. 

Yes, it was in January that I found Amphi tickets :)

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alison

alison

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15 minutes ago, Dani said:

I had never heard of Welcome tickets before, although, from what I've seen on the website, they've stopped this now. Seems like it might be a pre-pandemic offer, at least for the time being. :(

 

There's a "Paul Hamlyn Christmas Treat" performance on 4th December matinee.  Don't know whether that's all sold out, because you have to jump through hoops to get there.  Alternatively, I'm sure if you hang on someone will be dumping some standing places as it gets nearer to Christmas and their plans take shape.

 

There's a Welcome performance for Swan Lake, so the ROH certainly hasn't abandoned them.

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LinMM

LinMM

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I think there are still Welcome performances as I googled the other day because the link to further information on this on the website page just comes up as an Error and page no longer available ...so not exactly very helpful. 
However because there is a Swan Lake performance I wanted to see which is definitely listed as a Welcome performance so you can’t book it they must still be operating. Glad you got tickets anyway. 

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alison

alison

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30 minutes ago, LinMM said:

As a matter of interest does the ROH then reopen for general sale if not all Welcome performances are sold? 

 

I very much doubt it, in the same way that it doesn't for schools matinees, as far as I know.

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Lizbie1

Lizbie1

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18 minutes ago, alison said:

 

I very much doubt it, in the same way that it doesn't for schools matinees, as far as I know.

 

A Welcome performance was scheduled for a recent La Traviata but for whatever reason (my guess is that they had forgotten to re-start the programme properly) it was subsequently opened up to everyone.

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Bluebird

Bluebird

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33 minutes ago, bubblebuddy said:

Can anyone help me to find the link to the view from Amphi Row L mentioned?  There doesn't seem to be any way to get the view from a seat any longer through the ROH website, which was so useful.

 

I don't know which seat in row L you want.  Here is a link to the view from L47

http://d33ex4wp0jsts.cloudfront.net/venues/main-stage/level-5-amphitheatre-5c/l-47-stage-view-1280x853.jpg

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Bluebird

Bluebird

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10 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

 

I don't know which seat in row L you want.  Here is a link to the view from L47

http://d33ex4wp0jsts.cloudfront.net/venues/main-stage/level-5-amphitheatre-5c/l-47-stage-view-1280x853.jpg

 

Edited to add the link to Saodan's excellent method of accessing seat views.  You need to click on the top right arrow to reach the correct post in the thread.

 

The only snag is that you need to know which door is used for any particular seat.

 

Edited by Bluebird
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Bluebird

Bluebird

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2 hours ago, Dani said:

 I had never heard of Welcome tickets before, although, from what I've seen on the website, they've stopped this now. Seems like it might be a pre-pandemic offer, at least for the time being. :( 

 

Here's the link to the information on how to register for Welcome Performances:

http://www.roh.org.uk/welcome-performances/welcome-performances-how-to-book

NB They're only for people who've never before registered on the ROH website

 

Edited to add that, after posting this, I discovered that the registration link does go to an error page.  Maybe you need to get in touch with the Box Office and ask them to fix this.

Edited by Bluebird
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Dancing Kitty

Dancing Kitty

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I noticed recently that before tickets open to the general public you can still access the seating information on a chart that shows you what will be available when the booking opens.  I so wish they would bring it back.  I ended up being disappointed recently when I tried to judge where I wanted to sit and got it wrong. 😭

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JNC

JNC

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To answer the original question 

 

Lots of things affecting this here! 

 

My personal view is that I don't think obstructed view seats are worth it. So I have never sat in upper or lower slips (ok I know these aren't obstructed necessarily but if you don't get a full view of the stage) and would never book for a seat that had pillar block, I know there are a few in the Stalls Circle. (For disclosure I've never sat in Lower/Upper Slips maybe they are ok, but for me I just think I would regret it so don't ever book for these.) My pet peeve is sitting in the front two rows of the Coliseum at their amphi (think they call it something different) - the rail is awful and on top of that they have chunks of metal something sticking out at intervals which just ruined a performance for me. I'd rather sit further back with a more central/unobstructed view. 

 

Amphi is quite large. I would say the front half of the amphi is ok actually. Yes you won't see lots of detail on faces (although actually you might in the first few rows) but that can be worked around with opera glasses/binoculars - or just enjoying the overall scene and patterns, like Swan Lake etc from a distance. 

 

Back half of the amphi you do feel quite far away, especially compared to other London theatres (if you see plays quite a lot) which are smaller. But the view is good and clear, no obstructions, and so it depends how important faces and details are to you and how much you are prepared to let this go, and or use binoculars. 

 

To be honest for the Nutcracker, I think faces matter less than for a dramatic ballet like Romeo&Juliet. I think the main thing with the Amphi is the famous bit where the tree comes up out of the bottom of the ground in the set, you miss some of that 'magic' in the amphi given the overhead angle. But that's the one thing really I can think of. 

 

Honestly I do have a big soft spot for the amphi and even if I could afford the Stalls all the time (which I can't, have only ever sat their once and actually it was because of a kind gift so I didn't pay the price!) I would still occasionally pop up to the amphi. 

 

If the detail is important to you and you don't want to sit in the back amphi then as someone has suggested maybe try the live screening. 

 

A lot of live performance is the atmosphere of the theatre. One of my best nights ever watching ballet I was sat in mid-amphi, and everything was brilliant - the dancers, the choreography, the music, the whole atmosphere. And I've been standing at the Stalls Circle with a good view and not connected with the performance at all! 

 

I think where you sit can definitely affect a performance - but in my opinion not a huge amount (unless you have a restricted view). If you sit at the back of the amphi and dislike it or don't 'get' it, it's probably because you don't particularly like the performance rather than if you had sat in the best seats of the house you would have loved it. But that's just my opinion! 

 

 

 

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emmarose

emmarose

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I have no idea why on Earth they no longer have a seat view.

 

I looked yesterday before general sale was open and you can access some seats then, but what they had available was completely different to what they really did have available.

 

I've got some seats in the stalls circle, I've never sat there before as I always go for the balcony. Does anyone have a seat view or experience sitting in SC A-90?

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LinMM

LinMM

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I agree! 
I wasn’t so worried today when booking Swan Lake as have sat in the seat before however I was sure when you used to book a view from the seat you’d booked automatically came up!! But it didn’t today.

This is a shame. 
Perhaps they’ve stopped doing it so can get away with selling seats with more obstructed views at a higher price!
Sign of the times I suppose that I seem to be putting a perjorative view on it. 

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Anna C

Anna C

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5 minutes ago, emmarose said:

Does anyone have a seat view or experience sitting in SC A-90?

 

Seat view no, experience, yes albeit in A92 - I missed what was going on in the right hand corner of the stage, which was unfortunate in Obsidian Tear (where something major happened on that part of the stage and to this day, I don’t know what it was). Marguerite and Armand was fine from there, as was Elite Syncopations.  

 

I did get neckache from permanently turning my head to the right, but I have neck problems anyway so hopefully you don’t! 

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emmarose

emmarose

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11 minutes ago, Anna C said:

 

Seat view no, experience, yes albeit in A92 - I missed what was going on in the right hand corner of the stage, which was unfortunate in Obsidian Tear (where something major happened on that part of the stage and to this day, I don’t know what it was). Marguerite and Armand was fine from there, as was Elite Syncopations.  

 

I did get neckache from permanently turning my head to the right, but I have neck problems anyway so hopefully you don’t! 

 

Oh thanks for this, it's something to think about as it's one I've double upped on the cast, so I may end up not using them. I have back and neck pain, so I'll have to think about it.

Sorry you missed a key moment and you're still left with the mystery of it! 

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Anna C

Anna C

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28 minutes ago, emmarose said:

 

Oh thanks for this, it's something to think about as it's one I've double upped on the cast, so I may end up not using them. I have back and neck pain, so I'll have to think about it.

Sorry you missed a key moment and you're still left with the mystery of it! 

 

Don’t be; I only went for Marguerite & Armand and Elite Syncopations! 😂 
 

Don’t forget I was two seats further round to the side, so you may not get neckache in 90 - I’m sure I’ve sat in A87 without neckache. ☺️

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emmarose

emmarose

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1 hour ago, Anna C said:

 

Don’t be; I only went for Marguerite & Armand and Elite Syncopations! 😂 
 

Don’t forget I was two seats further round to the side, so you may not get neckache in 90 - I’m sure I’ve sat in A87 without neckache. ☺️

 

Haha! That's alright then! I can just imagine though, someone coming out asking along the line what exactly happened in that corner until you find someone who saw it!

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jm365

jm365

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If you are going to Nutcracker with a child, I would definitely rule out back of the Amphi.  However, I have sat pretty far back with binoculars and it was Ok.  I normally sit in J or K or L in the centre block, again with binoculars, and that gives excellent views for all ballets.  I in the past I have very occasionally sat in the Lower Siips, but never again as even in the ones furthest from the stage you have to twist to see the stage.  The last time I was in such pain afterwards I had to see a physiotherapist!!  I would rather pay more for a seat that have that happen again.

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Marie

Marie

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Does anyone know if its possible to get a seat view of amphitheatre lower slips? I've been fiddling around with the cloud front link but nothing seems to work 😞 

 

My seat is 

Amphitheatre lower slips

Level 4

4B

A-28

 

Would be much appreciated if anyone could share the right link as well!

Edited by Marie
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Bluebird

Bluebird

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8 hours ago, Marie said:

Does anyone know if its possible to get a seat view of amphitheatre lower slips? I've been fiddling around with the cloud front link but nothing seems to work 😞 

 

My seat is 

Amphitheatre lower slips

Level 4

4B

A-28

 

Would be much appreciated if anyone could share the right link as well!

 

For some reason, it's possible to get the view from A29 but not from A28 and lower.  Here's the view from A29.  Hope it helps:

(Edited to add that I tried to post the link but I only succeeded in posting a second copy of the picture.)

 

a-29-stage-view-1280x853.jpg

Edited by Bluebird
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