Royal Ballet’s Nutcrackers, which were cancelled until early January, now resumed

[RobR]

26 minutes ago, emmarose said:

God, this is such awful news.

 

So sorry for the people who will miss the show and the cast and the company, as if the past couple of years haven't been bad enough, and so much of their revenue comes from The Nutcracker.

 

Also such a shame for those who were making the SPF debuts too (and all debuts). I think a few were due last year and were cancelled then too. 

 

Just a shame all round. Can't believe we're finding ourselves back here again.

It’s different this time round. The last closure was a result of the Government’s lockdown. This time it’s in response to the health of the dancers and support staff. 

[emmarose]

12 minutes ago, RobR said:

It’s different this time round. The last closure was a result of the Government’s lockdown. This time it’s in response to the health of the dancers and support staff. 

 

Of course, but it still feels familiar, and it's not just the ROH, so many shows are now closing.

[art_enthusiast]

1 minute ago, emmarose said:

 

Of course, but it still feels familiar, and it's not just the ROH, so many shows are now closing.

Was just wondering, in the case of the ROH anyway (not too sure about other places) have the shared eating areas/selling of refreshments exacerbated the situation at all?

I know dining services are a big part of their revenue as well, but was wondering if they'd come back without the additional services it might have been easier to contain spread. I'm sure it wouldn't have made much difference in the end though.

[Candleque]

Have just bought the stream for Giselle. A positive action to support the RB and perk me up. While I know my disappointment to miss The Nutcracker tomorrow is nothing compared to the dancers and ROH staff, I really need a ballet fix this week. For all of us, I am clutching (metaphorically) my ticket for 05 Jan (SPF Claire Calvert, fingers crossed 🙏) as we need a little Christmas to look forward to 🎄

[emmarose]

25 minutes ago, Candleque said:

Have just bought the stream for Giselle. A positive action to support the RB and perk me up. While I know my disappointment to miss The Nutcracker tomorrow is nothing compared to the dancers and ROH staff, I really need a ballet fix this week. For all of us, I am clutching (metaphorically) my ticket for 05 Jan (SPF Claire Calvert, fingers crossed 🙏) as we need a little Christmas to look forward to 🎄

 

That's a good idea.

 

If you want a Nutcracker fix, they still have the RB's Nutcracker on Netflix. Not the same as going, but it's something.

[emmarose]

31 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

Was just wondering, in the case of the ROH anyway (not too sure about other places) have the shared eating areas/selling of refreshments exacerbated the situation at all?

I know dining services are a big part of their revenue as well, but was wondering if they'd come back without the additional services it might have been easier to contain spread. I'm sure it wouldn't have made much difference in the end though.

 

I don't know, I just think it seems to be everywhere in London right now regardless of eating. Perhaps when they come back they may scale down the communal areas. 

[CCL]

Oh no! Really sorry to hear this. 

[Ian Macmillan]

On the ROH's Opera side, cancellations of Nabucco have also been announced.  

[alison]

I dare say the ROH could do with the additional support of us all buying the "deadstreams", too.  I'm several behind at the moment, but guess I shall be catching up sometime in the next couple of weeks, faute de, well, anything else.

[alison]

2 hours ago, RobR said:

It’s different this time round. The last closure was a result of the Government’s lockdown. This time it’s in response to the health of the dancers and support staff. 

 

Although, ironically, presumably if it had been a Government-imposed lockdown they would have been recompensed for the lost income?   Instead, we effectively get a 2-week-long lockdown, which seems long, but perhaps the practicalities of operating round the bank holidays are too complicated.

 

I hope everyone, dancers, staff and those farther removed, are at least able to enjoy Christmas.  It must feel strange having all that extra time to fill.

[alison]

1 minute ago, art_enthusiast said:

What do you mean by "deadstreams"?

 

Well, they're not live, are they?

[ChrisG]

I was supposed to be coming down to London today to see Nutcracker and had really been looking forward to seeing Ashley Dean as Clara. However, yesterday's announcement saved me from a difficult decision - I'm not sure I would have had the gumption to get on the train early this morning. Maybe next year. At least I can console myself with the fact that I saw one of the very few performances last year (and what a strange experience that was!).

 

With closures like this and the many others like it affecting theatres and museums, it seems like we collectively are taking it upon ourselves to impose a de facto lockdown, in the absence of any clear lead from on high. This was bought home to me as I walked through the streets of Chester yesterday evening and noticed how empty the pubs and restaurants were. Given it was five days before Christmas it was eerily quiet.

 

I sang in three Hallé Christmas concerts over the weekend and just before the Saturday rehearsal started one of our number had a panic attack and walked out. Tellingly, her day job is as a doctor on a Covid intensive care ward, so her action gave me huge pause for thought. I stayed, rightly or wrongly, but the concerts were a mixture of joy at being of part of what are always glorious events and a nagging fear of what the consequences might be. I think I might have felt the same sitting in the Opera House today.

 

The hope now is that given the rate at which this variant is spreading it will peak sooner rather than later and in driving out the delta variant it may prove to be a blessing in disguise, especially if it's the first sign of the virus mutating to a milder form, as always happens to such viruses over time. My next booking is for Swan Lake in the spring. I just hope things will be better by then.

[art_enthusiast]

For those who booked to see Mayara today, I think she's shared a few clips from their stage call on Instagram - just a taster for everyone who's missing it

[Henry]

Do the sad problems at the Royal Ballet mean that dancers haven't been getting vaccinated?  

[alison]

We all know that Omicron seems to be capable of escaping the vaccines, so I wouldn't make that assumption.

[Guest oncnp]

The Guardian is reporting (way down the page) an additional £30m for the arts. No additional information yet. 

 

Businesses hit by Omicron to get £1bn bailout, says Rishi Sunak | Coronavirus | The Guardian

[Shade]

11 minutes ago, alison said:

We all know that Omicron seems to be capable of escaping the vaccines, so I wouldn't make that assumption.

Yes you cannot make that assumption. No vaccine is 100 % effective and efficacy Vs new variants has to be established. It is still the most positive step that an individual can take, unless clinically inappropriate.

[emmarose]

58 minutes ago, Henry said:

Do the sad problems at the Royal Ballet mean that dancers haven't been getting vaccinated?  

 

No necessarily at all, a lot of the dancers haven't even had it when they missed their shows, they were following protocol as since the Omicron variant, even if vaccinated you should isolate. 

 

And many who are testing positive are still vaccinated as it mostly prevents severe illness but doesn't prevent a person from catching it.

[capybara]

Dancers everywhere who have been vaccinated are catching the omicron mutation; others are having to test because they have been in close contact; others need to self-isolate because they have been vaccinated outside the UK.

 

It's a complex picture. all sorts of pieces in the jigsaw have obviously been going missing, and there clearly came a point where trying to carry on was sadly unsustainable for the RB.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by capybara

[Emeralds]

21 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

Was just wondering, in the case of the ROH anyway (not too sure about other places) have the shared eating areas/selling of refreshments exacerbated the situation at all?

I know dining services are a big part of their revenue as well, but was wondering if they'd come back without the additional services it might have been easier to contain spread. I'm sure it wouldn't have made much difference in the end though.

Scientifically, the Covid illnesses and positive tests among cast and/or other staff are more likely to have come from their own communities (eg family members or work, school, colleagues) as they don’t really interact with audience members all that much, and Covid cases in London and Greater London were already high before the Royal Ballet’s first Romeo and Juliet performances began, and sky high by the time Giselle and Nutcracker began in November. 

 

That said, as a few members pointed out in other threads, it isn’t wise to have eating and drinking in the auditorium where audience members halve to unmask to consume refreshments. That’s a fault of the “freedom day” abandonment of restrictions- very difficult for ROH to buck the trend when most other theatres are doing it and audience members could also have caught Covid in the community anyway. DOI: I and my whole party kept masks on all the time and only consumed refreshments outdoors. Tried to support the ROH by looking for DVDs to buy but the crowds and queues were too long at the shop and had to go back to the auditorium. More shop stands like they had in previous years would be great-  perhaps the Linbury Theatre foyer when it’s  empty?

 

I guess my answer to the question is yes and no! 

[Emeralds]

I also hope there’s some way that both Marcelino Sambe and Mayara Magri can get  a shot at their cancelled debuts somehow- I don’t wish for anyone to be injured or ill; sometimes an additional performance can be slotted in somewhere. I don’t know. But thankfully both are young and should still have more Nutcrackers ahead of them, unlike some dancers whose farewell performances and celebrations were cancelled altogether by Covid lockdowns eg Stella Abrera of ABT, Eleonora Abbagnato of Paris Opera. Abbagnato got a rescheduled one the following season, Abrera couldn’t (ABT has had one of the longest waits to be able to return to normal performances  on stage). 

 

I think someone asked earlier upthread about whether there were more Encore screenings for the Nutcracker cinema screening- I’ve seen lots of local cinemas listed on the Cinema screenings page as doing it this week and next week....worth checking your local cinemas directly by phone or their box office website as every area and chain/owner has different dates. 

[alison]

That was me   There weren't any within 20 miles of me, unfortunately, and beyond that it gets a bit silly.

[RHowarth]

I'm not sure it's been mentioned anywhere (perhaps in today's links) that Scottish Ballet has had to cancel a swathe of Nutcrackers from end of December to mid Jan (at least) due to new restrictions in Scotland. 

[Jan McNulty]

7 minutes ago, RHowarth said:

I'm not sure it's been mentioned anywhere (perhaps in today's links) that Scottish Ballet has had to cancel a swathe of Nutcrackers from end of December to mid Jan (at least) due to new restrictions in Scotland. 

 

I wondered if they would have to.  It looks as though all sorts of productions are cancelling performances - certainly Liverpool's Everyman and Playhouse are.

 

It's all so worrying and so tragic for the arts.

[RHowarth]

I'm thanking the gods of silver linings that I managed to see it on Friday - but that's of little importance in the grand scheme of things! 

[Emeralds]

2 hours ago, RHowarth said:

I'm not sure it's been mentioned anywhere (perhaps in today's links) that Scottish Ballet has had to cancel a swathe of Nutcrackers from end of December to mid Jan (at least) due to new restrictions in Scotland. 

Scottish Ballet’s 29 Dec to 15 Jan Nutcracker shows (in Edinburgh and Glasgow) cancelled due to the newly announced restrictions. Ticket holders will be contacted. 

 

Currently, the Aberdeen, Inverness, Belfast and Newcastle shows are still scheduled to go ahead. 

 

Sorry I couldn’t copy and paste but the official info is on their website, Facebook page, etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Emeralds]

20 hours ago, Henry said:

Do the sad problems at the Royal Ballet mean that dancers haven't been getting vaccinated?  

A lot of corps dancers and apprentices in the company are very young and would have been far behind in the queue nationally to get the vaccine and so would only have had one dose, some may not have had been able to get appointments early enough - I myself had to wait till 2am to be able to book each slot! - and hence not yet been eligible for a second jab yet, and if you catch Covid just before your jab, you have to wait and rebook again.  Or there may be older cast members whose immunity is waning after being double vaccination (like many of us), who haven’t had been eligible or able to get an appointment for a booster yet. Or just bad luck despite vaccination. Don’t forget there are rules about self isolation after being a contact of Omicron, even if you’re fully vaccinated and have negative PCR and lateral flow results.

 

There are also other staff affected- if you don’t have enough crew to operate certain items of machinery or stage sets, the show can’t go ahead....it’s not a job any untrained or inexperienced person can just step in to do. Likewise for hair and costuming. Nutcracker is a show that’s very heavy on all aspects of production: stage effects, set changes, machinery, lighting, wigs, makeup, hair, costume changes, which is what helps to make the show so popular. Covid has also affected musicians nationally and the ROH Orchestra has a heavy schedule with many double show days this month and early January. The company can’t say who exactly is unable to work but the fact that opera performances are also affected as well as ballet means it’s not just dancers. 

Edited December 22, 2021 by Emeralds

[FionaM]

I do think we have to accept the idea that vaccines do not work unilaterally …

 

I’ve many friends (aged 15-70) who are fully vaccinated and have subsequently caught Covid in the latter part of this year. Fortunately all have recovered at home. 
 

Therefore it’s now irrelevant to ask.  

[Dawnstar]

I've had an email from the ROH this morning saying "we have had to cancel the 12:30pm performance of the Nutcracker on Wednesday 22nd December". I'm not sure why they are telling me this as I wasn't booked for that performance but the one at 2pm on 21st! I hope that when I get a refund email it'll be for the correct performance.

[alison]

4 hours ago, RHowarth said:

I'm not sure it's been mentioned anywhere (perhaps in today's links) that Scottish Ballet has had to cancel a swathe of Nutcrackers from end of December to mid Jan (at least) due to new restrictions in Scotland. 

 

Presumably, since those cancellations were imposed from "on high", they will at least get compensation?  I doubt that will apply to any of the England-based performances, since no restrictions have been imposed.

[zxDaveM]

3 hours ago, FionaE said:

I do think we have to accept the idea that vaccines do not work unilaterally …

 

I’ve many friends (aged 15-70) who are fully vaccinated and have subsequently caught Covid in the latter part of this year. Fortunately all have recovered at home. 
 

 

Vaccines will have 'prepared' your immune response to fight the virus much more effectively. Yes, you can still catch it (though the chances reduced - especially if everone takes other preventative measures like mask wearing, avoiding really crowded, enclosed places, social distancing and so on) but you are less likely to get seriously ill, and so much less likely to need the hospital. THAT is why getting vaccinated so important. Also, it reduces the chances of you passing it on to others, as whilst you have it, you produce less viral particles to spread around, as your immune response mopping them up a lot quicker.

[Guest oncnp]

More (some?) help may be on the way. Government has doubled the fund.

 

Emergency funding available for arts, culture and heritage doubled to £60 million to tackle impact of Omicron - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

[FionaM]

thanks @zxDaveM

I agree with all you say.  
 

I take the view that I have a social responsibility to get vaccinated to lessen the effect for others. 
 

In my post I was responding to the inappropriateness of asking whether the dancers (and ROH crew/staff) were vaccinated.  Because I feel it is a personal decision.  Vaccination is not without risks. 
 

The current performance closures are irrespective of vaccination, sadly … more to do with the need to isolate when identified as a contact.  It could be someone’s child in school that is positive or someone else outside of the company that can cause a domino effect.  Of course it could be company members who are fully vaccinated that have caught Covid now.   In the same way that my friends have.    
 

Therefore two reasons why the original question (not yours @zxDaveM) was inappropriate.