Men in Motion’s 10th anniversary show - London Coliseum on Sunday 6 November.

[Dawnstar]

I had thought about going to this but when the programme was announced there were so many chorographers I've not or barely heard of, so I assume are modern, and I don't fancy an evening where over half the pieces are probably modern. There are also the train strike & ticket price considerations, but the programme itself is the main one.

[AnneL]

I am so tempted by the Fokine, Nijinska and Lifar pieces particularly- things we don’t get a chance to see enough of these days in my opinion. And the Nureyev Swan Lake solo is also worth seeing. But as others have said, the Sunday trains are a major disincentive. 

[Emeralds]

I’d love to see Gopak, Blessed Spirits, the late Edward Stierle’s choreography,   and to see Ed Watson performing and the solo from Suite en blanc again, but the relatively late start (7.30pm on a Sunday night before an early morning commute) is quite tricky- still waiting to hear if my relative can come along. If he can’t, I’ll get just a single ticket for myself and leave early.

[alison]

I suspect there may be some promo codes out there somewhere ...

[capybara]

14 hours ago, alison said:

I suspect there may be some promo codes out there somewhere ...

30% off tickets today (WBD) using the code WBD30.

All areas except the Stalls.

[alison]

Ooh, thanks!  That might be better than the one I've already got, which I think is restricted to one particular area.

[alison]

There appears to be another code, WBD22.  If the numbers refer to percentage discount, obviously the earlier one is better.

[DelphiumBlue]

Thank you for posting about the promo code today. Have booked a ticket gleefully. 

[alison]

Relieved to have been able to book an event on a non-rail strike day, I now discover that I have no trains due to engineering works

 

(And the rail strikes have been cancelled, anyway.  AAAGGGH!)

[San Perregrino]

not sure where to post this, mods feel free to move to another thread.

last night at the Coliseum it turned out that the cloakroom has been done away with and will be replaced with additional seating and a bar.  

the Coliseum is a world-class venue and not to have a cloakroom is laughable. do they seriously expect people to sit in their coats (perhaps they do so that the building doesn't need to be heated?)  and/or be bothered by other patrons' rucksacks, yoga mats, brompton bicycles etc etc as there is no option but to take these to their seats? 

[alison]

What????  I noticed that the shop had gone, to be replaced by a flower stall, but not that.

[FionaM]

Truly annoying as I had a travel backpack and a coat.   I was told I could put them under my seat .   Which then doesn’t lift up for others in the row to get by.  
 

And …  I don’t want my coat on the floor.  

[Lynette H]

Another curious change was that I was told I couldn't use the main staircase in the foyer to get to the upper circle. The staircase was for the use of dress circle patrons only. I was directed across the foyer to the stairs at the other side. Seemed rather odd, if not off putting. Did I not pay enough for my ticket ? Are the dress circle patrons suddenly  easily offended ? 

[alison]

I thought that was standard?  The entrance for the Upper Circle has for years been next to the entrance to the Balcony, on the left as you enter the foyer.

[capybara]

My seat was next to the largest man in town. I saw him heading for the cloakroom beforehand but it was just a black hole.

At the seat, his bulk (including a heavy winter coat) forced me to lean on my other neighbour. The giant was fine - I had an uncomfortable evening.

[LinMM]

That is totally ridiculous not having a cloakroom!!  Winter coats are not for the floor…especially when wet 🙄

This would mean I’d have to choose dates very carefully as if going direct to a performance and then staying over if have dancing gear plus music books etc with me I use a wheely case these days so totally unsuitable for taking into the auditorium. I can use a back pack if necessary but this becomes heavy to carry around the next day and something I’m trying to avoid as much as possible ….also backpacks not that easy to accommodate in the auditorium. 
So now will have to consider not only who is dancing but whether I can make any particular evening without any extra luggage with me!!! 

[Guest oncnp]

Any thoughts on the performance?

[alison]

1 hour ago, capybara said:

My seat was next to the largest man in town.

 

Want a bet?  (You weren't in the Balcony, were you?)

[capybara]

33 minutes ago, alison said:

 

Want a bet?  (You weren't in the Balcony, were you?)

 

No! 😉

The other thing was the drinks on the floor as well as coats and bags.

[li tai po]

I too noticed a tense atmosphere in the Coliseum auditorium yesterday.  I suspect that many staff were unnerved by the Arts Council announcement on Friday about moving English National Opera to Manchester and are fearful for their jobs.  Some of the front of house staff are on zero hours contracts and move around different venues, so they are less familiar with the Coliseum and its audience; maybe they are more used to marshalling customers around nightclubs in a rather more decisive manner.

 

All of this was not helped by a 15-minute delay to the start, because the technical rehearsal over-ran.  There were no less than 20 items in the show, all of which required technical and lighting programmes to be set up.  They only got access to the theatre on Sunday morning.

 

Nevertheless, the show was extremely satisfying and is garnering high praise from the reviews.  I hope to post some comments soon in the Performances Seen section.

 

"The programme selection was varied, international and fresh.  Gone were the tired old gala staples; not a Corsaire pas de deux in sight."

Edited November 7, 2022 by li tai po

[zxDaveM]

3 hours ago, Lynette H said:

Another curious change was that I was told I couldn't use the main staircase in the foyer to get to the upper circle. The staircase was for the use of dress circle patrons only. I was directed across the foyer to the stairs at the other side. Seemed rather odd, if not off putting. Did I not pay enough for my ticket ? Are the dress circle patrons suddenly  easily offended ? 

 

I've had that before now (for the Balcony) - though not for a while. Perhaps the Dress circle had lots of posh punters and/or specially invited 'guests'

[alison]

The Dress Circle lobby was VERY crowded - perhaps they were just hoping to divert those who didn't actually need to go through it, for crowd control purposes?

[capybara]

1 hour ago, li tai po said:

 

All of this was not helped by a 15-minute delay to the start, because the technical rehearsal over-ran.  There were no less than 20 items in the show, all of which required technical and lighting programmes to be set up.  They only got access to the theatre on Sunday morning.

 the audience members around me were not at all fazed by the late start.

It is, after all, an incredible achievement to take over a Theatre only hours ahead of the show, with all the technicalities and artistic issues iinvolved