Royal Ballet Cinderella March/April 2023

[emmarose]

1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:

And at the massively inflated prices charged for this production! 

 

I did make me thankful I hadn't paid the even more inflated prices for opening night, only to not be able to see key moments.

[Sim]

I think that unfortunately tweaks can't be made to Cinders this time around, especially as a) there is a live stream in a few days, and b) they are presenting so many shows so close together that there just isn't the time.  I am sure that once this initial run is over, comments will be taken into account, they will have a recording that they can look at closely, they can take a step back and take a deep breath and then make some changes.  Let's also remember that certain ballets are still being tweaked, decades after their premieres (e.g Mayerling, Manon, R&J, etc), so let's wait and see what happens next time round for Cinders.  Sometimes new productions need to bed in and be performed a few times before problems surface, and I'm sure that, being the professionals that they are, the creative team will take a look and do their best to sort things out.  

[capybara]

6 minutes ago, Sim said:

I think that unfortunately tweaks can't be made to Cinders this time around, especially as a) there is a live stream in a few days, and b) they are presenting so many shows so close together that there just isn't the time.  I am sure that once this initial run is over, comments will be taken into account, they will have a recording that they can look at closely, they can take a step back and take a deep breath and then make some changes.  Let's also remember that certain ballets are still being tweaked, decades after their premieres (e.g Mayerling, Manon, R&J, etc), so let's wait and see what happens next time round for Cinders.  Sometimes new productions need to bed in and be performed a few times before problems surface, and I'm sure that, being the professionals that they are, the creative team will take a look and do their best to sort things out.  

 

Yes, agree - but, meanwhile, they can de-clutter the sides of the stage in terms of 'onlookers'  in order to afford the paying public a slightly better chance of seeing the action.

[RobR]

35 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

Yes, agree - but, meanwhile, they can de-clutter the sides of the stage in terms of 'onlookers'  in order to afford the paying public a slightly better chance of seeing the action.

Hi @capybara,

 

 I’m not sure I understand where you’re heading when you say, “de-clutter the sides of the stage in terms of ‘onlookers' ….?
 

😀

[Rob S]

7 minutes ago, RobR said:

Hi @capybara,

 

 I’m not sure I understand where you’re heading when you say, “de-clutter the sides of the stage in terms of ‘onlookers' ….?
 

😀

 

Get rid of Stage Centre Standing!!😄

[RobR]

18 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Get rid of Stage Centre Standing!!😄

Thanks Rob,

 

I’ve not come across that description before …. is that in relation to performers or the audience?

 

I've no problem if it’s the audience but, if it’s performers, I’m totally against that.

 

I like watching the peripheral members of the company doing their thing in the big ballets. 
 

I do sometimes go to Galas when there is no action apart from the one/two/three/four main dancers, which is all very well but it’s a little dull.

 

 

[Guest oncnp]

10 minutes ago, RobR said:

Thanks Rob,

 

I’ve not come across that description before …. is that in relation to performers or the audience?

 

I've no problem if it’s the audience but, if it’s performers, I’m totally against that.

 

I like watching the peripheral members of the company doing their thing in the big ballets. 
 

I do sometimes go to Galas when there is no action apart from the one/two/three/four main dancers, which is all very well but it’s a little dull.

 

 

For the scene in question they aren't actually doing anything except standing there watching Cinderella  and obstructing the view. Apparently they are already hard on the set so can't be moved back any further. 

[capybara]

19 minutes ago, RobR said:

I've no problem if it’s the audience but, if it’s performers, I’m totally against that.

 

I like watching the peripheral members of the company doing their thing in the big ballets. 

 

 

@RobR I think I have mentioned on this or another thread (certainly recently) how much I enjoy focusing on the surrounding corps. However, in this instance, they are among those* not doing anything except watching Cinderella come down the stairway (and blocking the audience's view in the process). If you have seen this theatrical entrance, you are among the lucky ones. I have paid very dearly  but have not done so fully.

 

* As listed above somewhere, the 'those' are the Season Fairies (who must be present); the Pages and their acoutrements who could be 'missing' without any artistic loss, and several courtiers who could be 'pruned' for just a moment or two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 7, 2023 by capybara

[taxi4ballet]

I'm seeing the live stream on Wednesday and am looking forward to it very much, not having seen this particular ballet before.

[JohnS]

Pleased to be heading for London for double Cinderella and should make the start of the matinee - a real bonus and very much looking forward to seeing Sarah Lamb’s Cinderella and her cast.
Avanti didn’t live up to the Fairy Godmother promise - my free ticket discount code was ‘invalid’ with no explanation. I’ll see if the code works when next booking an Avanti return ticket not via Newcastle using other train operators.

And a bit of a panic this morning when checking trains and finding my 6:58 Carlisle to Newcastle train had been cancelled so had to rush for the 6:32. It would be good not to have to build in such safety margins.

 

[Mary]

Good luck John. I have observed more than once that the people waiting on the concourse looking anxious and clutching their suitcases convulsively, who then surge forward  Pite- fashion when the platform is called, are always heading for the Arriva train...

[Swan]

Enjoy your double Cinderella day @JohnS and everyone else going along today. It’s perfect weather for enjoying a day of fairy tale escapism under cover at the ROH! ☔️ 🌧 

[Suffolkgal]

I just hope the RB and ROH sometimes appreciate how far people will travel and how much we will spend for the joys of performance... it’s our choice but I feel it’s the backbone of the regular audience and also part of the handing on of the traditions 

[Blossom]

Husband taking kids to Thorpe Park today so thrilled to have nabbed a last minute SCS ticket for the matinee- joy of living in London!

 

Edit: Also costs less than Thorpe Park and I will be nice and dry in comparison!

Edited April 10, 2023 by Blossom

[JNC]

despite the high prices I’m actually surprised Cinderella isn’t a sell out after the initial, generally positive, reviews. Did sleeping beauty sell out earlier this year with similarly high prices?

 

it is interesting to see that the amphitheatre is often sold out, with the stalls where the tickets that haven’t sold are located - indicating that price is the main issue. I hope ROH take note and blame this rather than the production!

[Blossom]

Just now, JNC said:

despite the high prices I’m actually surprised Cinderella isn’t a sell out after the initial, generally positive, reviews. Did sleeping beauty sell out earlier this year with similarly high prices?

 

it is interesting to see that the amphitheatre is often sold out, with the stalls where the tickets that haven’t sold are located - indicating that price is the main issue. I hope ROH take note and blame this rather than the production!

My opinion is that there were 2 key issues, one exacerbated the other:-

 

Only one ‘creative execution’ which wasn’t the best thing to sell the ballet in the first place and certainly wore out very quickly.

 

Prices for top price seats not only exceeded a sensible top end value which people would pay, but unlike other theatres and companies does not like to be perceived to offer discounts, so ended up largely selling the unsold tickets at a below-floor price, rather than creating increased public demand and perceived value. The 25% Friends discount on a small number of performances to a select Friends audience appears to have come too late for most.

[Guest oncnp]

3 minutes ago, Blossom said:

The 25% Friends discount on a small number of performances to a select Friends audience appears to have come too late for most.

 

and by not offering to all Friends created some ill-will among some of their staunchest supporters 

[Lizbie1]

Selling out a performance is not the same thing as maximising revenue. If the house is 5% unsold but at prices 10% higher than would have sold out the house, all other things being equal they have achieved a higher box office take. (I know that this doesn't account for other things such as bar revenues, as well as intangibles.)

 

I wish it were otherwise but it seems likely this is part of their calculation. There is a risk of falling the wrong side of the equation but they would have balanced that against the less obvious risk of leaving money on the table.

 

The was an interview with the late Chairman of the ROH board, where he said that the speed with which the last Ring sold out indicated to him that the prices were set too low. I think he was missing the point in a few ways, but I couldn't say that he was incorrect.

[Blossom]

Interesting to note that the bar hasn’t been as busy as usual - so likely an impact of not getting ticket pricing right

1 minute ago, Lizbie1 said:. (I know that this doesn't account for other things such as bar revenues, as well as intangibles.)

 

 

[Geoff]

56 minutes ago, Suffolkgal said:

I just hope the RB and ROH sometimes appreciate how far people will travel and how much we will spend for the joys of performance... it’s our choice but I feel it’s the backbone of the regular audience and also part of the handing on of the traditions 

Well said. Sadly ever since the comments from their former marketing chief (and their former Chairman) about reducing regular attendance I have suspected the opposite is probably the case. They don’t want to reward a regular and loyal audience, they want those will-o-the-wisps insisted on by a Maoist Arts Council: “new audiences”. 
 

Surely the simplest, most reliable and cost-effective way of attracting “new audience” members is to incentivise the regulars to bring them in. But what do I know. 
 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Geoff

[LinMM]

Well to me the above view of the chairman is what is contributing to Theatre in general including the ROH into starting to push things into the “Elitist” sphere. 
Of course Theatres have to try to balance the books but just setting higher prices generally throughout the house starts to cut out real lovers of an art form from attending so only those who have money can. 
It would seem fairer to charge the higher prices in the parts of the theatre where more wealthy likely to sit but always balance it so some parts of the theatre can still have cheaper seats. 
Looking at all the reports of bad Theatre behaviour generally at the moment….. some suggesting that the Arts are no longer promoted in schools etc.so are becoming marginalised in peoples general experience the last thing needed is to push them further out of reach of the general public. 

Edited April 10, 2023 by LinMM

[Dawnstar]

2 hours ago, JohnS said:

Pleased to be heading for London for double Cinderella and should make the start of the matinee - a real bonus

 

A depressing comment on the state of your trains that making it to a performance is considered a bonus! I certainly don't envy you travelling so far. I find an hour long train journey stressful enough on occasion - such as this past Wednesday when the train decided to be 20 mins late. At least my train today is running to time.

 

Also I swear TfL is deliberately making it rain every time I go down to London so I have to pay to use the tube rather than walking for free! 

[JNC]

@Lizbie1 you are correct but only those with the actual numbers can say if it’s actually worked! If the most expensive tickets are the ones unsold it’s less likely to work out, particularly if they’re only selling % of those more expensive tickets at a discount as well!

 

Not selling out just seems sad to me for many reasons. I remember when pretty much every performance I attended was a full house. 

[LinMM]

Goodness JohnS what dedication 🙏

Its bad enough just going either Newcastle or Carlisle to London without having the cross country bit first! 
Looks like you need SAS type planning  and execution thereof just to get to ROH 🥇……..and there’s me moaning about a measly bus journey between Brighton and Three Bridges( near Gatwick) when they are working on the mainline up to London! 

[alison]

55 minutes ago, JNC said:

@Lizbie1 you are correct but only those with the actual numbers can say if it’s actually worked! If the most expensive tickets are the ones unsold it’s less likely to work out, particularly if they’re only selling % of those more expensive tickets at a discount as well!

 

Not selling out just seems sad to me for many reasons. I remember when pretty much every performance I attended was a full house. 

I remember when every performance I attended was far from a full house.

[zxDaveM]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Also I swear TfL is deliberately making it rain every time I go down to London so I have to pay to use the tube rather than walking for free! 

 

They have switched the rain off for now - until about 5-6pm tomorrow, when I'm heading to ROH...

[MJW]

From the World of Interiors - backstage of Cinderella

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQP5oW7flos

[Guest oncnp]

From Dancer's Diary

 

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/GhaNqnjqFS0

 

[Sim]

5 minutes ago, oncnp said:

From Dancer's Diary

 

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/GhaNqnjqFS0

 

I love the little wink that Nela gives Vadim as the curtain calls begin!

[Balletfanp]

9 minutes ago, Sim said:

I love the little wink that Nela gives Vadim as the curtain calls begin!

My favourite bit!

[M.Isabelle97]

Very much looking forward to seeing Francesca Hayward tonight in Cinderella! I last saw her in November in Mayerling and thought she was incredible! I managed to get a pair of tickets in the stalls under the Young ROH scheme. Sadly, I wouldn't be able to afford to go otherwise. 

[Sim]

Hello @M.Isabelle97 and welcome to the forum.  Do let us know what you think...I will be there too.  This will be my first view of Hayward in the role.  Enjoy it! 

 

[JohnS]

A hugely enjoyable Cinderella matinee with Sarah Lamb wonderfully creamy and Steven McRae a majestic prince, yet believably smitten by Cinderella. I rather enjoyed Bennet Gartside and James Hay as the step sisters.

The production grows on me on second viewing with a pillar giving some helpful shelter from the Overture lights. A bit unnerving that a stage hand, fully back lit, had to struggle to free the doors for the entry of the Winter Fairy but overall the magic and Fairy Godmother/Cinderella character swaps worked for me.
Well worth an early start this morning and looking forward to the evening performance.