Sadlers Wells R & J performance disrupted

[MAB]

Fisrt it was Glyndebourne, now Sadlers Wells.

 

https://news.sky.com/story/romeo-and-juliet-ballet-performance-interrupted-by-climate-change-protesters-12951963

[Jan McNulty]

As reported in Today's Links and is now all over the internet.

[Emeralds]

Astounded at how they managed to get on to the stage and into the wings! Security measures should have been tighter. NB this group is Fossil Free London, not Just Stop Oil. 

[Linnzi5]

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

As reported in Today's Links and is now all over the internet.

Thanks, Janet. I read this in the links earlier (I hadn't seen this anywhere else)  

 

It is astounding that this sort of thing can happen - what could have happened? How can people just suddenly disrupt like this? What about the safety of the performers?

 

Setting aside the motivations and concerns for our environment (I'm sure we all have these!), disrupting performances is terrible for both the performers and the paying audience. I don't think it actually helps the 'message' those disruptors are trying to convey - well, certainly it doesn't with me! It's just stupid and pointless and makes me cross! 😡

Edited September 1, 2023 by Linnzi5

[Sim]

26 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Astounded at how they managed to get on to the stage and into the wings! Security measures should have been tighter. NB this group is Fossil Free London, not Just Stop Oil. 

It doesn't matter who it is.  How dare they do that?  And their hypocrisy is mind-blowing.  I wonder if they all walked to the theatre?  I wonder if their clothes, shoes and bags were all made of burlap sacking and stitched by hand with wooden needles?  I wonder how their sign and its paint were made? I wonder how their homes and contents were made, unless they live in daub and wattle huts?   Urgghh.

[Emeralds]

 

26 minutes ago, Linnzi5 said:

Thanks, Janet. I read this in the links earlier (I hadn't seen this anywhere else)  

 

It is astounding that this sort of thing can happen - what could have happened? How can people just suddenly disrupt like this?.What about the safety of the performers?

 

Setting aside the motivations and concerns for our environment (I'm sure we all have these!), disrupting performances is terrible for both the performers and the paying audience. I don't think it actually helps the 'message' those disruptors are trying to convey - well, certainly it doesn't with me! It's just stupid and pointless and makes me cross! 😡

I agree-this has worrying implications for the safety of the performers and the disruption to the audience and the dancers and musicians. 

 

Their message also seemed a bit confused - it was “Stop Barclays sponsorship” rather than “Stop using fossil fuels” (though most people probably got there by Tube, being Sadler’s Wells). Seems like letters and emails to the theatre management would probably have been more effective than disrupting a show. Not even sure that most audiences would know/care which bank sponsors Sadler’s Wells or why one bank is more significant to fossil fuels than other banks.

 

The warning that these protestors have given to the Sadler’s Wells management though, is that security measures and entry points to the stage and backstage will need to be tightened up from now on. Incidents  like the Manchester Arena bombing spring to mind. On this occasion the protesters were annoying and very disruptive, but if it had been a group or an individual with more sinister intentions, there could have been more significant harm or even loss of life.

Edited September 1, 2023 by Emeralds

[Linnzi5]

2 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

 

I agree-this has worrying implications for the safety of the performers and the disruption to the audience and the dancers and musicians. 

 

Their message also seemed a bit confused - it was “Stop Barclays sponsorship” rather than “Stop using fossil fuels” (though most people probably got there by Tube, being Sadler’s Wells). Seems like letters and emails to the theatre management would probably have been more effective than disrupting a show. Not even sure that most audiences would know/care which bank sponsors Sadler’s Wells or what the various banks have to do with fossil fuels. 

 

The warning that these protestors have given to the Sadler’s Wells management though, is that security measures and entry points to the stage and backstage will need to be tightened up from now on. Incidents  like the Manchester Arena bombing spring to mind. On this occasion the protesters were annoying and very disruptive, but if it had been a group or an individual with more sinister intentions, there could have been more significant harm or even loss of life.

The hypocrisy is astounding! I just find myself being really irritated by such disruptions. 😡

[Emeralds]

2 hours ago, Sim said:

It doesn't matter who it is.  How dare they do that?  And their hypocrisy is mind-blowing.  I wonder if they all walked to the theatre?  I wonder if their clothes, shoes and bags were all made of burlap sacking and stitched by hand with wooden needles?  I wonder how their sign and its paint were made? I wonder how their homes and contents were made, unless they live in daub and wattle huts?   Urgghh.

My take home point wasn’t that it was a good thing that it was a different group to Just Stop Oil 😉 - it was that a) we now have two groups instead of just one that likes to disrupt performances, and b) this group has highlighted the gaps in theatre security (it may be that they’ve always been there but it’s obviously a serious risk in these times).  But oh dear- as if Just Stop Oil wasn’t bad enough, now we have two groups! 

[Suffolkgal]

Self-indulgent, self-obsessed pests. The poor dancers and audience

[Ondine]

The suffragettes, their cause  and their tactics weren't popular with many in their time.

 

https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/rather-broken-windows-broken-promises/

 

They were eventually commemorated on postage stamps.

 

https://www.postalmuseum.org/blog/suffrage/

 

The UK has a long history of protest, polite letters tend to be ignored.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Garnier]

This is going to be an unpopular view but I feel for these kids who are protesting. They are terrified of what their (our) future will look like and feel they have nothing to lose. And let’s face it, being “nice” and playing by the rules of polite society just doesn’t seem to be working judging by the inaction of governments and major companies around the world.

 

in years gone past, anarchist (and fascist) groups were planting bombs in theatres and kidnapping and murdering people to have their messages heard. In comparison, these kids’ actions seem incredibly mild, especially when you factor in how scary the climate crisis is. 

 

just my opinion 🙂

[bridiem]

6 minutes ago, Ondine said:

The suffragettes, their cause  and their tactics weren't popular with many in their time.

 

https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/rather-broken-windows-broken-promises/

 

They were eventually commemorated on postage stamps.

 

https://www.postalmuseum.org/blog/suffrage/

 

The UK has a long history of protest, polite letters tend to be ignored.

 

As the National Archives blog here points out, there is still debate as to whether the violent suffragette protests advanced or hindered their cause. And it does seem to be very widely held that the oil etc protesters are doing their cause no good whatsoever by alienating almost everyone who might otherwise support aspects of it.

[DD Driver]

11 minutes ago, Ondine said:

The suffragettes, their cause  and their tactics weren't popular with many in their time.

 

 

Oh were the protesters also fighting for the return of sex-based rights?  I don't think so.

Anyway the ends justifies ANY means is a  not a great argument.

[bridiem]

2 minutes ago, Garnier said:

This is going to be an unpopular view but I feel for these kids who are protesting. They are terrified of what their (our) future will look like and feel they have nothing to lose. 

 

I don't know who was involved at Sadler's Wells, but most of the protesters I've seen have been middle-aged or elderly people.

[AnnabelCharles]

It's my opinion too, Garnier.

 

I also agree with Ondine that the suffragettes elicited similar reactions in their time.

 

Climate change is a very real threat to all of us - and research suggests that protests such as these do impact effectively on public opinion.

 

A disrupted performance is nothing compared to what might happen if we don't take what is happening to the planet seriously. I see protesters as neither self-indulgent not hypocritical - but clear-sighted and courageous. 

[Ondine]

I'm very aware of the history of the suffrage movement and the arguments that it did no good at all. I'm less than convinced.

 

Many think there's a climate emergency and polite protest isn't the way to ensure this is taken seriously by those with the power to change things.

 

None of which has much to do with ballet, but I do admire those who are prepared to actually get off their bottoms and try to do something.

 

Carry on harrumphing, I'm merely the messenger. 😏

 

 

 

 

 

[BalletcoForum Moderators]

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