Is it hot in the ROH in the Summer?

[Timmie]

How hot is it in the ROH this weather (Amphitheatre)? I've read the Audience Behaviour thread so I’m a bit wary of wearing shorts! I suppose if it’s hot and steamy it’ll give a bit of authenticity to the India setting of La Bayadere

[alison]

Generally, not as bad as the Coliseum without air-conditioning

 

Seriously, there are times I've felt quite chilly in the amphi in summer, although I'm not sure whether that's been with a full house or not.  At least the air has room to circulate up there, unlike under the tiers (I've heard of people fainting in stalls circle standing when it's hot).  I'd expect it to be distinctly warm up there in this sort of weather, though.

[barton22]

The two times I have been to the ROH this week it has been very hot and uncomfortable. Hard to believe they have any air conditioning on.

[alison]

They don't - it's an air cooling system.  (And would probably work more efficiently if so many people didn't put their bags over it)

[barton22]

I do wish it were more effective!  The heat and humidity is bad enough, but then when someone nearby starts fanning him or herself vigourously in the middle of the ballet it is incredibly distracting.  Always seems to happen in the bits where you want to be as focused as possible and you have a fan fluttering in your field of vision which is very hard to ignore.

[Quintus]

in the amphi on Monday it was warm but bearable - so long as you could avoid touching the person next to you.  I've always maintained there should be a surcharge on people over a certain width (I also favour charging airline tickets by the kilo) !   

[Wulff]

The heat in the ROH is nothing like as bad as it used to be before the refurbishment, and the air cooling system works pretty well provided it is left unobstructed. Unfortunately most people don't seem to realise that the air system grilles are under their seats and only too often block them with coats and other paraphernalia; then they complain they are too hot and the fanning starts.

[MargaretN7]

Perhaps they should add an announcement about not blocking the cooling system when they request mobiles etc be switched off.

[Timmie]

Thanks all, I'll dress cool and maybe slip my shoes and socks off as soon as the lights go down. Also noted re the cooling vents.

[GTL]

... maybe slip my shoes and socks off as soon as the lights go down...

I'm not sure if you're joking, but in case you're not, you need to know that shoe-removal is a sure-fire way to make an appearance in the "bad-behaviour" threads on some theatre forums!  

[Jan McNulty]

I can remember slipping my foot out of a shoe years ago when I was very hot and then being in the very embarrassed position of not being able to get it back on! Needless to say, lesson was learnt.

[Timmie]

I'm not sure if you're joking, but in case you're not, you need to know that shoe-removal is a sure-fire way to make an appearance in the "bad-behaviour" threads on some theatre forums!  

 I'm semi-serious  . Are sandals (and no socks) OK?

[GTL]

I'll let your neighbours be the judges of that.   Enjoy the show.

[nottsballetlover]

Just back from Saturday matinee La Bayadere. I was in the stalls. Wow - it was hot....! I took a bottle of water in to auditorium and drank it through performance which technically is not allowed at ROH but I'm sure the ROH staff were briefed to be OK with that - better than having people fainting!

[Beryl H]

Just back from Saturday matinee La Bayadere. I was in the stalls. Wow - it was hot....! I took a bottle of water in to auditorium and drank it through performance which technically is not allowed at ROH but I'm sure the ROH staff were briefed to be OK with that - better than having people fainting!

 

Yes, it was ridiculously hot in the afternoon, but when I returned to the auditorium about 7pm it was freezing!

[LinMM]

In the summer I'm almost invariably in sandals without socks and at the ROH too. Probably okay if you've had a bath in the previous 12 hours though!! Better not remove shoes altogether though or you may run the risk of having air freshener sprayed at you by some Forum members

[Timmie]

I was there for both Les Bayaderes yesterday, Amp row A then G, and I was pretty comfortable both times (and I kept my shoes and socks on). It was a useful tip about the air vents, they are almost invisible but knowing they were there meant I could move my feet back over them every so often to get an extra cool so double thanks to Alison and Wulff for the heads-up  .

[Bruce Wall]

Pity the poor people in the Amphi standing .... no vents beneath our feet there.  That said I did survive and left not I think unduly overheated ... well, at least as pertains to the immediate physical environment.  (It was FAR worse prior to the millenium refit)  Now as to people's (excessive) fanning ..... 

[Wulff]

Perhaps they should add an announcement about not blocking the cooling system when they request mobiles etc be switched off.

[

In fact the following announcement does appear in the ROH programmes: ".....Please leave coats and bags at the free cloakroom in the main foyer. Do not place them under your seat as this interferes with the air-conditioning vents."

 

Another announcement re Enjoying the Performance states:" Please think of other audience members; talking, humming and singing will interfere with their enjoyment of the performance and leaning forward in your seat may impede the view of others."

 

Unfortunately, these and various other announcements are displayed in extremely small print in the Guidelines and General Information page at the back of the programme and I would imagine that few people ever bother to read them.

[Shmendrick]

I noticed a few people with fans or using programs and you can get fans in the shop, which we found useful. 

[Don Q Fan]

The Balcony was roasting at the matinee yesterday too.