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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2017 18:12:59 GMT
Full price i should be so lucky Ditto.
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Post by kathryn on Jul 21, 2017 18:22:57 GMT
Yes it would be lovely to suppose that dayseats are gratefully queued for by Pot Noodle eating students and theatre loving OAP's in their twighlight years who haven't had the lights on for three weeks in order to save up the twenty quid. When from what I've seen on this very forum it's a group of very savvy, avid theatre-goers, bombing around London's dayseat queues, snapping up tix so they can see two or three productions a week. The very concept is hugely discriminatory and from what's described above regarding Rent a million miles away from its well intentioned origins. It's exactly the same thing that happened with Donmar Front Row - savvy avid theatregoers snapped those tickets up too! It's because the barrier isn't just about money, it's about knowledge and (to some extent) motivation.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 21, 2017 18:35:09 GMT
Full price i should be so lucky Well, it's either that or don't see anything in Manchester. No discounts, except the ATG first night offers and an occasional one from ManchedterTheatres for stuff that's selling slow. And booking for London when you can only get there for a Friday or Saturday night doesn't throw many bargains up.
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Post by showgirl on Jul 21, 2017 18:36:15 GMT
Knowledge and motivation indeed, as Kathryn suggests, and probably other factors besides those. In our defence, aren't we the year-round supporters who keep attending through thick and thin, battling all sorts of obstacles, and who demonstrate an interest in plays/shows/productions long before their arrival - often from another continent - and after their departure? Maybe those who visit once or twice a year for special occasions can afford higher prices, but if we regulars paid full price we'd only manage a few visits before we exhausted our annual budget.
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Post by viserys on Jul 21, 2017 18:47:07 GMT
I didn't mean to imply that everyone who's now dayseating is oh so deserving, but there's still (at least for me) a difference in whether you make the effort to queue for 2-3 hours in the morning to snap up a bargain ticket or if you are rich enough to pay someone to do it for you which implies that you'd definitely have enough money to buy a full-price ticket.
I'm also one of the out-of-towners (well out-of-countriers) who are often forced to pay full price because I can't dayseat most of the time AND spend a lot of money on train tickets and hotels. However, I do try to arrange my trips so that I'll see cheaper fringe shows on the day of arrival and one of the Saturday shows, giving me the opportunity to dayseat (sometimes) for the other Saturday show and if I've come on Thursday on Friday. But it's rare - I've paid full price in advance for all the shows I'm seeing in September and October now.
I always take comfort in the thought that three shows in London equal one show in Germany... and on the other side... that the difference in rent costs means I could go to London every month and still have money to spare by staying put on this side of the channel...
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 21, 2017 20:26:13 GMT
Knowledge and motivation indeed, as Kathryn suggests, and probably other factors besides those. In our defence, aren't we the year-round supporters who keep attending through thick and thin, battling all sorts of obstacles, and who demonstrate an interest in plays/shows/productions long before their arrival - often from another continent - and after their departure? Maybe those who visit once or twice a year for special occasions can afford higher prices, but if we regulars paid full price we'd only manage a few visits before we exhausted our annual budget. That's quite dismissive. We're PAYING higher prices. That doesn't mean we can AFFORD them. Im not taking anything away from your very noble "I'm putting my bum on a seat that would otherwise be empty" philosophy, but if you paid £15 for that seat you're not contributing to the arts, you're just taking advantage of it. And good luck to you, I'd be doing the same if I could.
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Post by longinthetooth on Jul 21, 2017 20:33:56 GMT
I have dayseated precisely once. It was because I had reason to be in London at silly o'clock and was a spur of the moment decision. The queue comprised Japanese tourists and moi. I remember thinking what on earth am I doing here? But, I got the front row seat I wanted - and that was the point, to get front row, not the fact that it was cheap.
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Post by kathryn on Jul 21, 2017 21:13:29 GMT
First time I dayseated it was because the show was sold out other than dayseats, and when I got to the box office they offered me a couple of returns, so I very happily paid full-price. (It was Donmar Othello, the returns were central stalls, I still can't quite believe I got that lucky.)
Actually, I'd say quite often when we dayseat it's because tickets are otherwise sold-out. We've definitely done it less in recent years because we've gotten more savvy at booking the moment tickets go on sale.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 21, 2017 22:07:08 GMT
Just ban it and put the seats on sale, on line, on the morning of the performance. That way everyone who can get to the perf has a chance to buy a ticket instead of the privileged few who can get to the theatre in the morning.
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Post by kathryn on Jul 21, 2017 23:05:56 GMT
Ah, but then the theatre wouldn't get the benefit of a long and buzzy queue outside their doors in the morning, making people think there's something exciting going on. (I went to a gallery the weekend before last that was clearly keeping a 1-2 hour queue going at all times just to look exciting. I managed to get in by hopping online and getting an 'advance' ticket for that afternoon, having been told they sell out weeks in advance. Once inside it was obvious the building was big enough to absorb to 50 or so people in the queue with no-one even noticing - there was no indication that they were counting people *leaving* the gallery, either. I bet they were just letting x number of people in every y minutes, to keep the queue that long.)
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Post by Backdrifter on Jul 21, 2017 23:26:32 GMT
Ah, but then the theatre wouldn't get the benefit of a long and buzzy queue outside their doors in the morning, making people think there's something exciting going on. (I went to a gallery the weekend before last that was clearly keeping a 1-2 hour queue going at all times just to look exciting. I managed to get in by hopping online and getting an 'advance' ticket for that afternoon, having been told they sell out weeks in advance. Once inside it was obvious the building was big enough to absorb to 50 or so people in the queue with no-one even noticing - there was no indication that they were counting people *leaving* the gallery, either. I bet they were just letting x number of people in every y minutes, to keep the queue that long.) Ultimately, whoever's in the queue for whatever reasons, this is one of the things I like best about it. I never tire of seeing a load of people that enthused and motivated, the attention it gets from passersby and that extra bit of spark it gives London theatre. Queues. About 2 years ago I saw a very long one in Southwark leading into an anonymous-looking building. It was almost entirely composed of serious glum-looking men. I was curious so asked one what it was for. A slight look of panic crossed his face and he looked away, acting like I wasn't there. So I asked someone else and this bloke looked no less happy at the possibility of having to engage with someone, but mumbled something. I had to say 'pardon?' which prompted a third bloke to mutter "launch of new i-phone." I don't know if that meant it was one of those things where a man in a t-shirt and radio-mic strides up and down gesturing. I've often noticed a long queue leading into a skateboard shop in Soho; Peter Street perhaps? There's been a few times when having stood in a West End dayseat queue I've then gone to get some breakfast and ended up in the Breakfast Club queue.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 21, 2017 23:39:28 GMT
Ah, but then the theatre wouldn't get the benefit of a long and buzzy queue outside their doors in the morning, making people think there's something exciting going on. (I went to a gallery the weekend before last that was clearly keeping a 1-2 hour queue going at all times just to look exciting. I managed to get in by hopping online and getting an 'advance' ticket for that afternoon, having been told they sell out weeks in advance. Once inside it was obvious the building was big enough to absorb to 50 or so people in the queue with no-one even noticing - there was no indication that they were counting people *leaving* the gallery, either. I bet they were just letting x number of people in every y minutes, to keep the queue that long.) Ultimately, whoever's in the queue for whatever reasons, this is one of the things I like best about it. I never tire of seeing a load of people that enthused and motivated, the attention it gets from passersby and that extra bit of spark it gives London theatre.Queues. About 2 years ago I saw a very long one in Southwark leading into an anonymous-looking building. It was almost entirely composed of serious glum-looking men. I was curious so asked one what it was for. A slight look of panic crossed his face and he looked away, acting like I wasn't there. So I asked someone else and this bloke looked no less happy at the possibility of having to engage with someone, but mumbled something. I had to say 'pardon?' which prompted a third bloke to mutter "launch of new i-phone." I don't know if that meant it was one of those things where a man in a t-shirt and radio-mic strides up and down gesturing. I've often noticed a long queue leading into a skateboard shop in Soho; Peter Street perhaps? There's been a few times when having stood in a West End dayseat queue I've then gone to get some breakfast and ended up in the Breakfast Club queue. You jest, surely? 99.9999999% of the passing public are more concerned with getting their skinny lattes than wondering about a small bunch of glum looking saddos queuing outside a box office at 8 o'clock in the morning.
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Post by Backdrifter on Jul 21, 2017 23:41:48 GMT
I didn't claim it was a big spark.
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Post by showgirl on Jul 22, 2017 4:28:39 GMT
Just ban it and put the seats on sale, on line, on the morning of the performance. That way everyone who can get to the perf has a chance to buy a ticket instead of the privileged few who can get to the theatre in the morning. This might be fairer, up to a point, but what about those without internet access? And it still wouldn't stop some people outsourcing the booking work to others. I do see your point about being unable to dayseat for performances you have to travel a long distance to but I certainly don't regard it as a privilege; quite the opposite, hence I rarely resort to it. I also take Kathryn's point about the theatre wanting the publicity created by the queue; it's the same with Todaytix which doubtless wants as many people as possible to enter its blasted lotteries, though the vast majority will be disappointed. I honestly don't know what the answer is; maybe having a range of options to book on the day would be best, so no-one is disenfranchised for reasons of cost, distance, etc. But how many theatres would want a system that complicated?
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Post by Dawnstar on Jul 22, 2017 23:27:35 GMT
Just ban it and put the seats on sale, on line, on the morning of the performance. That way everyone who can get to the perf has a chance to buy a ticket instead of the privileged few who can get to the theatre in the morning. The Royal Opera House did that a year or two ago, though it's Friday afternoons rather than morning of. Since then I have had no luck in getting any day seats! They sell out pretty much instantly. At least with the physical queuing method if you're desparate enough to turn up at the crack of dawn then you're guaranteed a ticket. And I don't live in London so it's not as if day seating is easy for me, 5.25am train to arrive 7am, so I only do it rarely when I am desparate to see something otherwise sold out.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2017 0:49:24 GMT
I don't really think there's a solution that'll universally work, you have to face the fact that whatever happens, some people are going to be excluded.
I like the increase in online lotteries over the last couple of years, I can decide I fancy going to the theatre that night, pop onto the TodayTix app and enter myself for 4 different shows without even getting out of bed, but I don't think many people outside of theatre circles are even aware that such a thing exists.
The Book of Mormon in person lottery is good fun, and the people running it always make it into a bit of a game, but you've still got the fact that you've gone down to the theatre and stood there in the pissing rain for half an hour, only to not get a ticket.
I think a mix of systems probably works best, dayseats are great for some people but not others, Kinky Boots probably has the best balance where some of their tickets are released in the morning to personal callers at the box office, and some via the TodayTix lottery. And then if you lose they offer you reduced price tickets for that night's performance, which is great because you get a discount, and great for them because they get a chance to sell some of their empty stalls seats.
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Post by viserys on Jul 23, 2017 5:15:30 GMT
I think a mix of systems probably works best, dayseats are great for some people but not others, Kinky Boots probably has the best balance where some of their tickets are released in the morning to personal callers at the box office, and some via the TodayTix lottery. And then if you lose they offer you reduced price tickets for that night's performance, which is great because you get a discount, and great for them because they get a chance to sell some of their empty stalls seats. Agreed, a mix is great. I'm not a fan of the lotteries as it usually means far more applicants than people who'd make the effort (or have the ability) to dayseat, so lots of people enter "just on the off-chance" making it harder for fans/theatre-nerds to get tickets. On the whole price question: As I was in the same place as my binders yesterday, I looked through my programmes. Despite living outside the sceptred isle, I managed to see 21 productions in London in one year and paid on average £38.50. This included a few dayseats but also cheap fringe productions, cheap seats like the nest at the Wyndham's, some early bird offers for big shows like Aladdin and Harry Potter (£50 per ticket for a preview) and other discounts.
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Post by glasses on Jul 24, 2017 20:40:12 GMT
Two weeks ago I day seated for Wicked. I went with a couple of friends and together with a few others we established who was first, second etc. (Love you British people and your love for queues We wanted to get four tickets and two of my friends needed to go to the pharmacy for a bit. My other friend and I stayed in the queue and my two friends joined us at again 09.30. We already told people we wanted to get four tickets so they didn't mind when they joined us again I love day seating, because everyone is like minded and very nice.
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Post by poster J on Jul 24, 2017 20:54:11 GMT
I hate lotteries - it's impossible to plan your day because you have no idea if you're going to be successful or not! At least with day ticketing it's up to you how early you get up to make sure you get tickets, and they actually reward people who bother to make the effort to go and queue. And if you don't get there early enough to get tickets, then you can instantly change plans and go and get tickets for something else. I appreciate it doesn't work for everyone as not everyone can get to London early, but surely lotteries are even worse for those who don't live in London?!
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Post by cheesy116 on Jul 24, 2017 21:23:29 GMT
I had a guy next to me crack open a can of fosters in the queue at Kinky Boots 😂 What makes it worse was it was in the middle of January and it was raining, he then proceeded to offer me one... it was tempting!!!
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Jul 24, 2017 22:08:28 GMT
I'll say one thing for online lotteries, they can be invaluable for people with disabilities who can't physically dayseat. Some theatres do disabled concessions which is great but not all.
I have a friend who always dayseats with a flask of Irish coffee, at least in winter. I am told Jack Daniels Fire is especially good for this.
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Post by TallPaul on Jul 25, 2017 12:15:48 GMT
crack open a can of fosters wonder what would happen if you instead cracked open a can of 2 year out of date pilchards instead? May get you several places further up the queue, I'd guess... As you know @theatremonkey, I'm a terrible pedant, but canned food cannot be out of date, regardless of what it says on the label. That's the whole point of canning food. Good idea, though. Personally, I always take a nice, over-ripe durian with me when I'm dayseating!!!
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Post by TallPaul on Jul 25, 2017 12:40:57 GMT
Okay, I'll let you have that one. You clearly write from personal experience, though I've never seen tinned bananas in the supermarket!
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Post by Tibidabo on Jul 25, 2017 14:14:48 GMT
You clearly go to human supermarkets, pdc1. I presumed you shop in Iceland. Or are you not an Arctic Monkey? I'll get me coat.....
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 25, 2017 14:46:57 GMT
Oh god.... taxi!!!!!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 25, 2017 14:48:43 GMT
wonder what would happen if you instead cracked open a can of 2 year out of date pilchards instead? May get you several places further up the queue, I'd guess... As you know @theatremonkey , I'm a terrible pedant, but canned food cannot be out of date, regardless of what it says on the label. That's the whole point of canning food. Well I'm very annoyed that I chucked out that tin of cling peaches from 1985 at the weekend then. Sundays trifle was a miserable affair!
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Post by Tibidabo on Jul 25, 2017 14:56:17 GMT
Sundays trifle was a miserable affair! Oh do stop crumbling you old fool....Manchester tart..
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Post by Dawnstar on Jul 25, 2017 16:28:42 GMT
You clearly go to human supermarkets, pdc1. I presumed you shop in Iceland. Or are you not an Arctic Monkey? I'll get me coat..... A few months ago I looked up every species of monkey listed on Wikipedia to try to find out which species @theatremonkey is. I narrowed him down to either rhesus monkey or Japanese snow monkey. Yes, I spend too much time on Wikipedia!
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Post by infofreako on Jul 25, 2017 16:37:36 GMT
Im guessing Japanese Snow Monkey
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Post by Tibidabo on Jul 25, 2017 16:40:38 GMT
I narrowed him down to either rhesus monkey or Japanese snow monkey. I'd be interested to know your criteria for this conclusion. I'd also be intrigued as to your findings on our friendly northern Bear....
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