578 posts
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Post by ncbears on Dec 11, 2018 6:05:15 GMT
Was almost late to Richard II at Barbican, because we had just moved to London and didn't really know where to go and it was a bit of a maze after getting off the Tube.
Was late (well, not me, but I was escorting a party of 4 before going to my own show, so I was responsible) to Matilda. We were pushing it already (slow eaters), travelled in from Maida Vale, got off at Covent Market and made a wrong turn to the theatre. Couldn't have been more than 1 minute late, but show had started and they had to wait until Miracle was over.
I too had the experience of thinking a show at the National was at 7:30 - when at 6:30 looked at my ticket and said "whoops - it starts at 7" but restaurant still charged my spouse for the meal they brought that I didn't get to eat. (She was going to a different show with daughter)
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1,846 posts
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Post by NeilVHughes on Dec 11, 2018 6:48:48 GMT
Only been late to one show, usual Train delays got to Covent Garden about 7:20 for a 7:30 start for my first visit to the Donmar.
Should have been OK but spent 15 minutes getting completely lost in the backstreets, had to catch the show as a standee ruefully looking at my empty seat, not sure what it is about the Donmar, on my first few visits was consistently getting lost.
Nowadays always aim to get to a new venue 30-45 mins early and if visiting a new out of Town Theatre the first thing I do is find the venue and only then settle into a bit of sightseeing.
Have missed a couple of shows due to Train issues, nowadays keep an eye on the Thameslink / Citymapper apps a couple of hours before I need to leave to check for issues and plan appropriately.
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 11, 2018 9:35:58 GMT
I was once half an hour late to the Coliseum when my train got half-way to London then was delayed for nearly an hour. I had to stand at the back of the balcony for the rest of the first act. At least it was Rosenkavalier so I still got 2 and a half hours of music even with missing half an hour.
I also had one occasion when my train got about 2 miles out of Cambridge, ground to a halt, sat around for nearly an hour then returned to Cambridge. As it was nearly 7pm by this point I gave up and went home as by the time I would have got down to London the show would have been at least half over.
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475 posts
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Post by bimse on Dec 11, 2018 10:39:37 GMT
I nearly missed “Company” a couple of weeks ago. My train from Manchester was cancelled due to speed restrictions on the entire network due to a storm, which frankly wasn’t noticeable (it was actually a pleasant day weather wise) . Fortunately I found out on time and got an earlier train , which was packed , and I actually got a seat too . That train was scheduled to be an hour late arriving in London (so I found out as the train set off) but was eventually about an hour and forty minutes late. I just had time to get a coffee and walk to the theatre for the matinee . My return on the same day was uneventful, but it really makes me wonder if it’s worth the risk of treating myself to an expensive theatre ticket when the railways are not reliable . My previous theatre day trip to London resulted in a very long delay on the return journey and I had to pay for an extra day on my car park ticket which ran out at midnight.
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Post by talkingheads on Dec 11, 2018 11:01:32 GMT
I've been very close to being late before, but I'm a worrier and allow a lot more time that I'd actually need, I'm well acquainted with most theatre cafes where I've had to waste an hour, but I'd rather that than be late. I don't dislike latecomers, what I dislike is some theatres inability to start a production at the time printed on the ticket. All this nonsense about 'allowing time for latecomers' means that everybody else's day must be delayed? I regularly plan my day around a matinee and I've had situations where a show has started ten to fifteen minutes late, resulting in me missing my train home and ballsing up my evening plans.
In fact the only time I do dislike latecomers is if I've made plans with somebody and I'm stuck waiting outside like a lemon while they turn up five minutes before curtain up, not worried in the slightest. I appreciate some people can live like this, I cannot! It's to the point where with some of my friends I will tell them a show starts at 7 if it starts at 7:30 to put my mind at rest.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 11, 2018 13:13:42 GMT
24 hrs late a couple of times.
OH and 7 days early.
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367 posts
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Post by raider80 on Dec 11, 2018 14:31:11 GMT
A few times back when I lived in Dallas. Traffic is usually a mess so it was mainly due to a traffic jam. That is why I try to get to the theatre 30 minutes early.
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 11, 2018 14:49:54 GMT
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Post by cartoonman on Dec 14, 2018 21:06:55 GMT
I got caught out at Treasure Island at the National a couple of years ago. I thought it started at the normal time but as it was intended for children it started earlier. The NT staff were very good, there were quite a few latecomers and we were seated outside the auditorium and could watch it on the cctv. We were then ushered in and seated. Not in the seats I tickets for but better ones that must have been unfilled. This is my only late in fifty years of theatre going. Got some nasty comments as we took our seats but they were deserved.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2018 21:42:22 GMT
Fortunately just the once, at Once! I was accompanying a school trip when the coach was late to leave. I think that missing the first ten minutes contributed to my dislike for the show itself, too.
When the trains were re-routed away from our station last year due to a tragic incident, we drove to the next nearest station on the line to ensure we didn’t miss Harry Potter. To make matters worse the weather was particularly terrible and it was touch and go whether we would get there at all. Very stressful, but after all very much worth it.
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1,177 posts
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Post by joem on Dec 15, 2018 13:52:36 GMT
Only once. Believe it or not the play started before the advertised time.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2018 21:08:49 GMT
I've been close once. Seeing The Go Between at the Apollo, we were having dinner somewhere in Covent Garden and literally had to run. We got to the theatre at around 7:30 but luckily because we had just got in the door as the show was about to start they held the curtian.
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Post by alexandraastrid79 on Oct 6, 2019 12:55:44 GMT
Touch wood i dont Think i have ever been late. I usually frown at those that turn up in the aisle or in front like 1 minute before the show has started. (Sorry!!!)😃
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2019 13:05:10 GMT
I was almost late to Come From Away due to 5 Central line trains in a row being too full to get on. Eventually resorted to running to the theatre from Oxford Circus and making it to my seat just in time.
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Post by nick on Oct 6, 2019 14:13:36 GMT
At the Menier last week the two seats next to me were empty (if you know the Menier this is a good thing). After the interval they arrived and I reckon it was a first date. The bloke was so apologetic saying that he hoped she wouldn’t get the wrong impression of him. I felt for him.
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7,498 posts
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Post by alece10 on Oct 6, 2019 16:01:34 GMT
Can only think of two occasions ever. 1st fine was A Funny thing etc at the NT years ago. Went straight from work and traffic was horrific. Got off the bus in Trafalgar square and ran over the bridge. Missed about 15 minutes of Mr Quasts thighs. 2nd time was the actor/musician Sweeney Todd at the Ambassadors. Loads of us were late and they a snuck is all in about 10 mins into the show. I think if I was ever late and not allowed in until the interval I wouldn't bother.
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Post by theatremad on Oct 6, 2019 16:29:27 GMT
Twice I can remember:
- Collaborators during the Olivier run, 10 mins late - Rocky Horror Picture Show, Swansea in late 90s: missed entire first half
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Post by marob on Oct 6, 2019 17:54:08 GMT
I've only been late four times, the worst by far being when I missed about 15-20 minutes of Northern Broadsides' For Love or Money at the Playhouse in Liverpool. I got to Calamity Jane at the Empire (also Liverpool) a few minutes late, and the nice thing there was that they let me stand at the back until the end of The Deadwood Stage, then take my seat while people were clapping at the end of the song.
Completely different experience when I was late to the matinee of Part One of The Inheritance at the Noel Coward (?). It had an early 1.15 start time, and I'd only travelled down to London that morning, was staying at a different hotel, and underestimated how long it would take to get there. I was only a couple of minutes late, but it must have been one of the rare shows that actually starts on time. An usher took me up to the circle bar where there was about a dozen people already watching on a screen. Then she took me down to the stalls where I had to sit in a random unoccupied seat at the back until the first interval, as my seat was one of the cheap ones on the front row.
The other time I was late in London was going to The Pajama Game at the Shaftesbury Theatre. I'd never been there before, so looked it up online beforehand. I've usually got a pretty good sense of direction, but not this time as I got off the Underground and went off up what I now know to be Tottenham Court Road.
I hate getting there late. It's not just what you've missed, but I find it's really hard to settle down and focus afterwards.
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Post by talkingheads on Oct 6, 2019 18:34:59 GMT
I cannot stand being late to the extent plan to arrive at any theatre two hours early so that if there is a delay it won't (hopefully) cut into showtime. It's the same reason I book an aisle seat at the cinema, I loathe having to squeeze past people, so I do actually aim to get to the cinema quarter of an hour late to miss the neverending adverts
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6,323 posts
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Post by danb on Oct 6, 2019 19:16:58 GMT
Absolutely not! How dare you...to be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late and to be late is completely unacceptable! 😡
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Post by fiyero on Oct 6, 2019 20:20:26 GMT
I don't think I've ever actually been late (I aim to be there 30-40 minutes before curtain) but its been close a few times. I seem to be unlucky in Paris and realise I don't know it as well in the dark as I do in the light and get to The Mogador 10 minutes before curtain then have to navigate my way in in poor French. I think the French Jinx came with me for 2 recent visits to Amelie. On Wednesday I got out of work late and missed the train, the next one was late too. After grabbing something quick to eat I got to the theatre and heard a 3 minute call! literally went up the stairs and heard the one minute call!! Too stressful for me. Then on Saturday for the matinee I had dinner with a friend first. Booked 2 hours before curtain, he was slightly late but the service was soooo slow. When ordering the desserts we said about our time restraint and asked for the bill before it came to help expedite our exit. 15 minutes to curtain our dessert came! This wasn't a restaurant in the theatre so we had to wolf it down and made it for the 5 minute bell! I think this week will help me be less judgemental on the latecomers!
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Post by vickyg on Oct 7, 2019 8:43:26 GMT
I have only been late once when I lived in Oxford and was seeing The Sound of Music at the playhouse. There had been terrible snow and buses were only running intermittently so I had to walk to the theatre in calf level snow. I was about 10 mins late and, understandable wasn't let in until a suitable point in the performance. One other person was there who was also late but was kicking off about not being able to just waltz right in as she arrived, she looked to me for backup but when I said that, having been late I would think I'd be more polite than to argue with FOH staff, she was quite surprised!
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Post by longinthetooth on Oct 7, 2019 9:24:39 GMT
I was 20 minutes late to Aladdin. Thanks to flooding on the line, a 40 minute train journey took two-and-a-half hours. The train crawled, then stopped halfway along the route and threw out all passengers. I queued for an hour at a nearby bus stop until someone offered to share her cab to the nearest Tube station (on the outer reaches of the District Line). I had decided that if I was going to be more than 20 minutes late I wouldn't go in, but made it by the skin of my teeth. The FOH were great, took me to a room to watch on a screen until a suitable moment, then escorted me to my seat.
I hated the show, but not sure how much of this was due to the fact that, arriving 20 minutes in, I hadn't a clue what was going on, and then found it extremely difficult to concentrate on the rest of it.
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Post by talkingheads on Oct 7, 2019 9:55:32 GMT
Oh actually I do recall one now. I'd booked to see Arthur Smith in Salisbury, but it was a snow day. I left Poole in Dorset at midday. After a bus replacement that didn't turn up, an hour to wait for the replacement replacement, finally left Poole at 2. Then a train from Southampton that was delayed by one and three quarter hours that then we were then stuck on for a further two and a bit hours, I arrived in Salisbury on the dot of 7.30 just as the show would have been starting. I was so cold and tired from the day that I turned right around and got back on the train, knowing that if I didn't I could well have been stuck in Salisbury after dark.
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Post by indis on Oct 9, 2019 19:20:28 GMT
Yes, thanks to Eurowings wanted to fly from London to Düsseldorf to watch Tarzan, but Eurowings cancelled my flight so with loads of luck i arrived at the theatre (with my suitcase and no chance to check in at the hotel first) for the 2nd act just as it started - never enjoyed a 2nd act more
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Post by undeuxtrois on Oct 14, 2019 16:59:03 GMT
I was close! Came out of Oxford rd early, so walked to the Royal Exchange to pick up a WSS tote bag since I had the time and money. Genuinely got lost since I was on my own and have only been manny a few times anyway. Ended up in Salford, somehow, and had to ask for directions from multiple people and leg it back to the Palace to see Mormon in my heels with a can of G&T in my hand. Made it there about 15 mins before curtain up, thankfully
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