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Post by mistressjojo on Feb 11, 2020 12:42:00 GMT
Relatively easy booking even though I did have to stay up past my bedtime. Some ridiculous prices - lots of 'Premium Package' seats in the stalls.
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Post by mistressjojo on Feb 7, 2020 23:47:29 GMT
Iirc Tennant's on the record as saying he doesn't especially want to play Richard III, though he may have changed his mind since. They may want to cast a disabled actor. That's right, it wasn't on his 'list', but people change so you never know. But it would make a nice top-tail to the cycle and put lots of bums on seats. And make lots of £££. (DT did say recently that he would be on stage this year, and that it would be something relevant to current times.)
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Post by mistressjojo on Jan 14, 2020 0:11:24 GMT
The NY Botanic Gardens are worth a visit, and the grounds are free to visit every Wednesday. Metro Harlem line from Grand Central stops right outside the main gate. Bronx Zoo is also free on Wednesdays and is adjacent to the NYBC, maybe make a day of it.
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Post by mistressjojo on Jan 8, 2020 23:30:55 GMT
I can't think of another reason now for bothering with Oyster other than a reluctance to embrace contactless - and you do see that at tube stations, often with the older crowd (both UK and tourists). For some, it's quite a jump from paying for a ticket with cash and getting a paper ticket. It's hard to express the impact starting contactless on public transport had on the wider society in London: overnight it became the norm for everything. Except that if I use contactless payments I get whacked with foreign exchange charges, merchant charges and whatever else they can charge me for charges. So I'll stick to Oyster, thanks all the same.
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Post by mistressjojo on Jan 5, 2020 0:28:38 GMT
We had the Australian version last year. I found it strangely addictive! Worst part are the judges, they really seemed to serve no purpose except to throw out ridiculous guesses. And one of our judges was Lindsay Lohan - who knew nothing & no-one. Although I read that she was given a cheat sheet to help her - it didn't seem to be t o work. She must have said 'Beyonce' a dozen times. 🙄 Winner was a singer I'd never heard of so would never have guessed him anyway.
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Post by mistressjojo on Dec 25, 2019 1:53:56 GMT
Merry Christmas all. It's already Christmas here, and our present has been rain! Yes, not enough to break the drought but welcome all the same. And giving the firefighters a bit of relief.
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Post by mistressjojo on Dec 15, 2019 11:24:34 GMT
State of Play - the original British one not the horrible American re-make.
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Post by mistressjojo on Dec 3, 2019 1:36:04 GMT
The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall has a whole zoo! Well, camels and sheep and a donkey at least.
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Post by mistressjojo on Nov 26, 2019 3:02:17 GMT
22 for me, which isn't too shabby for someone who lives 17,000 km away.
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Post by mistressjojo on Nov 24, 2019 22:21:07 GMT
Anthony Warlow is really giving the new generation of theatre goers lots of chances to catch up on his greatest roles. After returns to Phantom, and more recently Jekyll/Hyde he’s just been announced for next years 25th Anniversary production of The Secret Garden in Sydney and Melbourne from August 2020, which should give everyone a chance to start saving. Hopefully they can persuade Phillip Quast to follow suit.. And maybe a better dialect coach this time around for half the cast. The Secret Garden - Australian 25th Anniversary production Tickets go on sale this Friday 29th November .
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Post by mistressjojo on Nov 16, 2019 8:39:37 GMT
This is silly, but...I'm generally accustomed to hearing about the "2019 season", "2020 season" etc for theatre here in Australia, although it's not completely consistent. Why do many places and companies use "2018-2019", "2019-2020" and so forth? Is it a Northern Hemisphere thing? A weather thing? The financial year? Awards season? Tradition? Its probably a northern hemisphere thing, primarily based on the weather/seasons. Less people go to the theatre during the summer as they would rather be outside making the most of our very little heat/sun (in the uk specifically). Since our summer is roughly June-August, they promote the shows from '2019/2020' which is approximately September to May. It's the same as the football season here and many other sports. Since the summer overlaps the years in Australia, the 'season' is usually within 1 calendar year. Another thing we do differently here in Oz is generally theatre companies will announce their whole year's repertoire at once, unlike the NT or RSC who will usually announce a summer season or winter season etc. This is usually around September - October of the previous year, and then subscribers can book all their plays before public sales open. Public bookings are usually split into six month blocks. So at the moment I have tickets for a play that is more than a year away!
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Post by mistressjojo on Nov 14, 2019 1:44:10 GMT
I wore a poppy for many years but I stopped when I found out that Service Personnel don't contribute to their pensions yet Emergency Services have to pay in double figure contributions. I think that Service staff above a certain rank should pay in, if they are addressed as Sir or Ma'am by their subordinates then they should pay in. Also the Royal Family running around in uniforms they haven't earned I find distasteful and I think it makes them bigger terrorist targets. The Sovereign in the Head of the Church of England but you don't see them dressed up as an Archbishop etc. You're not suggesting that Princess Anne dressing up like she's riding off to battle Napoleon is ridiculous, are you? The Princess Royal and Prince Edward are the only current members of the royal family (not including wives & husbands) without military service records, but Anne is an honorary officer of many services so entitled to dress as such. Even the Queen saw service in WW2 in the ATS ( before women could join the army).
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Post by mistressjojo on Oct 24, 2019 23:17:08 GMT
Just picking up on shady23 ’s post in the Les Mis Concert thread where they’re selling seats described as restricted view for £97. Just let that land. £100 (with the inevitable fees) and you won’t get a clear view of the stage. I’m probably in a minority by thinking that it shouldn’t be legal to sell a ticket for something that you can’t see fully from a normal sitting position in the allocated seat. That would fall into the “not fit for purpose” camp for me. A further minority opinion would be that people might ooh and aah at these Victorian theatres but the seating isn’t of architectural importance so why not rip it out and reconfigure these auditoriums a completely different way? Of course I know the answer to that. Cost, and the fact that there won’t be as many seats in the new layout as there were before so joe public has to continue paying the money and dodging rails, other peoples heads, side walls, lighting rigs and all while being kneecapped by the seat in front. It’s a disgrace and I can’t think of another industry where it would be tolerated. I agree it's insane - and as you, in my ideal world, it would not be tolerated! Sadly of course, in the commercial world, it's supply and demand - and the ticket is worth what people pay.... I go to the theatre a lot in Germany, where many of the big musical houses are new (ish). And what they lack in history they MASSIVELY make up for in sightlines. Almost always steps between rows and offset seats - I have never had a bad view; it's a joy. And the seats are bigger and much more comfortable. But back to the UK, what infuriates me even more than an overpriced restricted view seat, is when a top price ticket that should be fine, ends up being restricted. When I saw Tina, had a seat in the rear ish (but still top price non premium) stalls. Minimal rake, seat directly in front of me, not offset at all; tall man sits down in front of me and blocks literally 80% of my view of the stage. Was SO bad on this occasion I considered writing to the theatre afterwards to see if there was any way I could get a discount to see it again. Assumed this would be totally pointless though. Dunno if anyone has ever tried?! I was just thinking about this when I went to the theatre last week. Most of the theatres in Sydney are new-ish ( a couple of older ones that mostly run musicals or concerts) and as such have lots of room & good rake. The seats at the Opera House Playhouse are such that your don't need to stand to let people pass, and unless you get Hagrid or a Grenadier Guard sat in front there's no restricted views. The downside to this is that there are usually no 'cheaper' seats, everyone pays the same. (not counting discounting things like Lasttix or TodayTix).
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Post by mistressjojo on Oct 23, 2019 23:22:46 GMT
Oh such teasing! At least tell us one thing - can she sing, can she sing? No. Seriously EXTREMELY different. Breaks the role’s tradition It's Basil Brush. Boom Boom Mr Joseph !!!
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Post by mistressjojo on Oct 16, 2019 0:07:26 GMT
I recently stayed with Studios-2-Let in Cartwright Gardens, about 5 minute walk to Euston, Kings Cross or Russell Square stations. Bus stops a few minutes away to take you to West End or an easy 15-20 min walk. Budget studios are *very* small but convenient and you do get a kitchenette. Looking online they do have some discounts for February which would fit the OP's budget.
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Post by mistressjojo on Oct 15, 2019 23:18:33 GMT
I stopped buying programmes from my local theatre ( STC) as a matter of course when they put the price up to $AUD12. That's about 6.4 GBP and a bit steep for something I read once. The exception will be if I want to stage door an actor and need something for them to autograph ( as I did recently with Maxine Peake)
Theatres here don't usually do free cast lists, but most will have a poster somewhere in the foyer showing the cast.
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Post by mistressjojo on Oct 14, 2019 1:06:31 GMT
The only thing I can think of that does Tuesday matinees is The Mouse Trap.
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Post by mistressjojo on Oct 11, 2019 0:07:40 GMT
O Tennant as RIII? I didn't realise that was on the cards. A skinny Richard for a change. He started with Tennant as R2 and im sure he will finish with him as R3. A good fit for him. It's not a play that I think he's ever mentioned on his wish list, but I have a feeling you are right about this. It would make a neat top-tail for the whole thing and get bums on seats, and send Doran's era out on a bang as it were. I think the sticking point might be availablity of the same cast to cover the Henries and RIII if they run them together. I mean, they could use a different cast for the same characters in both plays, but it wouldn't gel as well for me.
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Post by mistressjojo on Sept 30, 2019 1:07:56 GMT
I saw this many years ago with Caroline O'Connor as Piaf. Apart from the songs, my abiding memory of this play is {Spoiler - click to view}Piaf urinating on stage!
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Post by mistressjojo on Sept 26, 2019 9:33:47 GMT
Who will be cast!!! Maggie McKenna? Well I can tell you it won't be Maggie McKenna. She's in Fun Home for the MTC/STC from July.
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Post by mistressjojo on Sept 24, 2019 2:47:30 GMT
New production running at Darlinghurst Theatre from March 2020 . Will be interesting to see a full scale musical in this space (previously I've only seen smaller casts like Once ). Bookings open tomorrow 25/09. A Chorus Line 2020
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Post by mistressjojo on Sept 15, 2019 2:41:23 GMT
If this doesn't have Cathy windmilling across the moors in a red dress I'd be vastly disappointed. They can always keep the Translations staging
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Post by mistressjojo on Sept 12, 2019 1:15:53 GMT
Anyhoo, back on topic if we can. The new season booklet must be printed and ready to go. Aside from the whispers about Pericles has anyone got a hint? My Timehop tells me that 2 years ago today they had already announced summer 2018, and in 2012 I already had my tickets for summer 2013. So they are dragging the chain a bit this year.
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Post by mistressjojo on Sept 9, 2019 0:53:48 GMT
One of the best plays I've seen at the National in ages. A little tentative at the beginning, but by the interval I couldn't wait to find out how it ended. Learned a lot about what happened in that period, and appreciated the balanced view from both sides. The programme is worth reading too. Great acting, strong direction, as others have said an effective set too. Hopefully the NT will bring the Sydney Theatre Company over annually how, as I'd like to see more of their work. STC have just announced their next season, if you come for a visit with your relatives at Taronga Zoo. STC 2020
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Post by mistressjojo on Sept 3, 2019 17:27:05 GMT
For those of you wanting Pericles, the fairies tell me you're in luck.
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Post by mistressjojo on Aug 14, 2019 3:30:54 GMT
Secret River. Oh my word. Beyond exceptional theatre. Oh thank goodness. I had to choose between that and "Small Island" at the National, and was worried I'd picked badly. Sadly the 'narrator' of Secret River ,Ningali Lawford-Wolf , has passed away suddenly in London. A sad loss. I hope the company can continue the run, as it is exceptional and more people should see this play.
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Post by mistressjojo on Aug 8, 2019 5:36:58 GMT
As someone who has only started visiting in the last couple of years, albeit in summer, and having to stay overnight due to trains, making it more expensive, I find the winter programme quite appealing (NOT the Shakespeare, though, as ever!) but am wary of booking for that time of year. It's one thing to drive up for a matinee in the early morning in summer daylight but doing so in winter, not only in darkness but possibly rain/snow/ice/fog is another matter - and not a very green method of travel at any time. I wish the RSC was more public-transport-friendly as though some of their matinees are helpfully early (I've attended 3 in the lovely Swan, all with 1.30 pm starts), there is literally only one connecting train from London for day-trippers, which s far too uncertain.There is a 9.am National Express coach from London that gets you to SuA in time for the matinee. There's also usually a 6.30pm return to London. Takes a bit longer than the train, but the coach station in SuA is closer to the theatres.
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Post by mistressjojo on Aug 6, 2019 4:49:23 GMT
David Suchet will be touring his retrospective show through Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2020. "David Suchet makes his eagerly-awaited return to Australian stages in POIROT AND MORE: A RETROSPECTIVE. We invite audiences to experience a rare opportunity with one of the world’s most celebrated and fascinating actors of our time. Join us in conversation with the man, the actor and his many roles in an unmistakably unique event. A retrospective look at David’s career will have you witness some of his most beloved performances in a new and intimate light. Meet the actor behind the detective and the many faces he’s portrayed on stage and screen over a career spanning five decades. Discover why David Suchet is renowned for not only becoming the role, but also taking on the personalities of some of television, film and theatre’s most fascinating characters." I was eager to go until I saw the prices. If you are feeling rich and in the vicinity, tickets are on sale now. David Suchet -Poirot And More
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Post by mistressjojo on Aug 6, 2019 3:19:10 GMT
Thanks for the heads up. Was going to do the lottery once I got to London, but I'm happier having a confirmed ticket now for the same price.
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Post by mistressjojo on Aug 6, 2019 1:05:46 GMT
Playing in The Studio, which is a slightly smaller space that it's current home at The Arts.
Nightly for 2 months, with 3 shows on Saturdays and 2 on Sundays. The cast is certainly going to be working hard! But knowing Sydney theatre ,I'd expect discounts for this as it goes along.
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