Monday, August 13, 2007

Finalised Plans - Autumn/Winter 2007

aka

Life After The Festival

We really confused the booking office at The Traverse on Saturday. We actually booked to see something after the Fringe... And going by our ticket numbers, it looks like very few people are looking beyond that at the moment.

We teased you with our plans in an earlier post. However we've now sorted out our plans for the next few months, so read on to find what delights await us and you.

We couldn't resist seeing Alan Cumming's return to Scotland, and the fact that it was an adaptation by David Greig ("Yellow Moon" and "Damascus") was an added bonus. So we booked our tickets in the beginning of April for NTS "The Bacchae" during its Glasgow run at the Theatre Royal. Having booked so long ago it's strange that it's only a couple of weeks to go. (Review now posted)

As Statler has already mentioned we're going on a tour of provincial theatre. Apparently London has some theatres, so we thought it was time to check them out. A Scottish invasion of the turf of the West End Whingers, Interval Drinks, Sean in the Stalls was long overdue. I don't think you could get 2 more contrasting shows than Elling (Review now posted)and Wicked (review now posted)(oh and we're going on the London Eye like the sad tourists we are). Restaurant recommendations gratefully received.

After the success of "We Will Rock You", I've persuaded Statler to come along to Glasgow Light Opera Club's production of "Fiddler On The Roof" at The King's in Glasgow. I'm not sure how he's going to cope, but as we're going en masse I hope it's going to be strength in numbers. And I can always sit at the opposite end of the row from him. (review now posted)

Although we're wandering far afield, we've also got plenty of things booked at one of our favourite theatres - The Citizens'. The popular Audiences with... format returns, and we'll be spending evenings with Sir Alex Ferguson, John Mortimer and Hillary Kaye and Paul Atterbury (Antiques Roadshow). If you haven't given one of these a try, they're well worth experiencing.

Next it's a little more conventional with "Hamlet" by the Citizens' Theatre company (Review now posted) and it's junior counterpart, the Young Company's "The Doctor and The Devils" (Review now posted). Keeping up with the supernatural sounding theme is "St Nicholas", a tale of modern day vampires. (Review now posted)

"Molly Sweeney", a joint production by The Citizens' and NTS, returns. As we didn't catch it first time round, we'll make the most of it's return. (Review now posted)

And despite protestations from Statler we're going to see "Peter Pan." (review now posted)

We're definitely back through in Edinburgh for "Rupture" at The Traverse (the show that caused the confusion when we booked) (review now posted). I have high hopes for this as it's come through the NTS Workshop like "Venus As A Boy" did.

We'll be making time to catch Nonsenseroom's Winter show - "It's A Wonderful Life"(Review now posted). Although we'll being going to one of the Rosslyn Chapel shows, a little bird tells us that this might be touring; so keep an eye out. Remember that a lot of the things we see do tour, so might be coming to a theatre near you.

As you can see we've got a full schedule over the coming months. We do hope to fit in "Antigone" at The Tron (Review now posted), and "The Wizard of Oz" at the Royal Lyceum Theatre. However we might run out of time for the latter of these two. (we made it - Review Now Posted)

We've been made aware of how lucky we are with ticket prices at some of the theatres we go to. Booking the London tickets (especially "Wicked") caused palpitations. And "The Bacchae" and "Fiddler on The Roof" weren't much better. Theatre doesn't need to be an expensive night out, but it certainly can be.

Since this post we've booked a couple of additional shows - "Hidden" at RSAMD (review now posted) and Oran Mor's 'surprise' 100th play. (review now posted) More details here.

3 Heckles

Bluedog said...

We are really lucky with good affordable theatre in Scotland. But some prices are creeping upwards, with the Lyceum and Pitlochry just nudging the limit.

And theatres that charge booking fees deserve to be boycotted. Stand up and be shamed - Edinburgh Festival Theatre and Glasgow Theatre Royal.

Waldorf said...

I don't object to a booking fee if the tickets are being posted out and it's charged on the transaction not per ticket. I do object to it just being a way of increasing the ticket price - just increase the ticket price.

Wicked - tickets £60 each.

Plus £2 per ticket booking fee, and then £2.25 to get them posted out.

I also don't understand why some places change whether a fee is payable depending on whether you phone/internet book or go to the box office in person.

Almost every theatre we've booked for takes your name and address regardless (that explains the number of programmes that land on our doormat twice a year). So it can't be the increased time to do that.

And Internet booking means you don't need to pay for a person's salary - it's all automated.

If theatres didn't have people booking tickets they wouldn't be in business - so why charge us for the pleasure.

Anonymous said...

Agree. Blood Brothers at the Alhambra, Dunfermline. Friday night best price tickets £28 (fair enough)PLUS'Service Charge' 1 x £3.75 PLUS Postage £2.00. Another £4.75 on top of the ticket price! Scandalous. I'm not sure what 'service' I'm receiving to warrant a £3.75 service charge. Can someone enlighten me?