"Ice Cream Dreams" - March 2007

It was a brave decision by TAG and the Citizens to team up two professional actors with the Citizens Community Company, members of the Citizens Young Company and a group of former addicts. To then stage the production in the main theatre rather than the Circle Studio was beyond bravery. Now seems a good time to add a quick reminder that as with reviews of all community/amateur productions no allowances have been made - we expect the same high standards for all shows.

Set around the time of the Glasgow "Ice Cream Wars" the play focuses on brother and sister Barry and Jo-jo McConn - their battle to keep Jo-jo off the heroin that is sweeping the city, and their dead father's own alcohol dependency. Martin McCardie's tale also introduces some of the other characters in the drug scene and a large chorus with their own personal takes on the impact of drugs.

Helen McAlpine & Owen Gorman as Jo-jo and Barry hold the central story together well and McAlpine in particular gives an excellent portrayal of a desperate addict. Performance of the night however belongs to Tom Beattie as their dead father who has a great presence and is obviously completely comfortable on stage. Gavin Forker as "The Landlord" also produces a very effective performance and succeeds in giving the character depth and making him much more sympathetic than he has any right to be. Despite a couple of hesitant moments the rest of the large cast also perform well and it would be difficult to identify the newcomers had we not seen many of the faces before in "My Bloody Valentine"

As a play, McCardie has created a powerful piece of theatre - considerably more so than the much lauded "Aalst". I don't normally like comparing pieces but seeing these two in such quick succession with their similar themes of society's underclass makes it almost impossible not to. Where the repetition of dialogue in "Aalst" seemed disjointed "Ice Cream Dreams" used it to great effect with some surprising and humourous wordplay. "Ice Cream Dreams" also makes much better use of a musical soundtrack.

This was a serious, dark but entertaining show giving a close up look at personal dependency but placing it in the wider context, while asking difficult and uncomfortable questions of the audience - everything issue based drama should be.

Well done to all those involved in putting it together and performing it - with "Ice Cream Dreams" they certainly hit on a winning recipe.

"Aalst" - March 2007

Based on the true events surrounding a Belgian couple who have killed their young children believing it to be "for the best", Duncan McLean's adaptation of Pol Heyvaert's original for Scotland is receiving a lot of publicity even before tonight's opening performance. With an onstage cast of two, and a disembodied voice, "Aalst" would always be relying heavily on the quality of its cast. Fortunately for this show by the NTS at the Tramway in Glasgow, Kate Dickie, David McKay and the voice of Gary Lewis are more than up to the job, but sadly the material lets them down a little and overall "Aalst" falls short of the hype.

For me the most obvious failing in this examination of the motivations of the parents is actually the soundscore by Das Pop. It doesn't sit well and proves distracting at several points and while the Euro influence is clear, given how much of the play has been adapted for a Scottish audience I think the score would have been much more effective had it reflected this also.

Alone on stage speaking into microphones on stands, Dickie and McKay excel and produce startlingly emotional performances - but there are problems with the tone for much of the dialogue. We start off with the pair answering questions from the unseen inquisitor in slightly stuttering terms or as if reading prepared answers, and although no doubt accurate it doesn't make for great theatre. Just as I had resigned myself that this was the way things would be, we unexpectedly changed to a more natural set of responses - in fact quite gallus, offering an element of backchat. The shift isn't really explained but continues for a good 10 minutes enabling the audience to laugh with (and at) the characters. But then just as suddenly we're back with the halting responses, although the "sharper" responses do make a brief return later. This may be down to the fact that the dialogue has been partly based on court transcripts and reflects differing moods of the individuals, but I can't help but feel that it would have been a better show had we seen the more polished dialogue throughout.

The issues raised in the performance also fall a little flat - okay, so reports show they weren't abnormal people, so they were just "bad"? This doesn't mean the play has a message that any of us could find ourselves in the position of this pair. So what are we saying - that there are some horrible people out there who do horrific things? Welcome to the World.

"Aalst" isn't half as shocking as it thinks it is, and as a piece of "entertainment" it is let down by the stuttering dialogue and poor scoring. But as a masterclass in emotional acting it delivers. Memorable performances, forgettable show.

"Volpone" - March 2007

Sadly not a review - more of a lesson learned, so apologies to those of you hoping to hear all about this show... Back at the start of the year we spent a lot of time scheduling what shows to see, and although we liked the sound of "Volpone" by Theatre Babel at the Citizens, we had so many other theatre trips planned around the same time we had to drop a couple - including "Volpone".

Those of you who visit us by way of the Scottish Theatre Forum will now be wondering why "Volpone" was included in our upcoming shows when we updated our banner only last week. Well, we managed to find an opening in our diaries that we thought would allow us to catch "Volpone" after all. Sadly, although the Citizens website suggested there were tickets available, when we actually tried to book we discovered that it was sold out - and not just for that show but for the entire run. Suddenly finding ourselves disappointed and feeling like we were missing out on something, we even tried to see the show in Perth - only to find it sold out there also.

I guess it was just a show we were never meant to see, but it has reminded us that we shouldn't always expect to be able to book up at short notice, and it is great to see shows like this selling out in advance. But we will make sure we book up nice and early for Theatre Babel's next production because they obviously have a great reputation.

Are you positive?

Regular readers of the blog may notice a pattern in our reviews. By and large they are positive, and we're happy with what we've seen. Does this mean we're too easily pleased?

The simple answer is 'we pays our money and we makes our choice'. We don't have a features editor giving us a list of shows to see, we don't have complimentary tickets swaying our decisions as to whether to review something or not. Whatever we review we've carefully selected as something that interests us - whether it's because we've seen something by the company before, we know the piece, or the blurb has caught our eye. We then put our money where our mouth is.

Our primary purpose for going to the theatre is simply to have a good time. Everything we see has that at it's heart, and we hope that we won't be disappointed. We don't always know quite what to expect, but we always hope to be entertained.

We don't always agree on what we want to see - I'm working hard on trying to get Statler to go to some more musical theatre for example! However we're unlikely to go to something that we don't think we'll get some enjoyment out of. In addition if one of us much preferred the play to the other, that person is more likely to do the review, with the other saving their comments for their heckle.

Have we ever come out of something wishing we'd stayed at home that night? Certainly! You may notice a lack of productions staged at 2 of Glasgow's largest theatres - The King's and The Theatre Royal. We've learned our lessons there - and something has to be really tempting to drag us back. Our last visits to both theatres were before the time period covered by this blog, but we feel we've got to mention them for balance.

The National Theatres' (NB not the NTS) production of "An Inspector Calls" at The King's was a huge disappointment. A hugely impressive mechanical set just distracted from what is one of my favourite plays. Possibly as a result of the confining nature of the set, the performances lacked any openness.

"Framed" at the Theatre Royal was described as a modern thriller but didn't live up to its promises. If you have to resort to long declamatory, Bond villian style explanations then something's gone wrong somewhere. We decided after this that if a play's main selling point was pushing 'Joe Bloggs from Some Really Dreadful Soap Opera' then it's probably not something we want to see. The Theatre Royal has the added benefit of being one of the most uncomfortable theatres to sit in.

We do try to give our honest opinion on what we've seen, and we hope that this explains how we arrive at our reviews.

"The Rise and Fall of Little Voice" - March 2007

It takes a lot of courage to step into the shoes of Jane Horrocks in the role of LV that was written for her, but, and lets get this out of the way right at the start, Denise Hoey's vocals are nothing short of incredible. However this isn't a one woman show and although truly stunning, the singing set pieces are only a small part of this performance.

There are some very clever aspects to the staging of this show by Visible Fictions at the Citizens (and touring) - notably the effective use of a narrator and a well conveyed "upstairs" room. The other main conceit is the use of a sound effects track that accompanies the characters actions when opening bottles, cupboards etc, and while funny at times and truly inspired on one occasion it's a lot of effort for something that wasn't entirely necessary and I think the single inspired use would have been just as good on its own.

The acting was good throughout but I could really have done with having the portrayal of Mari (LV's mother) dialled down a level or six. Playing her OTT for comic effect did achieve the desired laughs but I feel it lessened the impact of the neglect and abuse of LV.

I'm not going to go on for pages and pages about just how good Denise Hoey's singing performance is (although I could). Suffice to say it is everything you could hope for and more. But I would like to take the time to highlight her acting performance as the quiet, unspeaking LV. This was every bit as impressive as her strong vocals and in very subtle ways conveyed the introverted and frustrated LV to the audience.

Before attending this I had concerns - musicals are not really my thing and I was afraid this might be a little too close to musical theatre for comfort. But I was completely won over by a remarkable individual performance and strong supporting cast and I'm fairly confident that in many years time I'll still remember seeing this show.
-------------
If you want to hear a little flavour of Denise Hoey's vocal talents from the show, there is an interview/performance piece she did for Radio Scotland posted on Denise' Website in the blog section. And while you're there don't miss her excellent short film "Ten Thousand Pictures of You" that plays on the front page and which has been entered in the MyMovie Mash Up Short Film Contest.

"The Recovery Position" - March 2007

The blurb for this devised semi-promenading show by the NTS Young Company at The Platform in Easterhouse was all a bit vague and apart from a general ER/Casualty type feel I really wasn't sure what it would entail. The Young Company had drafted in some assistance for the show in the form of a couple of additional cast members and Director Mark Murphy. While not flawless, what followed was at turns stunning, beautiful, emotional and thought provoking.

The audience walked through a number of short scenes in different sections of a well disguised library that introduced the main characters we would follow for the next hour or so, and with a little prompting and positioning from production assistants the audience moved fairly fluidly - although maybe 5 or 10 less of us would have made things slightly easier.

We're given hints and insights into a number of relationships and get the chance to see some fantastically expressive and subtle acting - particularly from Maryam Hamidi. But it's when we reach our seats in the auditorium that things really begin. Part of this is that the audience feel more comfortable in their traditional seated role, and also because we suddenly feel free to laugh at the jokes that at times seemed a little uncomfortable up the stairs.

I'm going to avoid going into much of the plot, but for the most part it is well written and a good balance between humour and darkness, and I was genuinely unsure of the outcome. There is at least one moment that is almost jaw-dropping (Kirstin McLean - you are one gutsy lady) and some of the choreography/poetic dialogue is...is...is... nope the only word that describes it is beautiful. But this isn't here for its own sake - it also provides very effective imagery to reflect what is going on.

Now I said it wasn't flawless, so here goes... One of the three relationships is less clear than the other two and should really have been expanded, and some of the observations about relationships were a touch cliched and unoriginal.

The performances are universally of a high standard, but it's really Hamidi, McLean and Carmen Pieraccini who take the real plaudits here; hitting perfect notes of emotion and comedy.

My criticism of the Young Company's previous "Self Contained" was that it possibly wasn't ambitious enough for a talented young group with NTS backing, but they have really made up for it with "The Recovery Position." As the show only runs for 5 nights with a small audience I consider myself very fortunate to have seen it - much the same way I was fortunate to see Grid Iron/NTS production of "Roam" at Edinburgh Airport last year. I'm sure there will be plenty of people preparing comparisons between the two - and the Young Company should have little to worry about in that respect.

I think this may be the current Young Company's last show before moving on, but I'm sure well be seeing these guys in shows (and writing shows) for many years to come.

"The Little World of Don Camillo" - February 2007

Giovanni Guareschi's stories of Catholic priest Don Camillo and his nemesis Peppone, the local Communist mayor, in their post-war Italian town don't seem to be that well known in the UK. As a result I had little idea of what to expect. The blurbs for this production by Mike Maran were also a little vague on how it was to be staged as well, so it really was a bit of a venture into the unknown as we entered the Circle Studio at the Citizens.

I turned out to be correct in thinking I was about to see something reminiscent of an Italian "Ballykissangel" or "Hamish Macbeth" - typical of the gentle comedy loved of a Sunday evening on BBC1 (although please note I'm not including "Last of the Summer Wine" in this category). I was however very wrong in my guess that the performance would be a small cast of 5 or 6 - in fact it's largely a one man show with Mike Maran acting as story teller with musical accompaniment and occasional assistance from his accordion and trumpet players. And it is lovely to have live on stage music as part of a show - something all too rare these days.

As a format this works well as Maran takes us through a series of lighthearted tales of how the two enemies share a grudging respect for one another despite their attempts to gain the upper hand in public matters. Maran also takes time out to explain how this reflects the wider picture in Italy of the time and also to give an insight through his own family history. It all feels a little like regressing back to childhood and sitting watching a cracking Jackanory with Bernard Cribbens narrating.

This isn't really a laugh-out-loud kind of show - more gentle chortles, and I'm not completely sure that as early thirtysomethings we are really the target audience, but it made for a very enjoyable evening.

Now this shouldn't really be a criticism, as I've already said the stories do suit the style of presentation and Maran does a great job of bringing the characters to life, but I do also feel that the material could be (and in future no doubt will be) used to even greater effect with a small cast of characters and fully performed.

"Teechers" - February 2007

Despite not being familiar with the piece, I thought I had a fair idea what to expect from this performance by Glasgow College of Nautical Studies drama students in the Citizens Circle Studio. I was however completely unprepared for the absolute riot of fun and energy it turned out to be. Although normally performed with a tiny cast of 3, this performance used a cast of 10 and I'd suggest it really benefited from this as it helped create a truly school-like atmosphere at times.
Some may say that the choice of show wasn't too demanding from a serious "acting" perspective of intense stares, furrowed brows and wringing of hands variety, but it more than made up for this in being a very technically challenging piece with so many members playing multiple characters (even with the extended cast), fast paced scene changes, direct narration to the audience, and the need for well honed comic timing - not to mention the inclusion of a song and dance number!

All of the cast were more than good - and from the very first scene our three narrators, Salty, Gail and Hobby (Scott Fletcher, Deidre Coghill & Laura Szalecki), had the audience eating out of palm of their hands. Scott Kyle as the central Nixon also produced an impressive performance while David McNay as the Mr Bronson-like Basford was in danger of stealing the show with every scene.

Overall this was a hugely enjoyable evening with more than a touch of a Scottish Youth Theatre atmosphere and tone about it (and that is very much a compliment for anyone in any doubt). However, it did become clear right at the end that these young students still have something to learn - when you get an audience response like that at the end of a show, please come back out for a second curtain call - you deserved it and we wanted to give you it...

"My Bloody Valentine" - February 2007

When you go to an established production you have a rough idea of what to expect. There may be some updates as to costume, or language but you know the general story. With My Bloody Valentine we went in blind as it's a work devised and performed by the Citizens' Community Company. I'm glad to say we didn't leave disappointed.


It was clear that the cast were enjoying themselves as they produced a series of sketches around love and relationships and Valentine's Day. A simple but effective set of restaurant tables allowed the company the freedom to give us sketches ranging from macabre to slapstick. These were interwoven with "Lyrical Interludes" telling the story of one particularly troubled relationship by using a variety of song lyrics.

Some of the sketches were stronger than others, but the pace was nicely judged and I've got to admit to having sore jaws at the end from grinning for just over an hour. None of the stories had huge twists - everything was fairly well signposted - but you shouldn't expect that in this kind of work. Trying to work a huge reveal in takes time you just don't have in short simple tales and can end up looking forced or contrived. The fun tonight was in the journey, not necessarily the destination.

Special mentions have to go to Hairbrush, written and performed by Patricia Preston which was a nicely delivered Alan Bennett-ish monologue. Also a brave and witty a capella performance of 'Daisy Daisy' with a French twist by Siobhan Crawford. However, this was very much an ensemble performance which worked well as a whole.

The Stalls Studio is a small space, with a difficult layout - the audience sits on 2 sides of the square, facing each other, with only one entrance and exit. However this had obviously been considered carefully in the set layout, and in the direction. The large cast did well in remembering to play to both sides of the room.

Sometimes the advantage of community/amateur company performances is that the cast are enjoying themselves as much as the audience, and this was a perfect example. If you think that they might have lower standards, then think again.

A Guide To Polite Theatre Going

I get relatively easily irritated by the foibles of other audience members' so figured it was time to draw up some Dos and Don'ts of watching a play. It actually depresses me slightly that I feel the need to list what should just be a matter of common sense and common decency.

1. Arrive on time. To be fair theatres have a big responsibility here too. Only allow people in at a sensible breaks in performances and if someone has to leave mid act then don't let them back in.


2. Don't drink too much. A lot of rude behaviour is caused by partaking of a few too many before the show, or during the interval. It just makes you look a prat.


3. Don't eat sweets. You're only sitting there for an hour or so, you can survive for that long. The rustling really carries.


4. Turn off your mobile. And I mean off, not vibrate. The same goes for beeping watches.


5. Don't talk. When the lights go down that's your cue to shut up. Don't finish your conversation - it can wait till the interval.


6. Make sure you're the appropriate audience for the performance. We've seen kids of 8 or 9 at shows that have clearly stated that the suggested age is 14+. We've also overheard other audience members, usually older ones, complaining about the strong language. This has usually either been specifically stated in the show info, or you could deduce it being likely from the subject matter.


7. Be considerate to the people around you. Watch your elbows, and don't wear hats or have big hair. Watch your knees and feet. A slight shift in movement to you can feel like the percussion section are practicing on your kidneys to the person in front.


8. Dress appropriately for the venue. I don't mean tux and evening dress here (but if that floats your boat, then go for it). I do mean think about what you're going to see. If it's not a conventional theatre style performance and you're going to be walking about following the actors don't wear 3" high stilettos (especially for across grass). Companies usually advise you that you'll need warm clothing, sensible shoes etc - pay attention to that advice.


9. Keep the luggage to a minimum. We've seen people who've obviously just done the weekly shop before squeezing into their seat.


10. In unallocated seating don't move seat at the interval. You're just going to cause chaos as there will be a ripple effect of people hunting for new seats.

"Dangerous Liaisons" - February 2007

Saturday saw us back at the Citizens again for an enjoyable performance of “Dangerous Liaisons” by a second set of Reid Kerr students following our midweek visit to “The Crucible.” As always, the content of the following review is based on the same standards used for “professional” theatre - I don’t believe it helpful to anyone if we “make allowances” because it is a youth/student/amateur production.


The cast really had the measure of the Circle Studio and their performances and vocal levels were spot on for the intimate setting. Our three lead characters of Valmonte, Mdme de Mertuil and Mdme de Tourvel all gave good central performances but while Valmonte and Mdme de Tourvel seemed to have everything “on display” Stacia Bantouvakis as Mdme de Mertuil gave a much more subtle performance with a greater suggestion of character depth and complexity. Both Martin Haddow as Valmonte and Elena Burns as Mdme de Tourvel did show hints of internal conflict in some of the major dramatic set pieces but I think for most of the play the decision to perform with strong accents took so much effort and concentration that it limited some of their other skills. Bantouvakis’s more natural accent seemed to have afforded her greater opportunity to produce a more three dimensional portrayal. Indeed Dylan Lewis as Valmonte's manservant benefited from sticking with a straight Glasgow accent and as a result brought a good deal of depth to his relatively small role and was able to showcase his obviously good timing.

I found much of the show uneven in tone, but without closer reference to the source material I’m unsure if this is the nature of the play or a flaw in the way it has been adapted. Much of it seemed verging on knockabout comedy and at times they went for what seemed the cheap gag rather than a clever one, and for me this didn’t sit well with the stronger scenes of violence later in the play to the extent that I found it uncomfortable - although I will accept that this may have been a legitimate intention of the cast/director.

The supporting cast all did their jobs well, including some young ladies who were incredibly brave to be quite so exposed in such an “up close and personal” setting. Lighting was used to good effect, as were musical interludes between scene changes, and the cast coped very professionally with a couple of minor irritations in the audience.

As stated at the beginning, this was an enjoyable evening and I think some of these guys could have a future in theatre, but I do wish that some of them would appreciate that the best acting is about more than an accent, gestures and volume control - the best actors in an intimate space like this can convey emotions with a mere look. But I guess that’s all part of the learning process and I’d happily return to see future productions from either of the two sets of student I’ve seen this week and that probably says more than anything else.

"The Crucible" - February 2007

I'd never seen or read "The Crucible" before tonight, but was aware enough of the political overtones that I was looking forward to this production by Reid Kerr College Drama Students in the Citizens Circle Studio. Before we go any further I'd just like to post a reminder of my policy for commenting on youth/community/amateur/student productions and performances - these get judged to exactly the same standard as any "professional" performance, to do otherwise would be patronising.

OKAY, HERE GOES, THE FIRST ACT INTRODUCED US TO SEVERAL OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS BUT SOME OF THE DIALOGUE WAS SO FAST AND SHOUTY IT WAS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO CATCH WHAT WAS BEING SAID THROUGH THE FAIRLY HEAVY ACCENTS AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WAS DOWN TO A MISJUDGING OF THIS INTIMATE THEATRE SPACE BUT THE EFFECT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO TYPING WITH CAPS LOCK ON AND EMPHASIS WAS LOST WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY REQUIRED. It did however become very clear early on that Kirsti Quinn as Abigail was going to deliver an electric performance and was entirely believable in her role. Fortunately the second Act brought a bit of a quieter tone but volume was still an issue with Grant Hamilton's otherwise excellent performance as John Proctor lessened by shouting just too many times. By the interval I was struggling a bit and it all seemed a little haphazard and as if I was being bludgeoned over the head with some of the delivery.

After the interval things improved greatly and the courtroom scene was very well staged - the chorus of the girls being particularly effective. Things were also helped by the greater involvement of Una McDade as Elizabeth Proctor with a very measured performance and the introduction of Kevin Gunn as Judge Danforth commanding his hearings. The final Act saw great exchanges between John and Elizabeth and these were the scenes with the greatest impact.

Overall what we had was an enjoyable performance that with a bit more considered direction could have been more subtle and sophisticated. As I've mentioned in reviews before I think it's great mistake to attempt national or regional accents - it rarely adds much to the role that can't be achieved by adopting a variation of the performer's usual accent to reflect class etc. This is much simpler and avoids the all too often scenario where two or three performers hold great accents throughout while others obviously struggle to the extent that it is a constant distraction to the audience. I'd also have liked to have seen just a fraction more creativity in the setting of the play - it was never about the Salem witch trials and even minor indications of the play's relevance today would have been welcome. Anyone for putting the accused in orange jumpsuits??? It was however good enough that I'm looking forward to see what their classmates produce later in the week with "Les Liaisons Dangereuses".

"Hot Fuzz" February 2007

Yes, this is normally a Theatre Review blog, and yes "Hot Fuzz" is the new film from the creators of "Shaun of the Dead" but I was lucky enough to get the chance to see the film tonight over a week before it opens, followed by a Q&A with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. So, for one post only I'm going to review a cinema film...

Those of you who have read our Welcome post already know that I don't get to the cinema often due to the increasing annoyances of the other patrons, the ridiculous lack of originality and the insistence of studios of airing trailers that either completely spoil the film in advance or are actually the only good 2 minutes of it. But I wasn't going to miss this opportunity having really enjoyed "Shaun of the Dead"

I'm not going to go into any details on the plot which although present and fairly substantial isn't really what this film is all about, but the basic set-up is big time cop moved out to the sticks. The first hour or so is fairly slowly paced but generally and genuinely funny and Simon Pegg gets the chance to show that he can really *act* and I mean that in the sense of saying that this guy has the potential of all sort of statues and awards given the kind of role that those panels favour. And Nick Frost shows he has the potential to be more than just a loveable sidekick - I hope we get to see him given more variety in their next production.

The last 45 minutes is where the pace takes off and it just does not stop - it is completely unrelentless and gives Edgar Wright the chance to show that as a director he shouldn't be limited to relatively low budget (in Hollywood terms) films and is perfectly capable of directing a "serious" action film. But even in "all out action" mode the humour is kept very much front and central and only slips to the background when they attempt to out-do the gruesomeness of the Final Destination films. This action onslaught is everything I felt was lacking from "Casino Royale" - I left it finding it difficult to recall any real highlight set pieces. With "Hot Fuzz" I think I've just spent the whole bus journey home with a silly grin on my face recalling the best moments. And just in case I haven't made it clear this is a 5/5 film.

The guys were great at the Q&A afterwards, having a chat with an interviewer and answering questions from the audience. It was great to see and hear how much love they have put into the film and it really does show in the final product. Getting back to our roots here, this is definitely something Theatre should do more of - it has much greater opportunities to do so but post show cast discussions are few and far between and I'm sure there are many who would be interested in attending. Nonsenseroom are one of the few companies who seem to really make the most of this with their "Gala night" performances.

Anyway, normal service will resume later this week when we get back to the theatre...

An Update From Backstage

The blog can now be accessed via www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk as well as its original viewfromthestalls.blogspot.com address.

We've also added a new section to the sidebar links (over on the right) called "Stage Door". This will contain general theatre links and resources - the first of these is a link to the Scottish Theatre Forum which is a great forum for those involved in any aspect of theatre to exchange views and share information and even those like us whose only involvement is in the cheap seats are made very welcome. The Forum also has its own production coming this summer - the smash hit Queen musical - "We Will Rock You"

If you have any suggestions for sites that we should also include please drop us an e-mail at blog@viewfromthestalls.co.uk

Pay Less.... See More

As you can see from our Now Booking / Coming Soon we've got a lot of shows coming up in the first half of the year and the cost of tickets quickly adds up - no press freebies for us! So we take advantage of any offers we can to reduce ticket prices, and it seems only fair to share some of these tips with you...

The offer we make the best use of is definitely from the Citizens - every seat for performances on a Tuesday night is only £6 which is a great saving on prices in the main theatre, and makes the more "unknown quantities" in the Circle studio less of a risk.

The Citizens also does special previews for some of their bigger shows and the prices for these can be as low as £3, but these are only available in person on the day. September 2007 - as per the comment below the previews are now pre-bookable.

A lot of other shows/theatres also do discounted tickets for the first night of a run and this generally suits us as it's nice to get a review up here nice and early when anyone reading can still get tickets for the show. Our bookings for Futurology by the NTS at the SECC cost only £5 per ticket instead of £15, and for Aalst by the NTS at the Tramway is only £6 instead of £12.

The Traverse for example does an Apex ticket offer which offers discounts on selected performances for tickets booked a week in advance.

Another tip is to look at shows in studio theatres or unusual venues where seating is unreserved. For these you can often wait until reviews come out before booking and you won't miss out on the best seats by booking late - so long as you remember to turn up early on the night! But be careful you don't get caught out by waiting too long and find the show is a sell out - as happened to us with "Volpone".

Shows that are touring can often have quite different prices at different venues so it's always worth checking if there is an alternative local venue that may offer better value.

It's also worth considering youth, community and amateur productions as with no professional salaries to be paid tickets tend to be generally better priced.

Lastly, come Edinburgh Festival time most shows do 2 for 1 offers for the first weekend. It's a bit of a risk as you'll not have seen any reviews but if you can pick shows based on the past performances by companies it's a great way to see things a little cheaper and minimise any loss if you do end up catching some of the inevitable dross.

And remember - don't just save money - use it to see more shows!