433 posts
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Post by DuchessConstance on Aug 28, 2016 23:52:40 GMT
I'm sort of all or nothing. I can't see anything when I've got a show on (my own show doesn't count), and I get very grumpy about missing stuff.
When I'm free I go maybe two or three times a week. I used to see everything but now I'm a lot more selective and more into seeing things I think I'll enjoy, rather than seeing things because I think I should, or because everyone is talking about them.
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862 posts
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Post by rumbledoll on Aug 29, 2016 8:38:56 GMT
If I live in London I'd certainly go and see a show per week, but since I have to travel too long a distance it's usually a week once in 3-4 months packed with as many as I can fit (usually 10 or so) - basically it results in the same number but a hardcore version  And yes, more I see, on rarer occasion I got out of the theare moved to tears or thinking "that was f*ckingtastic!" but it happends for the understandable reason like all things in life - with more experience comes the lesser chance of being amazed/amused/shocked/astonished/transfixed/etc. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 14:54:06 GMT
I moved to London after university specifically to go to the theatre, so I'd be doing myself a disservice (particularly with these living expenses...) if I didn't go often. The main problem with working in a hospital is the irregularly long hours and preponderance of nights and weekends. BUT I've just done a calculation on my time since moving here, and I've seen a production of something every 10.7 days on average. My average ticket price is around £25 as well, which I think is pretty good. Where do you work? 👀 |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 14:56:06 GMT
My theatre days are
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Saturday
Each week
And
Usually evenings
Although recently I have been going to weds matinees
And often end up seeing 2 shows as then go to something in the evening too!
Will occasionally take a whole Saturday if seeing something outside of London or it is 2/3 parter etc
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1,046 posts
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Post by jgblunners on Aug 29, 2016 15:10:00 GMT
I go up to London about twice a month, and usually try to get to both a matinee and an evening performance. I usually see a couple of touring productions a month too. For me, the frequency of theatre visits hasn't taken the joy out of it, as I'm working through a list of shows that I've always wanted to see so I'm usually quite excited, and going to the theatre in any capacity always feels special to me. Maybe that will change once I've seen all the shows on my list, but theatre has been such a significant part of my life over the past few years I don't think I could ever become bored of it!
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1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Aug 29, 2016 15:38:10 GMT
This may sound ridiculous, but for me, theatre is genuinely therapy. Especially this past year with some of the crapmthat has happened in my personal life, if I am ever having a down day, going to or discussing theatre makes me perk up out of my down days. I realise this will sound crazy, but theatre really has a power to just make me feel alive and happy. It's why going to Kinky Boots for the first time made me pove the show so much, it was the first time I smiled in weeks because of the events of last Summer. I guess you haven't watched many dark and harrowing plays then! While I do love a good musical, I do think it's good to see something that's not going to have a happy ending and maybe makes you think about the subject matter and that applies to film and television not just theatre. For me, theatre doesn't have to be 'jolly' to be therapeutic... with some exceptions which venture into the realms of the truly disturbing, I find the escape into another world, whether that world is light or dark, to be a positive, re-energising thing. Put simply, theatre gives me real joy and that is reason enough for me to keep going back |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 15:53:11 GMT
I like to who about once a month , but when I go it seems special and gives me a break from life that other things like film and to can't. For 2 and a half hours or so you are transported to a place and for me, everything that seems to b a bit bad in my life disappears. From what other people have said on this thread it seems to be very similar and it is good we all share similar mindsets.
You should be able to go to the theatre as often as you like, as long as you enjoy it.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 18:42:24 GMT
I live outside London so I can pop into town after work for a show, but it can be a bit of a slog if the show isn't worth it, so I just go in every Saturday for two shows then come home again. (I say "just", I often go in midweek too, and I visit my local when something good is on, so I think it averages out to 3 times a week.)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 19:38:37 GMT
I find it really varies for me, some weeks (like this one) I can end up going several times a week, others I go a couple of weeks with nothing.
As I review for a few places, I end up going to things that I wouldn't make the effort to see/couldn't justify paying for myself, so I do see a lot more than I used to that way BUT I also used to have an attitude of 'must see everything' but cut back a bit on that, partly to save money but partly because I wanted to be more selective.
For me I have found, after a 'busy' period of theatre going that sometimes it loses its sheen. BUT it only takes one really exceptional production to put things back on track, so swings and roundabouts I guess?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 20:03:03 GMT
I would go lots more than I do if I could afford it and could afford the energy to stay out late multiple nights per week. I feel as though I go a lot, as I've really upped my theatre visits over the last couple of years (I made a new friend who also likes theatre). I go on average about once a month, although sometimes that's three times in a fortnight and then not again for another 6 weeks.
I just can't afford to go more often - not just tickets but also trains/petrol and car parking and whatever else. Plus I have a really busy job and get very tired. Plus where I live there aren't huge numbers of theatres locally.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 23:38:59 GMT
Usually for me, I go for a two show day as it kills two birds withnone stone haha, you don't have to pay for the train twice.
I usually do two shows every 2/3 weeks on average.
This also sounds weird, but if I am going to a play, I prefer to see it in the afternoon and see a musical in the evening. I don't know why haha.
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423 posts
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Post by schuttep on Aug 30, 2016 7:58:14 GMT
My theatre days usually have the word "day" in them.
I go around 100 times a year, and - like the original poster - my partner is asking to slow down.
I retired early a couple of years ago so I expected to slow down but didn't. Weekends we see what we both want to see and mid-week matinees I go alone (my partner still works). We live in London so there's always something to see but we also travel around the country seeing shows elsewhere. Visiting a new place/theatre is fun.
We both can get a bit jaded, though. There have been a few occasions in the past year when we simply didn't feel like attending a show we'd booked for. We don't beat ourselves up about it though, or going to the theatre really would become a chore.
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240 posts
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Post by Anniek on Aug 30, 2016 11:10:25 GMT
If I had the money i'd be in the theatre prob 3 times a week at least. Now it depends.
Sometimes I don't go to the theatre for 2-3 weeks. Lately I saw quite a bit of theatre being there at least 3 times a week, but now i'm so broke (payday. payday #madeindagenham), that I realised I can't afford this many trips unfortunately.
also, because of the money issue I can't see everything I would like as I have to make choices.
And I rather spend money on Phantom/Les Mis/insert a classic here one time more than a show that hasn't had good reviews. Although I really love it when I discover something for the first time and get totally hooked on it.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2016 11:21:18 GMT
Those of us who don't work in theatre in any way all have our various patterns and habits of what sort of shows we like to see and how often and where and when. But I've always wondered about the theatregoing habits of theatre folk. While they're not resting, they're not free to see anything much, so they must miss loads of shows they'd've really liked to see. And if you're performing or rehearsing or preparing, is it too conflicting and distracting to go see something anyway? On the other hand, at some venues and shows, it often feels like I'm the only audience member who isn't actually in the business.
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1,103 posts
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Post by mallardo on Aug 30, 2016 15:06:07 GMT
Otherwise, I get the situation as at "Mrs Henderson Presents" where there was a stage full of undressed ladies, and all I was doing was looking at my watch, hoping it would end early so I could get some much needed rest. That was after a weekend of 3 shows and a press launch. Too much. Now THAT'S a sad story.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2016 15:09:24 GMT
Otherwise, I get the situation as at "Mrs Henderson Presents" where there was a stage full of undressed ladies, and all I was doing was looking at my watch, hoping it would end early so I could get some much needed rest. That was after a weekend of 3 shows and a press launch. Too much. Now THAT'S a sad story.
TheatreMonkey, you know Mallardo can imagine no worse fate than not being alert enough to enjoy Mrs H's ladies! But I know what you mean, if I end up with a 3-4 show week and it's not part of a holiday to NY/London, I quickly burn out with real life as well and stop enjoy things. Personally once or twice a week is enough for me (obviously depending on the show, sometimes more than enough!!) |
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Post by Jon on Aug 30, 2016 15:26:24 GMT
I "grey out" at a certain point - all shows just turn to mush if I try and see too many. Hence I do around 1 or 2 per week as an average, with entire weeks clear every 4 months or so. Otherwise, I get the situation as at "Mrs Henderson Presents" where there was a stage full of undressed ladies, and all I was doing was looking at my watch, hoping it would end early so I could get some much needed rest. That was after a weekend of 3 shows and a press launch. Too much. I think having a break from a theatre is a good thing even if it's your passion. TheatreMonkey, you know Mallardo can imagine no worse fate than not being alert enough to enjoy Mrs H's ladies! But I know what you mean, if I end up with a 3-4 show week and it's not part of a holiday to NY/London, I quickly burn out with real life as well and stop enjoy things. Personally once or twice a week is enough for me (obviously depending on the show, sometimes more than enough!!) When I go to New York, I do see 3-4 shows but I don't see shows I have seen in London and I also try and do other things because like London, there are loads of things to do and just spending your holiday just seeing back to back shows means you're missing out on other things |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2016 16:09:57 GMT
Has anyone here been to Latitude? And, if so, did you spend the entire weekend watching theatre or did you mix it with music and other festival activities? Festivals (including Edinburgh) do both have Theatremonkey's holiday criteria of being away from work all weekend and with no travel involved, once you're there. Although they can become exhausting with camping, walking, persistent noise and crowds, excessive alcohol, heatstroke, rainstorm drenchings, the confusion of too much choice, bickering companions, the journey to the site, etc., etc. At music festivals, it's no issue to come and go mid-show. But theatre at Latitude might be a bit more intense. I've often attended Beyond the Border Wales International Storytelling Festival, which mixes in music as well as storytelling throughout the weekend, but I've always felt too wary of Latitude to ever give it a chance. Is Latitude too much?
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1,093 posts
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Post by andrew on Aug 31, 2016 1:55:42 GMT
Those of us who don't work in theatre in any way all have our various patterns and habits of what sort of shows we like to see and how often and where and when. But I've always wondered about the theatregoing habits of theatre folk. While they're not resting, they're not free to see anything much, so they must miss loads of shows they'd've really liked to see. And if you're performing or rehearsing or preparing, is it too conflicting and distracting to go see something anyway? On the other hand, at some venues and shows, it often feels like I'm the only audience member who isn't actually in the business. Not in the industry myself but a recent relationship with a guy who works on a west end show didn't take off for me because he was never, ever available in the evenings. The answer is they see random things on random days off, but when you're working to an 8 show a week schedule you can't really see much. Over a couple of months I easily saw 10 times the number of things he saw. So if you love the theatre, stay out of it as a career. |
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Post by HereForTheatre on Aug 31, 2016 7:56:59 GMT
One of the reasons i don't go more than a couple of times a month, if that, cropped up today. I wanted to go this week to see something as i had a week off work, so this morning i decided to make a return visit to see Kinky Boots, went to check the trains first and to get me there and back would cost £167. Now, add on to that the cost of the actual ticket, travel around london, food, drink..maybe a programme and you are looking at £300 just for me to go, on my own, to one show. I can afford it but i can't really justify that to myself.
It's still expensive for me to go to London for theatre at the weekend but a lot less so, so that's when i tend to go. The problem being that i usually work Saturdays and have to book them off if i want to go somewhere and i can't get away with taking more than one a month off really.
So i'm very restricted by circumstances otherwise i'm sure i would go much more often.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2016 8:52:56 GMT
I think Theatremonkey is right, when you have the transport/work/life elements removed it's easier to do a lot of shows at once. Also not living in London anymore I tend to have a lot I want to see and little time to do it in, so if I'm coming for a weekend it's usually as much as I can fit in during that time.
I vary on NY trips, last time in seeing an extra Sunday show I did seven shows in a week where usually it's more like 5 (given flight times, dark days etc) but there have been weeks (in my younger days!) where I did late shows and concerts and bumped that up to 10 or 11. I was very young then...
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4,164 posts
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Post by kathryn on Aug 31, 2016 11:03:36 GMT
I do also think that when you are on holiday, a) you are not trying to fit in theatre after a working day and b) you are often staying in a location far closer to the theatres, which means you don't worry about travelling time. Absolutely. I'll do 4 or 5 shows over a long weekend in New York, staying centrally, but only average one a week at home (with more than 1 some weeks and other weeks with none), and try to avoid going 2 nights in a row. I work in London but live in Essex and have a 90 minute commute each way. Getting off a train at gone midnight and then getting back on it again less than 8 hours later is not something I enjoy doing, but I will for something I really want to see. Can't do it 2 days in a row without feeling awful, though! |
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Post by jgblunners on Aug 31, 2016 12:01:19 GMT
Those of us who don't work in theatre in any way all have our various patterns and habits of what sort of shows we like to see and how often and where and when. But I've always wondered about the theatregoing habits of theatre folk. While they're not resting, they're not free to see anything much, so they must miss loads of shows they'd've really liked to see. And if you're performing or rehearsing or preparing, is it too conflicting and distracting to go see something anyway? On the other hand, at some venues and shows, it often feels like I'm the only audience member who isn't actually in the business. Not in the industry myself but a recent relationship with a guy who works on a west end show didn't take off for me because he was never, ever available in the evenings. The answer is they see random things on random days off, but when you're working to an 8 show a week schedule you can't really see much. Over a couple of months I easily saw 10 times the number of things he saw. So if you love the theatre, stay out of it as a career. Never thought about this before - must be difficult to be so immersed in the industry but only rarely get to see shows from the other side of the curtain. Nice to see that 'stagey matinees' are happening more often though - Titanic did a Tuesday in its last week and Groundhog Day have got a Monday coming up. |
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841 posts
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Post by Steffi on Aug 31, 2016 12:04:11 GMT
I do theatre trips to London and New York regularly so will usually binge watch while I am in town. For London it's usually a long weekend (Friday or Saturday to Monday) and I tend to watch 4-5 shows depending on how many I can fit in time-wise (watching two shows on a Sunday doesn't work often but if it does I usually do it).
In New York I tend to do Broadway for any available matinee slot while my evenings are usually reserved for immersive theatre. I would struggle to watch the same musical or play several times on one trip. Occasionally I will watch the same show twice in a week or so if it is one I really love especially when a show is closing or a cast change is happening. Any more and I would risk overdosing on a show so I try to avoid it. Back in the days I sometimes watched the same show 3-4 times per trip and that really was too much.
However, I don't get bored seeing immersive shows like Sleep No More 6+ times on one trip. On my upcoming trip next month I am seeing 2 Broadway shows and 7 Sleep No More in 5 days.
I couldn't do this at home when I am working and have the usual everyday life commitments but when I am on holiday I enjoy a theatrical binge.
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733 posts
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Post by theatremiss on Aug 31, 2016 14:54:14 GMT
I'm trying to cut back, but I am booked up until Sep 2017 so I think the most I can be away is 3 weeks when I'm away on holiday. I do agree it can become rather routine when I do a 2-3 shows week
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