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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2017 12:12:08 GMT
Coming back to London in a couple of weeks!
I thought I should do a theatre backstage tour. Any recommendation? I've seen the Drury Lane has a tour for £10.50 which is a decent price. Is it worth the price?
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Post by theatreian on Dec 25, 2017 13:08:49 GMT
Yes it is a good one. Worth the money and it's such a great building too.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2017 13:31:58 GMT
The Albert Hall tour was worth doing. Not too much in the way of access to secret places - you do get to see the royal retirement room, maybe see a show being set up - but informative, and the best chance you'll get for photography, and a leisurely look around that beautiful building.  |
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Post by peggysue on Dec 25, 2017 13:51:10 GMT
We have done the Drury Lane theatre tour a few years ago after the reburb and thoroughly enjoyed it. The tour was full and our guide was really great fun. I would definitely recommend it. We have also done the National Theatre tour which was really informative and gave a good overview of the NT as a whole eg seeing the workshop as well as the auditorium x3.
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Post by alece10 on Dec 25, 2017 14:12:12 GMT
I did the NT tour a few months ago. Really interesting and lots of backstage access.
Also did the RAH one in October. No backstage access but it's a facinating tour with lots of history. You get to sit in a box and we were lucky to see rehursal for a concert later that day.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2017 18:53:38 GMT
Thanks guys!
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Post by bimse on Dec 25, 2017 19:46:11 GMT
I did a tour of the Palladium, admittedly quite a few years ago , not sure if they still do them, but it was excellent . We got to actually walk across the stage , I was amazed how shallow the stage is, front to back , and there’s hardly any wing space. It’s amazing what scenic designers do with perspective . It was good seeing all the old posters in the corridors too . So not sure if this recommendation is any help , but it’s a good tour if they do it.
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Post by Elle on Dec 25, 2017 23:50:25 GMT
I recommend the National Theatre tour too, just did it last week. It's advertised as 1h15 but lasted 1h45 and I really enjoyed it. I went on the Monday 1 pm tour and we were able to see all 3 theatres. Only £10 and totally worth it.
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Post by emsworthian on Dec 26, 2017 8:34:17 GMT
I went in a group to do the Royal Opera House, Covent Gardens, a couple of years ago. It was quite expensive - about £26 I if remember correctly - but it was fascinating. We saw a practice in the ballet studios, a tea dance in the restaurant and had a good wander round the building. Our guide - a resting actor- was very witty and informative.
Edit: There are tickets currently available for tours for £12 so perhaps I misremembered the price but I do remember that we all enjoyed it. |
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Post by Stasia on Dec 27, 2017 9:02:19 GMT
Drury Lane, NT, ROH, RAH (it really feels like some kind of spell or the Hercules Mulligan's line), Southbank Centre - I loved all the tours I've been to with my fave being NT. The Old Vic tour is a rare find, been hunting for it for a year but finally caught it and stood on the Groundhog Day stage with all its revolves!
The more tours - the better!
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Post by anita on Dec 27, 2017 10:29:56 GMT
I did Drury Lane years ago when "Miss Saigon" was on - fascinating.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2017 11:16:28 GMT
I might do a couple of them since there is no matinee shows on Monday and I'm not interested in the shows that have one on Tuesday. Probably Drury Lane and RAH. I'll save the NT one for my next trip.
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Post by robertb213 on Mar 3, 2018 14:38:16 GMT
I did the Drury Lane tour this morning and I have to say, I loved every minute of it. The two guides were funny, knowledgable and made it really interesting. Only costs a tenner for an hour, and you get a great insight into the history (including ghosts!), entry to the Kings Room and Princes Room, see the crew soundchecking in the otherwise empty auditorium, a walk through the wig department and even a look underneath the stage. Thoroughly, thoroughly recommended 😁😁
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Post by ruby on Mar 3, 2018 15:49:55 GMT
I did the Royal Albert Hall one a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. Also had a gorgeous afternoon tea in the restaurant afterwards, I think the price for both was about £30.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2018 16:03:09 GMT
I went in a group to do the Royal Opera House, Covent Gardens, a couple of years ago. It was quite expensive - about £26 I if remember correctly - but it was fascinating. We saw a practice in the ballet studios, a tea dance in the restaurant and had a good wander round the building. Our guide - a resting actor- was very witty and informative.
Edit: There are tickets currently available for tours for £12 so perhaps I misremembered the price but I do remember that we all enjoyed it. I did the ROH tour a year or two ago and yes, it was more like £12. (We had coffee and cakes in their cafe afterwards and the tour ticket entitled you to a small discount!) The highlight for me was our guide... I recognised him instantly as one of the old Les Mis stalwarts. He seemed quite chuffed after the tour when I said I could remember him as the unsuspecting guest with the bag in Thenardier’s tavern (among other things). I found this on him after a quick Google: smallTALK with David Alder
What was your first experience with the musical Les Mis in London?
I first saw Les Mis at the Barbican when it was four hours and twenty minutes long! I was in "Me and My Girl" at the time, and it felt like an endurance test but enjoyable at the same time. Both shows were up for Best Musical at the SWET or Olivier Awards, and of course Me And My Girl won! An actor called Ian Calvin died tragically, and Cameron asked M & MG management if they would release me to replace him, which I did, with two weeks rehearsal and no audition, as everybody knew who I was, and it was a very sensitive situation. I played two and a quarter years in it.
What was the most embarrassing thing that happened during your time in London Les Mis?My embarrassing moment was when I was playing the bishop (that was my understudy role) I had my night shirt tucked in my underpants, after having done the quick change, and as at that time I couldn't wear contact lenses, the cast use to lay bets as to whether I would find the candlesticks on the table!
Would you like to be in this musical again? If yes, what role would you like to do then?
They wouldn't have me back in the show now as I am too old. But I loved being with a lot of the originals when I joined, some of whom had been upgraded to the leading roles.
The ROH was very grand (my one and only visit) and we saw lots behind the scenes too. So all in all it was well worth it. @eldermillan , I keep meaning to say that I visited your wonderful city (I wonder how many others on the board have been?) a couple of years ago and found it breathtaking!  |
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Post by andromedadench on Mar 3, 2018 16:08:49 GMT
The Old Vic tour is great fun. I think I enjoyed it even more than the NT and Drury Lane ones.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2018 19:34:08 GMT
Oh @caiaphas, how cool! Not a lot of foreign tourists know about it. Nice to hear you enjoyed it!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2018 19:47:56 GMT
Oh @caiaphas , how cool! Not a lot of foreign tourists know about it. Nice to hear you enjoyed it! It made the perfect stopping point (couple of nights in Silken Hotel) between Barcelona and Bilbao. Lovely memories... (Edit- seems the hotel has changed its name now...) |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2018 19:59:48 GMT
Oh @caiaphas , how cool! Not a lot of foreign tourists know about it. Nice to hear you enjoyed it! It made the perfect stopping point (couple of nights in Silken Hotel) between Barcelona and Bilbao. Lovely memories... (Edit- seems the hotel has changed its name now...) Yes, I know where that is (I think it's called Vincci Zaragoza now). Next time stay at the hotel where I work, I'll make you a discount  |
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Post by crabtree on Mar 4, 2018 10:29:59 GMT
Has anyone done the backstage tour at the Gaiety, on the Isle of man. It's so full of wonderful Victorian stage machinery that I think I need to make a specific trip over.
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Post by tysilio2 on Mar 4, 2018 12:08:44 GMT
Has anyone done the backstage tour at the Gaiety, on the Isle of man. It's so full of wonderful Victorian stage machinery that I think I need to make a specific trip over. Please tell me 'backstage tour at the Gaiety'is the best euphemism ever! |
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Post by drowseychap on Mar 6, 2018 1:09:11 GMT
Must say one my all time favourite theatre tours was Blackpool grand a truly beautiful matcham theatre so much history the tours are run by a husband and wife team of a certain age their enthusiasm is infectious made it such a fabulous tour
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Post by wiggymess on Mar 7, 2018 9:31:13 GMT
Anyone been on the Royal Court tour?
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Post by Elle on Mar 7, 2018 16:12:22 GMT
I'm considering taking the Royal Albert Hall tour, that looks very interesting. I will probably give the Drury Lane tour a miss because of the spooky element. Being in a theatre cellar with "ghosts" doesn't sound like a good time to me. Please correct me if I have gotten the wrong impression of that tour. 😅
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2018 17:02:01 GMT
Anyone been on the Royal Court tour? No, I had tickets but Vicky Featherstone cancelled it. Then she changed her mind but by then I had other plans. |
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