Sunset Boulevard - Alexandra Palace / RAH

[BurlyBeaR]

I hope the cast will be in costume and have learned the words for those prices 😑

[WireHangers]

Jesus above. I’d pay those prices to see Glenn or Patti in a one night only performance at the RAH but not for this.

[Being Alive]

I saw Glenn Close from a good seat for...£40.

What a shocker of a price range.

[LaLuPone]

Yeah they’re not gonna sell 6,000 tickets at those prices when this is a repeat of something that’s already been done…
The prices were almost understandable last time around because of the half capacity but this just seems like pure greed (and more delusion than Norma herself if they think many people are gonna pay that).

[Dr Tom]

Sept 23, 2021 13:20:30 GMT robertb213 said:

The RAH don't really do deals either do they....

Individual promoters do deals (for shows that just happen to be hosted at the RAH). They aren't always widely available though.

At those prices I will wait, especially as I already saw this at the Palace.

[distantcousin]

The greed of promoters at present is shockingly shameless. Takes my breath away. I think they are banking on a middle class affluent market of theatregoers who've had the benefit of unaffected monthly salaries throughout the pandemic, and have lots of pent up spending potential due to their social lives and overseas holidays having been disrupted and cancelled, in order to claw back their losses.

[distantcousin]

Sept 23, 2021 13:45:27 GMT @kevinuk said:

Sept 23, 2021 13:20:30 GMT robertb213 said:

It will sound incredible.

Not in the RAH it won’t.

Indeed. Any musical concert I've seen there was terrible for being able to discern the vocals!

[FrontroverPaul]

Arena seats are usually priced lower than stalls at RAH but it's the reverse for Sunset Boulevard. The available seats in the front five rows of the Arena are "fine dining" costing £305 standard seating £135 or £93 further back. Stalls all £103.

Horribly overpriced in my opinion and I'm not booking.

Shame it's not at Cadogan Hall, they'd have sold out there and sound is generally superior in my opinion but at these prices at the RAH this will struggle.

[BurlyBeaR]

It’s obviously being marketed at the elite who wouldn’t dream of sitting on a chair at the ally pally but would like the kudos of going to the RAH for some “fine dining”. Good time of year for the corporates too.

[richey]

Totally ridiculous pricing. Unbelievable.

[theoracle]

Sept 24, 2021 9:14:04 GMT FrontroverPaul said:

Arena seats are usually priced lower than stalls at RAH but it's the reverse for Sunset Boulevard. The available seats in the front five rows of the Arena are "fine dining" costing £305 standard seating £135 or £93 further back. Stalls all £103.

Horribly overpriced in my opinion and I'm not booking.

Shame it's not at Cadogan Hall, they'd have sold out there and sound is generally superior in my opinion but at these prices at the RAH this will struggle.

These would be my preferred seats but I cannot justify spending £305 on "fine dining" seats. Will these be reduced to a standard price in the coming weeks? I would like to sit on the floor but due to the absence of a rake, I can only justify spending £105 if I am closer to the front. I'm fairly tall as well and the stage from what I remember isn't that high so it's not a huge struggle for myself.

[Being Alive]

I think they knew they'd sell this out because it's basically been bought by the Alpha Club (a private member's club a bit like Soho House from what I understand).

They do Christmas concerts at the Albert hall with people like Mazz, Ruthie, Ben Forster etc and they're always expensive and sell out - so I guess this isn't aimed at us really, but at the elite who will pay the crazy money and not bat an eyelid.

[steve10086]

While I agree with the previous comments on pricing, I have still booked for this.

Added to the prices, I’m not convinced about the sound quality at the RAH, and I’ve already seen this production at Ally Pally, but…

It’s Sunset Boulevard! It’s the RAH! How could I not go?

[fiyero]

I’m glad I’m already busy the 2 days following so wouldn’t want to go anyway. I justified the high price at Alexandra palace as they couldn’t sell 1/3-1/2 of the seats. Too much here!

[ruby]

I absolutely adore Sunset Boulevard and would have been keen to go but Ramin Karimloo leaves me cold.

[justsaying113]

Yet again, ridiculous pricing. And that's now the fourth thing announced in recent weeks I've not booked for.

And, spot on, WireHangers (and no disrespect at all to Maz) but at those prices it needs one of the great ladies who've played this to reprise it.

I hope it sells for all involved and wish everyone the very best.

[danb]

I think I’d want guarantees that the sound design was for the room and not for some random recording never to be seen again other than on sky arts at 4am on a Tuesday night.

[FrontroverPaul]

Sept 24, 2021 9:48:20 GMT theoracle said:

Sept 24, 2021 9:14:04 GMT FrontroverPaul said:

Arena seats are usually priced lower than stalls at RAH but it's the reverse for Sunset Boulevard. The available seats in the front five rows of the Arena are "fine dining" costing £305 standard seating £135 or £93 further back. Stalls all £103.

Horribly overpriced in my opinion and I'm not booking.

Shame it's not at Cadogan Hall, they'd have sold out there and sound is generally superior in my opinion but at these prices at the RAH this will struggle.

These would be my preferred seats but I cannot justify spending £305 on "fine dining" seats. Will these be reduced to a standard price in the coming weeks? I would like to sit on the floor but due to the absence of a rake, I can only justify spending £105 if I am closer to the front. I'm fairly tall as well and the stage from what I remember isn't that high so it's not a huge struggle for myself.

Exactly my view. I'm also tall and was prepared to spend around £100 to get the front or maybe second arena row at the RAH as the stage is indeed not particularly high.

Very few seats have sold in the three hours since this went on sale and only two of the 40 priced @ £305 have gone. I think there will be deals nearer the time but probably not till November. I once got a seat in the front row for the Beach Boys at the RAH on the day of the show and was surrounded by people who'd paid three or four times what I did. In the interval they all disappeared to get their included refreshments leaving me alone there.

[inthenose]

Each to their own in terms of what they choose to do their money. But stuff like this sets a very dangerous precedent.

Anyone who has been to RAH can vouch for how terrible the sound is, especially those who have sat in the £66(!!!!) circle seats before.

I paid £90-odd for a seat to watch Glenn Close (a bona-fide film star reprising a Tony winning performance) at a much, much better venue in every single respect (Coliseum), doing what was billed as a "semi staged" concert but actually felt like a full production. It was a settled production with numerous chances to get things like sound balance and performance levels right.

Compare that to £105 for a cast of talented people, but no star power (and huge salary to match/justify the ticket price), at a terrible venue for sound (and sight lines) in a concert performance which may not even be rehearsed off-book. A performance likely to be recorded with more focus on delivering for that audience than the ones who paid, sorry but £105(!!!!!!!!) for the privilege of being there.

This absolutely reeks of price gouging and greed. Expect to see lots of people in tuxedos (not just for waiters) quaffing expensive yet cheap champagne.

It's not even for charity! It's pure absolute tone deafness.

[theatreian]

I was at the Albert Hall a couple of years back for Sarah Brightman and was originally sitting in the Arena. We asked to be moved due to poor sightline and sound and were moved to the circle near the stage which was much better. Agree the pricing for this is high given no superstar casting, although there is a 40 piece Orchestra and these one night only things can be costly to put on.

[inthenose]

Sorry for the above rant, genuinely angry about this one. It's everything I don't want theatre to become.

[BurlyBeaR]

Similar discussion in the Cock thread in the Plays section.

theatreboard.co.uk/thread/8926/ambassadors-theatre

[alece10]

Sept 24, 2021 14:49:04 GMT inthenose said:

Each to their own in terms of what they choose to do their money. But stuff like this sets a very dangerous precedent.

Anyone who has been to RAH can vouch for how terrible the sound is, especially those who have sat in the £66(!!!!) circle seats before.

I paid £90-odd for a seat to watch Glenn Close (a bona-fide film star reprising a Tony winning performance) at a much, much better venue in every single respect (Coliseum), doing what was billed as a "semi staged" concert but actually felt like a full production. It was a settled production with numerous chances to get things like sound balance and performance levels right.

Compare that to £105 for a cast of talented people, but no star power (and huge salary to match/justify the ticket price), at a terrible venue for sound (and sight lines) in a concert performance which may not even be rehearsed off-book. A performance likely to be recorded with more focus on delivering for that audience than the ones who paid, sorry but £105(!!!!!!!!) for the privilege of being there.

This absolutely reeks of price gouging and greed. Expect to see lots of people in tuxedos (not just for waiters) quaffing expensive yet cheap champagne.

It's not even for charity! It's pure absolute tone deafness.

You make some valid points.
I've been to many concerts at the RAH and almost always there are sound issues mainly with the singers rather than the orchestras. I think the worst was Chess 25th Anniversary concert but even the John Wilson Proms concerts there are issues with the sound mix
When you hear the concert back on TV, or in the case of Chess the DVD and CD, they have been able to remix the sound and so the whole thing sounds totally different.
The only exception was Shirley Bassey concert many many years ago and she sounded so clear. But then her voice could fill the hall without even having to use a mic.

[scarpia]

The sound was abysmal at Ally Pally and I can't see how it will be any better at the RAH based on previous experiences there. The only thing I've seen at the Hall that wasn't bad sound wise was Phantom's 25th, although the recording sounds nothing like what was heard live (think Karimloo had his pitch issues corrected in the post-production process).

I paid a little over £30 to see Glenn Close at the Coliseum with a 50-piece orchestra in a much more thought-through production that actually had costumes (and the seats were fine), and that was only 5 years ago. Inflation cannot account for these prices.

I get that live entertainment has had a devastating 2 years...but, really?

Let's hope they learn the lines for this one.

[LaLuPone]

Sept 26, 2021 12:02:39 GMT scarpia said:

The sound was abysmal at Ally Pally and I can't see how it will be any better at the RAH based on previous experiences there. The only thing I've seen at the Hall that wasn't bad sound wise was Phantom's 25th, although the recording sounds nothing like what was heard live (think Karimloo had his pitch issues corrected in the post-production process).

I paid a little over £30 to see Glenn Close at the Coliseum with a 50-piece orchestra in a much more thought-through production that actually had costumes (and the seats were fine), and that was only 5 years ago. Inflation cannot account for these prices.

I get that live entertainment has had a devastating 2 years...but, really?

Let's hope they learn the lines for this one.

And find a costume for Mr DeMille! Your “lost uncle” comment back in June made me laugh out loud on the way home from the show 😭