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Post by mkb on Apr 3, 2022 0:37:41 GMT
It's quite a serious allegation to suggest that the producers have knowingly put out a false statement as to the reason for Egerton's non-appearance this past fortnight. They didn't need to give any reason. If he didn't really have Covid, then the statement to the contrary is at best duplicitous, and at worse fraudulent.
If there were any truth in this, the reputation of the producers would be in tatters.
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Post by teamyali on Apr 3, 2022 0:50:20 GMT
What??? I don’t think the show was reviewed badly - there are mixed reviews but not critically panned a la NT’s Manor. Is Taron thirsty for an Olivier or something? Maybe if they opened last February, they can be eligible. But this is a Marianne production so it will still get bums on seats.
I noticed from the press night photos that Taron did not go to the after party - it’s only Johnny, Jade, Phil, and Marianne. If Taron was exhausted, then he can take a rest. I guess the media were bummed not to see him with his castmates.
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Post by kathryn on Apr 3, 2022 1:52:50 GMT
I'm not saying I don't believe you, but I'm not sure what anyone would have to gain by saying he had Covid if he didn't. It obviously isn't the reason for his departure so it seems odd to say it if it isn't true. Yes fair point. I was told that he wasn't happy with the negative reviews and was refusing to go on. I call bullsh*t. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2022 6:03:32 GMT
It's a bit nieve to say producers wouldn't put out a false statement. It happens often to disguise behind the scenes drama (it's just PR spin) and covid is the perfect excuse at the moment and its very hard to question peoples health. Wouldn't be the first, companies use covid too for one reason or another. It buys you time, a couple of weeks to sort out whatever the issues are.
Taron being unhappy with reviews seems a bit unlikely to me but i guess anything is possible. Based on what we know my guess would be extreme stage fright, or possible exhaustion as he went from filming a movie (and a big fitness routine) straight into the play. The one aspect that does hint at maybe behind the scenes drama is the lack of warmth/best wishes in the statement towards taron.
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Post by Rory on Apr 3, 2022 7:35:29 GMT
No, not much warmth at all in those press statements.
I see that he withdrew from a film called The Stars at Noon recently for personal reasons also and was replaced by Joe Alwyn.
Glad I saw TE in Cock but it's a great opportunity for Joel Harper- Jackson, who sounds like he's doing a fantastic job.
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Post by mkb on Apr 3, 2022 10:03:39 GMT
It's a bit nieve to say producers wouldn't put out a false statement. It happens often to disguise behind the scenes drama (it's just PR spin) and covid is the perfect excuse at the moment and its very hard to question peoples health. Wouldn't be the first, companies use covid too for one reason or another. It buys you time, a couple of weeks to sort out whatever the issues are. Taron being unhappy with reviews seems a bit unlikely to me but i guess anything is possible. Based on what we know my guess would be extreme stage fright, or possible exhaustion as he went from filming a movie (and a big fitness routine) straight into the play. The one aspect that does hint at maybe behind the scenes drama is the lack of warmth/best wishes in the statement towards taron. "There are operational difficulties" = PR spin Knowingly saying the opposite of the truth = Lying, and potentially fraud This is 2022. Like many employees, I have to do annual training to remind me of my legal obligations. It would be misconduct, possibly gross misconduct, to knowingly make false representations to colleagues or third parties. It's naive to think you can get away with this stuff in business these days. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 3, 2022 10:38:58 GMT
He doesn’t have much stage experience at all does he? I just had a look at his wiki. So is this a Hollywood a-lister who decides he fancies some “proper” acting then realises he can’t do it? Backs out and can afford whatever penalties come from breaking his contract? He never struck me as that type from his public persona but who knows, money and fame changes people.
Disgraceful that people have paid for this and that the refunds have been pulled. No disrespect to his replacement but it’s not exactly like for like is it.
Some very telling posts from an industry insider early in this thread which effectively ask us all to stop moaning at the prices and let the poor, hard done by producers make some proper money. Well, they’re certainly doing that now aren’t they?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2022 10:44:44 GMT
Only if it can be proven, and bad health is very difficult to prove one way or another.
The law is only useful if someone can prove something and the law inforces it. So unless someone has proof someone did or didn't have an illness (something we dont have the right to know publicly), and has the financial and time ability to pursue legal action, the law is meaningless. False statements are used in show business all the time.
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Post by dip on Apr 3, 2022 10:49:17 GMT
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Post by kathryn on Apr 3, 2022 12:18:05 GMT
He doesn’t have much stage experience at all does he? I just had a look at his wiki. So is this a Hollywood a-lister who decides he fancies some “proper” acting then realises he can’t do it? Not much professional stage experience but he got into acting via amateur theatre back in Wales before he went to drama school. He was fully expecting to have a theatre-and-the-odd-bit-of-TV career, not a Hollywood one. ‘Not wanting to go on because of negative reviews’ just doesn’t ring true at all to me. Struggling with serious anxiety issues (which he has mentioned suffering from in the past) seems more likely. I worry, though, given his first night faint, that a full medical check has shown up something underlying that is more serious - that would explain also pulling out of the film. This does go to show how easily people jump to bad faith interpretations, though. The guy keeled over on stage mid-scene in front of an audience - which is an extremely rare event - and yet people are already jumping to the conclusion that he has a character flaw rather than a health problem. |
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Post by Jon on Apr 3, 2022 12:28:31 GMT
It's a bit nieve to say producers wouldn't put out a false statement. It happens often to disguise behind the scenes drama (it's just PR spin) and covid is the perfect excuse at the moment and its very hard to question peoples health. Wouldn't be the first, companies use covid too for one reason or another. It buys you time, a couple of weeks to sort out whatever the issues are. Taron being unhappy with reviews seems a bit unlikely to me but i guess anything is possible. Based on what we know my guess would be extreme stage fright, or possible exhaustion as he went from filming a movie (and a big fitness routine) straight into the play. The one aspect that does hint at maybe behind the scenes drama is the lack of warmth/best wishes in the statement towards taron. I still remember the infamous technical difficulties of Funny Girl. |
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Post by viscountviktor on Apr 3, 2022 14:52:50 GMT
Well, just glad I got to see Taron before he left!
I loved the show but I do understand the criticisms of it being outdated. Acting was great though and script was hilarious.
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Post by kathryn on Apr 3, 2022 16:16:44 GMT
No, not much warmth at all in those press statements. I see that he withdrew from a film called The Stars at Noon recently for personal reasons also and was replaced by Joe Alwyn. Glad I saw TE in Cock but it's a great opportunity for Joel Harper- Jackson, who sounds like he's doing a fantastic job. I was trying to recall when that The Stars At Noon announcement was and it was actually last November - so not so recently as I thought. And very much predating any Cock reviews! There’s got to be Something Else going on, surely. Pulling out of two gigs in a row citing ‘personal reasons’ with no other explanation strongly suggests an ongoing situation - which may or may not be health-related. |
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Post by inthenose on Apr 3, 2022 23:54:42 GMT
As with Cabaret, my ire is towards cynical producers rather than the performers themselves. Unlike Cabaret, this wasn't something I was ever going to see and I basically have scarcely heard of Taron Egerton, though I realise he is well known to most others.
We don't know what's going on with him personally, it might be Covid, it might be anxiety, it could be a lot of things.
Just because "the producers said it", it doesn't mean it's true either. It's PR, they have a job to protect their brand as does the performer who through their own PR and agent will seek to protect their performer's own brand.
If it were "anxiety" for example, this would be much more damaging than "Covid" and would be considered a white lie to protect him, his brand and ability to secure future work. This kind of stuff happens ALL the time.
Either way, the outcome would be the same - he can't perform, so no real harm done in terms of what reason/excuse is given.
But you end up in the position of charging super-premium rates for a play sold almost exclusively off a star name, not delivering that name, then saying essentially "ha ha, we already have your money - tough, no refunds. Oh, and we won't be replacing the star name with another one of equal appeal - we are promoting the understudy. That way, we don't have to close for a week losing all that lovely revenue, we can give him a small pay increase and don't have to shell out for an expensive last-minute star replacement. We win, you lose."
And it is this which I find frankly inexcusable in my eyes. And the paid shills and astroturfers from PR offices on social media and forums whose job it is to sign up with suspiciously similar arguments, justifying these unethical practices.
Winning hearts and minds? Maybe. Transparent as hell? Definitely.
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 4, 2022 12:27:04 GMT
With dynamic prices the producers are taking hundreds of pounds for tickets, gone are the days when all tickets were sold at a fixed price, the terms and conditions were more relevant to those days, but now star power adds greatly to the ticket cost. What’s to say a theatre production company puts a massive name in a show someone like Lady Gaga (others names are available) and say don’t worry you only have to do the show to just after press night, by which time the show will be sold out at hundreds of pounds. Then we will provide you a plausible excuse to pull the show.
We need to get to a Broadway style refunds, to protect the ticket holder.
Taron Egerton behaviour if true is completely unprofessional.
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Post by marob on Apr 4, 2022 16:48:20 GMT
Joel Harper-Jackson posted some production stills of himself. Part of the caption reads:
“Taron has been one of my acting heroes for years, I
have learnt a great deal watching, working and
getting to know him during this process. He's a true
gentleman and a phenomenal actor. I send him much
love and well wishes”
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2022 1:09:48 GMT
If they aren’t offering refunds, I assume they are paying Joel Taron’s exact salary. Otherwise, they’re taking quite a pretty penny in.
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Post by distantcousin on Apr 5, 2022 11:12:06 GMT
As the “cost of living crisis” is set to get worse it will be interesting to see what effect it will have on theatre tickets as even the cheaper seats become unaffordable to a lot of people. I have a feeling with the way producers are aggressively targeting punters with the deepest pockets these days, that it won't make much difference. They are aware there is still a lot of pent up spending potential amongst certain demographics, and are literally banking on that. |
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Post by jojo on Apr 5, 2022 15:43:04 GMT
Whether or not it was actually COVID, if Taron had to pull out of performances for health reasons he'd rather not discuss in public, then it doesn't bother me if everyone wants to pretend it was COVID until they'd worked out whether he was able to return, and to have a plan in place for his replacement. You could argue that as soon as everyone knew for sure he was definitely leaving and not coming back then it would be wrong to let people think he would come back, but we don't know when that was.
The idea that they should pause the show for a week to train up another famous actor for the part is nonsense. Why should those who bought tickets to see the other actors, or the actual play, miss out? Would they get their hotel and train fares refunded?
I have sympathy for people who now feel they spent far too much on tickets, but as I said earlier, I don't think they should have been that expensive in the first place.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 5, 2022 16:01:39 GMT
Some posts have been moved to the Coronavirus thread in General.
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Post by Jonnyboy on Apr 5, 2022 17:38:49 GMT
I’ve been watching the seating plan for my performance of Cock like a hawk as if it sells out, *then* ATG will resell two of my tickets (my parents can no longer attend due to ill health). To my dismay a whole raft are now on sale for that date so it’s unlikely my performance will fully sell out. What options do I have? Ill have to sell them on a third party website? I just don’t want to waste £170. It’s a pity ATG won’t take them back as if they listed them for the price I paid they’d be snapped up straightaway, given the mark up of seats since they went on sale.
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Post by inthenose on Apr 5, 2022 17:51:53 GMT
I’ve been watching the seating plan for my performance of Cock like a hawk as if it sells out, *then* ATG will resell two of my tickets (my parents can no longer attend due to ill health). To my dismay a whole raft are now on sale for that date so it’s unlikely my performance will fully sell out. What options do I have? Ill have to sell them on a third party website? I just don’t want to waste £170. It’s a pity ATG won’t take them back as if they listed them for the price I paid they’d be snapped up straightaway, given the mark up of seats since they went on sale. With permission from mods, you could try listing them here? Sometimes the dates/availability matches for people. Otherwise I'd suggest Facebook and social media generally. If the theatre won't take them back, reselling yourself (however you manage it) is your only option, I'm afraid. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 5, 2022 20:09:02 GMT
I’ve been watching the seating plan for my performance of Cock like a hawk as if it sells out, *then* ATG will resell two of my tickets (my parents can no longer attend due to ill health). To my dismay a whole raft are now on sale for that date so it’s unlikely my performance will fully sell out. What options do I have? Ill have to sell them on a third party website? I just don’t want to waste £170. It’s a pity ATG won’t take them back as if they listed them for the price I paid they’d be snapped up straightaway, given the mark up of seats since they went on sale. You’re welcome to try selling them in our Noticeboard. Create a thread here and once approved it will be published. theatreboard.co.uk/board/28/submit-noticesMight be a hard sell if there are plenty of seats still available though! |
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Post by inthenose on Apr 5, 2022 22:38:09 GMT
Also worth knowing - are they e-tickets? If that's the case, you can try again on the day if there are no takers to recoup a bit of the money. You might only get £50 for the pair, but for the sake of a few minutes posting online and emaililing the tickets, it's better than losing all the money completely.
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Post by galinda on Apr 6, 2022 10:57:40 GMT
What are theatres policies on returning tickets due to having covid nowadays?
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