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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2016 13:50:35 GMT
Is it? What's wrong with it?
It is sticky, next to ventilation shafts, has no air or light, is inside a sticky arch, part of a drunken pub, a smelly café and the theatre itself inside is the strangest shape (too long) of any theatre I've ever visited.
It's right in the middle of the West End but feels worse than many fringe venues.
That said the show is great.
But on the flip side, when I was there on Saturday, the boy in the box office and the lovely lady in the bar were an absolute delight. |
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Post by Phantom of London on Jun 14, 2016 14:03:14 GMT
Strange they go straight for papering, when tickets aren't even for sale or ven reduced through TKT's.
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Post by theatre-turtle on Jun 14, 2016 14:12:47 GMT
What does papering mean?
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Post by westendwendy on Jun 14, 2016 14:14:12 GMT
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Post by theatre-turtle on Jun 14, 2016 14:14:41 GMT
Really?! Is it only to insiders or to anyone? |
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Post by Dawnstar on Jun 14, 2016 15:54:01 GMT
Is it? What's wrong with it?
It is sticky, next to ventilation shafts, has no air or light, is inside a sticky arch, part of a drunken pub, a smelly café and the theatre itself inside is the strangest shape (too long) of any theatre I've ever visited.
It's right in the middle of the West End but feels worse than many fringe venues.
That said the show is great.
The lack of air con is what's putting me off. When I tried to see Titanic at Southwark I had to leave in the interval because it was so hot I thought I was going to either faint or be sick. I don't want a repeat experience at Charing Cross. If only a theatre would do a run of Titanic in December! |
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Post by westendwendy on Jun 14, 2016 17:02:34 GMT
Really?! Is it only to insiders or to anyone? Papering is a don't ask don't tell topic.
Producers give/release them to the cast, students, industry professionals, box office staff, front of house, ticketing agencies, bloggers - in other words the general public will never know of this.
If you do your homework there are 4 online clubs in London that are popular (No I'm not giving their names) but they have waiting lists and you have to pay to be on their "books" for free tickets. Such papering companies are used to make theatres look full when they are often suffering a little. |
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Post by theatre-turtle on Jun 14, 2016 17:09:32 GMT
Really?! Is it only to insiders or to anyone? Papering is a don't ask don't tell topic.
{Spoiler - click to view}
Thanks for letting me in on the dark secret. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2016 20:20:18 GMT
Call me stupid, but I would never want a free ticket to a show. Even at a discount price, I want to support the shows I see and give them the money for the experience and help them move forward. Even if a show is failing at the box office, I still want to help support in any which way I can, even if that means being the only one in the room who paid to go. That may sound insane to some, but I just like to support the stuff people are creating.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2016 21:23:30 GMT
Call me stupid, but I would never want a free ticket to a show. Even at a discount price, I want to support the shows I see You are supporting them by using free tickets. The producers wouldn't arrange for tickets to be distributed for free if there was nothing in it for them. Partly they do it in the hope that more people seeing the show will mean more people talking about the show and mentioning it on social media, partly they do it because a larger audience creates a better experience for everyone, and partly they do it because a bigger crowd at the theatre encourages more people to come in and buy a ticket. The producers know their business and they're not handing out comps for your benefit, even if you do benefit from them. And obviously you'd buy a programme and a brochure and, if you've just been paid, a drink. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2016 21:26:30 GMT
Call me stupid, but I would never want a free ticket to a show. Even at a discount price, I want to support the shows I see You are supporting them by using free tickets. The producers wouldn't arrange for tickets to be distributed for free if there was nothing in it for them. Partly they do it in the hope that more people seeing the show will mean more people talking about the show and mentioning it on social media, partly they do it because a larger audience creates a better experience for everyone, and partly they do it because a bigger crowd at the theatre encourages more people to come in and buy a ticket. The producers know their business and they're not handing out comps for your benefit, even if you do benefit from them. And obviously you'd buy a programme and a brochure and, if you've just been paid, a drink. I understand all that obviously, but as you even mentioned, giving out free tickets is not always a guarantee to help ticket sales of the show. |
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Post by theatremadness on Jun 14, 2016 21:57:24 GMT
You are supporting them by using free tickets. The producers wouldn't arrange for tickets to be distributed for free if there was nothing in it for them. Partly they do it in the hope that more people seeing the show will mean more people talking about the show and mentioning it on social media, partly they do it because a larger audience creates a better experience for everyone, and partly they do it because a bigger crowd at the theatre encourages more people to come in and buy a ticket. The producers know their business and they're not handing out comps for your benefit, even if you do benefit from them. And obviously you'd buy a programme and a brochure and, if you've just been paid, a drink. I understand all that obviously, but as you even mentioned, giving out free tickets is not always a guarantee to help ticket sales of the show. Sincerely out of interest, Daniel, have you been offered free tickets to a show before? |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2016 22:01:06 GMT
I understand all that obviously, but as you even mentioned, giving out free tickets is not always a guarantee to help ticket sales of the show. Sincerely out of interest, Daniel, have you been offered free tickets to a show before? I have, a few times actually. I have accepted a discount before, such as a cheap deal at the box office, dayseats etc and obviously if the tickets are a gift or something... but the few times I have been offered a free ticket I have either turned it down or offered it to a friend. I just like paying to go to the theatre. Sorry about it. May sound stupid, may sound like insanity but still...  |
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Post by Phantom of London on Jun 14, 2016 22:08:07 GMT
I support theatre by the amount of times I attend, cheap tickets allow me to see more shows, there by given a little bit of support.
1 person won't stop a show from closing, but a cheap/ free seat spreads word of mouth. Papering normally happens in previews, to give the show a good base to build on.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2016 22:13:59 GMT
Please don't get me wrong, I have no issue with people using free tickets, it can be a good business venture and it is easier to get into shows with them. I will no doubt, in my life, accept a free ticket to a show I want to desperately see. You do you boo boo's. |
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Post by theatremadness on Jun 14, 2016 22:21:22 GMT
Sincerely out of interest, Daniel, have you been offered free tickets to a show before? I have, a few times actually. I have accepted a discount before, such as a cheap deal at the box office, dayseats etc and obviously if the tickets are a gift or something... but the few times I have been offered a free ticket I have either turned it down or offered it to a friend. I just like paying to go to the theatre. Sorry about it. May sound stupid, may sound like insanity but still... No need to apologise for anything, I wish I posses the will-power you do when offered free tickets!! |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2016 22:24:32 GMT
I have, a few times actually. I have accepted a discount before, such as a cheap deal at the box office, dayseats etc and obviously if the tickets are a gift or something... but the few times I have been offered a free ticket I have either turned it down or offered it to a friend. I just like paying to go to the theatre. Sorry about it. May sound stupid, may sound like insanity but still... No need to apologise for anything, I wish I posses the will-power you do when offered free tickets!! I'd also rather give a free ticket to a friend who say has never been to the theatre than use it myself so that they can have an amazing theatrical experience that they may of not had before and therefore may give them the will to want to go to the theatre again... which may again explain why it is a smart business venture! |
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Post by d'James on Jun 14, 2016 22:42:56 GMT
I have, a few times actually. I have accepted a discount before, such as a cheap deal at the box office, dayseats etc and obviously if the tickets are a gift or something... but the few times I have been offered a free ticket I have either turned it down or offered it to a friend. I just like paying to go to the theatre. Sorry about it. May sound stupid, may sound like insanity but still... No need to apologise for anything, I wish I posses the will-power you do when offered free tickets!! Ditto, not that I've ever been offered any. Anyway, two weeks until I see this show. Really looking forward to it. I've only been to the Theatre once before and enjoyed it. No idea what to expect of the music or anything. The only stuff I've heard of Maury Yeston's is mainly the soundtrack from Nine, of which there are lots of bits I like. Whenever I think of Titanic now, my first thoughts go to French and Saunders, so I'm desperately trying to get that out of my head. (I know the musical isn't based on the film.) |
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Post by groupbooker on Jun 15, 2016 19:56:58 GMT
I too have been offered free tickets to previews, this is for me along with other group bookers to decide if the show is for your groups. They may be free but I have to pay for the train fare up from Cornwall, a night in a Travelodge (NOT cheap) and return home next day. When I bring a group I also pay for my ticket to see the show again.
Also while on the Charing Cross site. Would the producers consider a live recording of the show or even a tour of the UK??
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2016 21:12:40 GMT
I do wonder if they could do a mini tour to say belfast, liverpool and Southampton. The Titanic cities. If this show can plan to play the massive american theatres (before it got cancelled) it could do larger venues here (although admittedly it would look lost)
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Post by freckles on Jun 16, 2016 9:09:40 GMT
I saw this yesterday - what a wonderful production! Whatever the failings of Charing Cross as a venue (I quite like it), it was incredible to see this show so up close. It could easily transfer to a larger house, everything about the production is of that quality and standard, yet I do like the intimacy that Charing Cross provides.
A flawless cast, and don't they work hard? The multi-role tracks did seems a little confusing and rushed at first (especially when the differnt classes of passengers were boarding) but as the show progressed I was impressed at how wonderfully subtley nuanced characters were created, in quite short scenes. They must all have become masters of the quick change, though I did feel a bit sorry for some of the men - I'm sure some of them had a complete costume change merely to come on and say "Very good, captain!" before dashing off again to change back to another character...
As others have said, knowing what is to come colours everything we see, and it is incredibly moving and sad. The sinking scenes portray gradual realisation of their predicament, which turns into cold acceptance and very real fear, much more moving than scenes of blind panic.
I got progressively more upset as Act 2 went on and was really moved. It's not often that a show really gets a hold of the emotions that intensely; it's a powerful feeling.
The musical numbers are strong, from individual songs and duets to the glorious choral numbers by the entire company. The only thing which I disliked was the singing of dialogue, which always grates a bit, here it was also inconsistant and therefore - to my mind - unnecessary.
It doesn't seem fair to single out any of the cast, they were all compelling and captivating.I think I could watch Niall Sheehy and Victoria Serra sing the phone book though. One question to anyone who has seen the show elsewhere; is it scripted with the multiple character tracks or was that a limitation of this particular cast?
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Post by mallardo on Jun 16, 2016 10:27:07 GMT
Re your last question, freckles, the original Broadway cast was HUGE so I presume every actor played one role.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 6:20:45 GMT
Are they upgrading for this? (If I buy a matinee bench ticket via Todaytix, am I likely to get a seat in the stalls?) Any help/advice appreciated.
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Post by Jonnyboy on Jun 17, 2016 7:09:13 GMT
Women and children will be upgraded first.
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Post by freckles on Jun 17, 2016 8:38:11 GMT
Are they upgrading for this? (If I buy a matinee bench ticket via Todaytix, am I likely to get a seat in the stalls?) Any help/advice appreciated. I don't think they will "officially" upgrade you, but if there are empty seats people seem to move around themselves. There was a bit of musical chairs at this week's Wednesday matinee, although the front stalls was pretty full. |
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