To be bloody annoyed and want my money back

[Effic]

For my partner's Christmas present, I booked tickets for A Christmas carol in London. He loves the story and Jim Broadbent so when we saw the advert below, it seemed perfect. As we live far away from London, this also entails an overnight stay so this is an expensive present! So......my friends who live in London went to see it and I've just found out. it's predominately a bloody puppet show!! I'm so bloody annoyed. I don't want to see a bloody puppet show. It does mention puppeteers in the ad but it's one line. No clue IMO that it's the entire bloody show - even broadbent is half man half puppet. My friends left after 20 mins!
So AIBU to want my money back? I think it is very unfair. I don't think it's at all clear this is the case. I think it's almost false advertising? Or should I have realised from the ad?

This is the ad .......


EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. BUT DON’T MISS IT!

Academy Award® winning actor Jim Broadbent makes his long-awaited return to the stage to play Scrooge in a new comic re-telling of A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens’ classic story of greed, grief, ghoulish ghosts and eleventh hour redemption. Broadbent will be joined by Adeel Akhtar (Four Lions, Hamlet Young Vic), Amelia Bullmore (The Norman Conquests Old Vic, Scott & Bailey), Keir Charles (The White Devil RSC, Mydidae Soho Theatre) and Samantha Spiro (Hello Dolly Open Air Theatre, Bad Education). Puppeteers Jack Parker and Kim Scopes complete the ensemble.

From Scrooge and Tiny Tim to Bob Cratchit and Mr. Fezziwig, Patrick Barlow’s imaginative adaptation of A Christmas Carol will bring some of Dickens’ most memorable characters to life.

Coming together to create this innovative new work are some of our most loved and mischievous maverick theatre-makers. The play is written by the Olivier Award-winning and Tony nominated Patrick Barlow (The 39 Steps) with whom Jim Broadbent performed for many years in Barlow’s cult comedy troupe The National Theatre of Brent. A Christmas Carol is directed by Olivier Award-winning Phelim McDermott, Artistic Director of Improbable, one of Britain’s most inventive theatre companies, and who was responsible for the iconic 1998 production of Shockheaded Peter. McDermott also directed Theatre of Blood at the National Theatre in which Broadbent last appeared on stage.
Age recommendation: The producers have given a guidance age of 10 plus but if you feel your children are mature enough to enjoy the production and not be frightened by the storyline and the characters featured in A Christmas Carol, then ultimately it is your decision.

[Sparklycat]

Go and give it a try, it won't be a Punch and Judy type puppet show. Puppets in theatre are so well done nowadays. You may love it even if your friends didn't. The box office won't refund your tickets anyway so you might as well.

[Seeyounearertime]

www.achristmascaroltheplay.com

In the gallery there are very few puppets?
Are you sire your friends weren't over reacting slightly?

[UndramaticPause]

War Horse is done with puppets - an amazing piece of theatre

Avenue Q is also puppets. Probably best you avoid that one.

[catfordbetty]

I agree, you won't get your money back so go ... with an open mind! Also, since you're up in The Smoke, do some other fun things: lots of free galleries and museums to choose from for example. It could still be a memorable trip.

[Mmmmcake123]

There does seem to be a huge trend for puppets at the moment, sometimes very good and sometimes very poor!
I would give it a go as often the puppets really add to shows. Leaving after 20mins really doesn't give the show a chance to build up any momentum IMO.

[RideEmCowgirl]

How do they know it was only puppets if they left after 20min?

Wizard of Oz was black and white for the first half hr and then burst intocolour

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

Give it a go.

Your friends left after 20,as you say. 20 minutes is not enough time to say what the whole play will be like imo,not when it comes to how much of it will puppetry

[LaurieFairyCake]

I've seen the adverts on the underground and had no clue there are puppets involved - I hate puppets too and would really hate it

I hate war horse, I hate puppets. I like acting and shit.

I love Jim Broadbent.

Maybe it's been done this way because so many like the Muppets Christmas Carol? It's loads of people's favourite
I like the Patrick Stewart version best.

[Griphook]

I hate war horse me too. I really don't get why people rave about it. I was willing the horse to die

[catfordbetty]

I was willing the horse to die

[possiblefutures]

Bloody horses. And puppets.

[MirandaGoshawk]

I've read several reviews of this & hadn't realised there were puppets either. I get the impression that if you're expecting the usual version of A Christmas Carol then you're likely to be disappointed, but for people prepared to be open-minded then it's a fresh take on the story and is very good. So in your shoes, I'd go! But I like the short story best. It's really creepy & a perfect (and short!) read for this time of year.

[DeltaZeta]

You haven't even seen it yet and you want your money back? Blood hell, OP give it a try first. It has generally favourable reviews.

[MazzleDazzle]

Phone and ask?

We've booked tickets for a show before and it turned out to be puppets. I was fecking raging! It was absolutely awful. Completely understand your disappointment. It should make it clear in the advertisement, which is doesn't.

You could also read some reviews? Though the show we went to see came highly recommended .

If you do go, prob best to forward your husband.

[TheWitTank]

My parents went and absolutely loved it. I would go personally. Your friends hating it doesn't mean you will, make your own mind up.

[MazzleDazzle]

forewarn

[balletgirlmum]

From looking at the gallery it appears that puppets are used in the show but the majority looks like live actors.

[eastwest]

I sympathise with you actually. Sometimes, especially at Christmas, people just want something cosy and familiar and don't want to be Confronted With Art :) I would not have realised from that description that it was all puppets (although I would have researched a lot more online before buying the tickets). You could try asking for a refund - you never know.

[BatsUpMyNightie]

God yes Laurie - I hate puppets. I hate War Horse and I've never even seen it. I fucking hate clowns too. I hate those stupid human statues without which no square in London is complete. I really hate puppets. And I hate people dressed up as chickens/dinosaurs/blobby the fucking blob as part of some promotional shit or other.

[ladymariner]

My friend went to see it, she said it was great. Id give it a go, you never know, you might just enjoy it

[CakeNinja]

They can't possibly know it was predominantly a puppet show if they left after 20 minutes though can they?
I mean, is the show only half an hour long?

[Riderontheswarm]

I would not be happy with that either. If tickets are selling well they may give you your money back. It can't hurt to try.

[Dipankrispaneven]

Frankly, your friends were idiots to leave after only 20 minutes, and you would be equally idiotic to make decisions based on their assessment.

[ifyoulikepinacolada]

I've just googled it. I'm afraid you are being completely unreasonable.

[PatriciaHolm]

It's got some excellent reviews. Perhaps you should try being a little more open minded?

www.radiotimes.com/offers/travel/news/2015-12-11/this-week-in-the-west-end-jim-broadbent-is-a-delightful-scrooge-in-a-christmas-carol

www.londontheatre.co.uk/londontheatre/reviews/achristmascarol15.htm

www.mugglenet.com/2015/12/theater-review-christmas-carol-starring-jim-broadbent/


www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/reviews/a-christmas-carol-noel-coward-theatre-jim-broadbent_39318.html