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.

Umm, perhaps there's a clue in the mention of "puppeteers" in the advert.

If you know anything about theatre, then the list of names involved in this show suggests it could be something quite special indeed. Mr Broadbent is the least of it.

But if you know little about the theatre, then this is what reviews in the newspapers are for.

But basically, YABU. Caveat emptor and all that. There is no false advertising and no attempt to trick you. That's a very full description of the people involved (whose work I know, and they are excellent).

I think I can 100% confirm that Phelim McDermot will
Not have been influenced by the popularity of the Muppets version in any of his artistic decisions,

Leaving after 20 mins was ridiculous (especially given the price of the tix). The reviews are pretty rave, Patrick Barlow and Phelim McD are funny, irreverent, really talented, but 'innovative'. So if you don't like adventurous theatre I am sure someone will be happy to buy your tix on eBay or Gumtree as I think it is pretty much sold out. But also check the theatre's returns policy.

But like the PP I wouldn't take a rash decision based on the view of your friends.

When the puppeteers are listed un the main description and it's referred to as "innovative" I think it's fair to expect, er, innovation and puppets.

Oh and it says expect the unexpected....
I have returned theatre tickets due to illness and they do resell them if they can.

People who don't want to be Confronted With Art are in the wrong place in a theatre.

Out of interest, what did you think the reworking would entail? If you can go with an open mind you might really enjoy it, and as you are staying overnight you can add in a few more certain activities - good meal, good luuvin etc.

It does mention puppeteers in the ad but it's one line.

It does mention it. YANBU to maybe disappointed even though it is on the add

YABVU to expect your money back. They haven't hidden the fact and it certainly isn't false advertising.

On second thoughts, YANBU. Try very hard to resell your tickets.

Making theatre, performing, and keeping audiences is hard enough work without narrow-minded grumpy people in the audience.

Stay away, OP.

I've just googled images from it and to say it a a puppet show is a HUGE over statement I think. It looks stunning. Tiny Tim looks like a puppet but definitely bit a muppet-type.

I think you'd be making a huge mistake by not going.

Definitely NOT muppet-type.

Erm...... Have no idea why people keep talking about the reviews? I didn't say I don't want to go because of the reviews, I said I don't want to go because I do not like puppets or puppetry and from the advert, I think I had no reason to suspect it was puppets. And for those saying, I should have googled/researched more, I booked the tickets before it opened so there were no reviews or photographs to be had. I accept that you always take a risk and I've been to my share of outstanding but also awful plays. I wouldn't have booked it if I known it is predominately a puppet show (& no I'm not taking my friends word for it - since they told me I have googled and researched it) I haven't booked to see warhorse either because I know it's got puppets in, it says so in all the advertising giving me the opportunity not to book it!

And although there is one line in the ad saying puppeteers - to be honest I thought that would be something to do with the ghost of Christmas future not Jim broadbent with plastic doll legs :(

YABU! Go, give it a chance.

Northern Lights also had puppets, playing the daemons - it was really good. As a pp said, it's not punch & judy.

It looks like it is played by real people with the children/Tiny Tim being puppets rather than children. You won't get your money back so if you hate puppets to the point of losing cash, don't go. If you don't wanna waste your money, go with an open mind.

And stop being a Pinnochioist