Panto - arrive 90 minutes before start?!

[PissyMum]

I’ve just looked at my tickets for the pantomime at my local theatre as I wanted to write the date/ time on my calendar. The performance starts at 7pm but the arrival time is 5.30! It states that you need to arrive at the arrival time and if you miss your entry slot you are unlikely to be allowed to access your seats until the interval.

AIBU to think this is crazy? I’m guessing this will also mean they’ll stagger people leaving too meaning we’ll be say there even longer. I’ve got young kids and the panto is the only thing I stand a chance of getting them to focus on as it’s short and aimed at kids. Pantomimes are aimed at young families. I bought the more expensive tickets as I wanted us to have good seats near the front but I wouldn’t have bothered if I knew it would mean an extra 90 minutes sitting there.

Is this standard for all shows now? It’s only a smallish theatre in a town, it’s hardly a massive West End show.

We went to the theatre a couple of weeks ago and had similar. Quite ridiculous when they didn't stagger it on the way out!

I would take it with a pinch of salt. I went to a massive theatre recently to watch a show aimed at kids, and they asked us to arrive 90mins before. We ignored it and arrived about 25 mins before curtain up as we would normally and it was fine. They're just trying to spread people out, but 90 mins is unreasonable, specially if you have young children to entertain. They won't refuse you admission unless you're actually late for the curtain.

I’m going to see a show on 3/12 and I’ve had my email to say our entry slot is also 5.30pm for a 7pm start. I’m honestly considering not going now as I think it’ll be awful sitting for an hour and half. I’ve enquired and we have to be in our seats, can access the bar but take drinks to seat.

This is ridiculous! I wonder if they're planning to enforce it.

I'm going to a conference on Sunday and the tickets say to arrive no later than 30 minutes before the starting time, and even that I find OTT enough (smallish venue, so how long do they realistically need to check Covid passes?)

@TotheletterofthelawTHELETTER

I’m going to see a show on 3/12 and I’ve had my email to say our entry slot is also 5.30pm for a 7pm start. I’m honestly considering not going now as I think it’ll be awful sitting for an hour and half. I’ve enquired and we have to be in our seats, can access the bar but take drinks to seat.

Ignore 5.30pm, go to the show. I arrive 5 - 30 minutes before the start time regardless of what the ticket says, and haven't had a problem getting in yet.

It’s very definitely 17.30 arrival time. I’m going to ignore it and get there 15 minutes beforehand like I usually do. It’s our Christmas tradition to walk along the beach, have dinner at a restaurant and then go to the pantomime. I’m not sitting there for an extra 90 minutes, I’d genuinely rather not go at all.

It’s Torquay theatre, btw

Torquay is an ATG venue - sounds like it's part of their covid risk assessment but does sound excessive!

@PissyMum

It’s Torquay theatre, btw

Sounds Basil Fawtyish !

I had something similar at our local theatre - arrived the usual 15 minutes before curtain up & it was fine.

That’s bonkers! I’d still be feeding the kids at 5.30!

I was at an ATG theatre last night. Arrival was from 6.15 for a 7pm start and we arrived about 6.45. There were no problems at all and plenty of people arrived after us.

That sounds unpleasant and with kids I wouldn’t comply. Possibly with husband if we could have a drink at the bar.

But the point I suppose is if they’re checking covid passes, everyone turning up at 7.20 would be a disaster

I saw Come From Away a couple of weeks ago and they told me to arrive like an hour early, which I duly did. No-one else was there until about 15 minutes before the start time, so subsequently when I've been to the theatre I've got there at usual time and I haven't had any issues. I'm not sure how you're supposed to keep young children entertained in their seats for 90 minutes.

I can see that it would be difficult for venues which normally don't check you in to have to allow extra time for checking Covid passes, but at the theatre I've already got my phone out to show them my tickets - it only takes an extra fifteen seconds to switch apps and show them my Covid pass.

And I'm guessing that they are going to let the children in without passes so that'll be quicker than it would be for an adult show where they have to check everyone.
Making all the kids do LFTs would explain a 90 minute arrival time, but surely that's insane.

My friend works for an ATG theatre and when I saw him the other day he said they do check COVID pass/LFT results before they let you in. Unlike Delfont Mackintosh who had someone outside Dear Evan Hansen on Monday night saying have you got your COVID pass but not actually checking them. They said to arrive an hour early, I ignored it and it was fine. There was a queue to get in, because they won't let you just turn up and walk through any door. So it all rather defeated the object.

We saw something at an ATG venue recently and there was no mention of staggered arrival times. I even had to download my covid pass again as I stood in front of the guy checking because something had gone wrong and there were no issues getting in 🤷‍♀️

What the actual fuck is the point of staggering entry times over a period of 90 minutes when you will all be sitting next to each other for two hours and mingling at the intermission? 🙄

That's nuts. It's bad enough sitting down for the length of the show let alone a pre-show wait.

DD is going to the theatre this weekend and has been told that their seating time is one hour before the performance starts.

I assume that they don't want people squeezing past those already seated to get to their place. Also depending on the size of the foyer maybe they want to avoid it being crowded.

What is the point of it?

@DaisyNGO

What is the point of it?

Think they are staggering entrance times so there will be several different times you could be allocated

live but that actually gives more time and opportunity for covid to spread.

The cynic in me says they will use the time to sell or advertise stuff.

There’s no point doing it unless they are also staggering the interval so that everyone isn’t squashed together queueing for the loo/ bar and staggering the leaving times so everyone doesn’t pile out at the same time. I can understand everything taking a bit longer due to checking Covid passes but tbh everywhere that I’ve been so far that has required a Covid pass has just asked if you’ve got one, told you to have it ready on your phone to be checked and then not checked it. Even flying back from holiday a couple of weeks ago our Covid tests weren’t checked at any point on return.

We had the same for a west end ATG theatre recently. Had to enter 1 hour before. Seemed a bit over the top.

YANBU. That's batshit.