Page 6 | Theatres

VinoBianca · 2021-12-15T21:04:57+00:00

I have three theatre shows booked this month. How are these still being allowed to go ahead? They're all fully booked venues, no distancing. I think I'm too anxious to go but it was a real investment for the kids and the loss of the money is really hard to take. Im torn about this because if they're going ahead surely the powers that be consider this to be a risk that's potentially fine to take? Basically I'm confused by the messaging and rubbish at making a decision

MajorCarolDanvers · 16/12/2021 19:23

I was in the theatre last night for a pantomime. There was very good mask compliance. I was quite happy to go. There were almost no spare seats so clearly few drop outs.

It was great.

gogohm · 16/12/2021 19:34

I've been multiple times to the theatre this autumn and rates were higher here than now, I didn't catch covid despite no masks

Babamamananarama · 16/12/2021 19:38

Theatres are being left absolutely up shit creek. They have no insurance for having to cancel shows, which happens when cast/crew go down with Covid. They can't just shut as they will still be liable for huge wage bills. There is no government help at all. Some of the smaller companies are cancelling their own shows at a loss to themselves. It's a total shit show and people in the industry are in an impossible position.

Stircrazyschoolmum · 16/12/2021 19:44

Does anyone know the best way to get last minute theatre tickets these days? I’d happily support the theatres over Christmas but £100 plus a ticket is outside my price range. Seems daft the seats are sitting empty…

Tealightsandd · 16/12/2021 19:58

@Stircrazyschoolmum
Try the theatre's own website. For example you can get Phantom tickets London West End for this week. Tickets £22.50.

Tealightsandd · 16/12/2021 20:03

I always try to use the official website. I know some of the others are genuine sellers but be careful of potential scams.

Thewiseoneincognito · 16/12/2021 20:06

@Babamamananarama

Theatres are being left absolutely up shit creek. They have no insurance for having to cancel shows, which happens when cast/crew go down with Covid. They can't just shut as they will still be liable for huge wage bills. There is no government help at all. Some of the smaller companies are cancelling their own shows at a loss to themselves. It's a total shit show and people in the industry are in an impossible position.

THIS

The West End will be bankrupt soon enough without government support.

MadeOfStarStuff · 16/12/2021 20:17

I’ve been to several shows in the last 2 months and loved all of them, it’s so nice to be back in the theatre. Mask compliance is better now than it was in October in my experience. Yes it’s a risk, but imo it’s worth it.

But I’m seeing more and more shows having to cancel some performances due to sickness in the cast and crew.

few theatres can afford to open if they have to have social distancing in place, it just doesn’t cover their costs with so few ticket sales.

Stircrazyschoolmum · 16/12/2021 20:29

@Tealightsandd thank you, good idea, I might even ring the box office. We live in zone 2 so v easy to pop in and I’d like anything we spent to directly benefit the theatre.

dancinfeet · 16/12/2021 20:48

There is a risk of catching omicron wherever you go right now, the shops, the bus, the train, a cafe or anywhere that there are other people.
For me, going to the theatre is something I enjoy, and my daughter is in a professional show right now which I have been to see several times in the last few weeks. I don’t however have any plans to go to the cinema, pub, restaurants, parties or meet-ups with anyone apart from one friend, and I would understand if she opted to cancel (though it’s likely she won’t). I don’t have elderly or vulnerable relatives that I will be seeing over Christmas , so yes I will go to the theatre and wear a mask- as long as I get to see my daughter perform. If the government mandate that theatres must close then fair enough, but until then, I will support the theatre industry by attending shows when I can.

Popetthetreehugger · 16/12/2021 20:59

We were at the theatre last night , all had to show covid passports . All wore masks on tube and theatre . I’m in school with 1500 kids , safer watching a show ! Go , enjoy !

Pl242 · 18/12/2021 17:16

Have decided not to go to a planned theatre trip next week. I feel it’s not worth the risk of catching it with current rates, particularly as I would be with my 5yo child who is unvaccinated and wouldn’t be wearing a mask. Part of this is to ensure we can safely see older relatives on Christmas Day. The other is that I don’t want to contribute to case rise and passing it on even if we got it (odds are we would be fine, but this level
Of cases is bad for us all overall).

Feel really badly for the theatres. I asked for a credit note over the option of a refund so hopefully at least not impacting their current cash flow.

PurpleFlower1983 · 18/12/2021 22:34

We’re in two minds about the panto on Wednesday, on one hand we would love to go and support theatre as we have at several shows in the last few months, but on the other we have a 90 year old relative and my immuno compromised mum coming for Christmas Day. We felt our London show being cancelled was a sign but don’t know what to do about this one!

mrshoho · 18/12/2021 22:43

britishtheatre.com/theatre-cancellations-around-uk-covid-19/

I'd keep checking as there's a domino effect taking place in our theatres right now. Terrible.

DanglingMod · 18/12/2021 22:50

That list, though! A proper epidemic. It's obviously so transmissible amongst a tight knit cast

Newnormal99 · 18/12/2021 22:59

We were at the theatre tonight and it looked pretty much full. Coven garden and Leicester Square also rammed full of people.

Comefromaway · 18/12/2021 23:23

@Newnormal99

We were at the theatre tonight and it looked pretty much full. Coven garden and Leicester Square also rammed full of people.

The shows that were on were probably even more full as people from cancelled shows would be trying to book something else.

Sunflowers765 · 18/12/2021 23:29

We went to pantomime in Bristol 2 weeks ago. ( before omicron was much of a thing) Packed to the gunnels almost no mask wearing in spite of frequent announcements. Everyone singing and laughing and shouting! I thought if we don't get it from this it'll be a miracle. I wouldn't have gone if I'd known ( thought it might be a bit more social distance and masks) I certainly wouldn't go now with the way the rates are going up.

Gertie75 · 18/12/2021 23:33

We've been to the pantomime this evening it's a small local theatre with just over 400 seats, the back 3 or 4 rows were empty but other than that it was full.

I was quite surprised at how many weren't wearing masks including a few of the staff and a lot of other people gradually removed theirs throughout the show, they slid them to under their noses or removed them to drink and didn't put them back on.

There was a lot of the usual audience participation, shouting and singing etc that goes on so it was an ideal place for the virus to spread.

Dh and I have had our boosters and we're not planning to visit anyone over Christmas so it's no big deal if we did happen to catch it.

WheelieBinPrincess · 19/12/2021 07:16

@Sunflowers765

We went to pantomime in Bristol 2 weeks ago. ( before omicron was much of a thing) Packed to the gunnels almost no mask wearing in spite of frequent announcements. Everyone singing and laughing and shouting! I thought if we don't get it from this it'll be a miracle. I wouldn't have gone if I'd known ( thought it might be a bit more social distance and masks) I certainly wouldn't go now with the way the rates are going up.

Singing and laughing and shouting? At a pantomime

For shame!

Pinkflipflop85 · 19/12/2021 07:20

The decision will probably be taken out of your hands.

I've had 3 shows cancelled this week 😔

FilterFrog · 19/12/2021 08:33

That list :-(
We went to Mary Poppins last night. We bought tickets in the morning and there was lots of availability. It was almost full at the performance so obviously lots of other people made a last minute choice to go too, probably due to so many shows being cancelled.
I hope that when other productions reopen they get a similar influx of last minute audiences whilst they still can. I’m planning on going again for sure.

FabricedeSauveterre · 19/12/2021 09:40

We went to Frozen last night. Got last minute cheap tickets as there’s been so many cancellations. It was rammed. I felt ok in the theatre initially then realised everyone takes their masks off in the interval to eat ice cream! The family next to us left half way through and I wondered if it was because of Covid worries.

I was shocked on the tube and train how many didn’t have masks on. There were lots of big groups of teens and 20 somethings going for nights out with no masks, drinking on the train. On the bus a few solitary 30s-40s men with no masks, one of whom was coughing. Wanted to get a taxi back to the mainline station but none to be found and then when we got to the station two trains had been cancelled due to driver shortages and so packed in again.

However most of us in the family have had Covid, no elderly relatives to see at Xmas. I’m unsure if my youngest daughter has had it but I kind of just want her to get it and get it over with if not after lots of periods of isolation and would be easier now than in January and missing school. I think last night will certainly be the test!

Thewiseoneincognito · 19/12/2021 09:46

@FabricedeSauveterre theatres sound utterly horrendous at the moment, as you said no one keeps their masks on and the auditorium is often stuffy, gross it makes me wretch just thinking about it. Hopefully you manage to dodge the Omicron risks, as you said it’s so difficult to avoid when it’s so easy for it to spread and we provide opportunities.