Theatre Fans

[Gill H]

Off to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child today. Booked a year ago for Peter's birthday present.

Managed to get £15 tickets in the nosebleed seats. Don't mind the height but hope the legroom is not too uncomfortable!

We're taking our Christmas theatre tokens into town with us and hope to book something else while we're in town (I avoid theatre agencies as I don't pay booking fees thank you!)

We will almost certainly book for Man of La Mancha (concert version at the Coliseum starring Kelsey Grammer, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Cassidy Janson). It's a show that is rarely done in the UK and I'm interested to see what it's like. It can't be worse than the dreadful concert version of Kismet we saw there - despite starring Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and Broadway favourite Faith Prince, it was dire. In fairness the cast knew it was dire too, that's how Michael Ball and Alfie Boe became friends!

So once we've got that booked - how to choose between Waitress, 9 to 5 and Come From Away? Want to see them all!

[DisneyDaffodil]

Originally Posted by Gill H

Off to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child today. Booked a year ago for Peter's birthday present.

Managed to get £15 tickets in the nosebleed seats. Don't mind the height but hope the legroom is not too uncomfortable!

We're taking our Christmas theatre tokens into town with us and hope to book something else while we're in town (I avoid theatre agencies as I don't pay booking fees thank you!)

We will almost certainly book for Man of La Mancha (concert version at the Coliseum starring Kelsey Grammer, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Cassidy Janson). It's a show that is rarely done in the UK and I'm interested to see what it's like. It can't be worse than the dreadful concert version of Kismet we saw there - despite starring Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and Broadway favourite Faith Prince, it was dire. In fairness the cast knew it was dire too, that's how Michael Ball and Alfie Boe became friends!

So once we've got that booked - how to choose between Waitress, 9 to 5 and Come From Away? Want to see them all!

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Hope you had a great time at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I never mind being in the "cheap" seats and high up, it deosn't spoil the experience for me at all. In fact, I prefer it to being too close to the stage, as I find that makes my neck ache as you have to look up at the stage.

[laurac1988]

Saw Come From Away a few weeks back. What an emotional rollercoaster! I laughed more than I thought possible for a musical with that subject matter.

[Gill H]

We ended up booking for Man of La Mancha (£15 each and we used a £20 theatre token) and Six (£18 each and we used the other £20 theatre token)!

Will def see Come From Away at some point though.

As for Cursed Child (no spoilers!) ... the cheap seat tactic backfired on me. I was squeezed into a corner seat and literally could not sit down. Those seats are Flitwick size rather than Hagrid size. Fortunately I could stand without blocking anyone’s view, so I stood for the first act. A lovely usher then moved me to an ‘accessible seat for people with, um, issues’ which was one of those seats the ushers use. Dress circle, perfect view. OK, so Peter was still up in the balcony but at least he now had a bit of leg room.

As for the play - very good, particularly the effects, but both parts could have done with trimming. It could have been three 1-hour acts with two intervals, I think.

The storyline was good although nothing really new - it relied very heavily on a plot device which gets over-used. I enjoyed getting to know the new generation of students and seeing what Harry and co were like as adults. Oh, and I’m surprised there is any scenery left as Harry chewed most of it!

Best line was when a character described Hermione’s school career as ‘moderate to average’ to indignant gasps from the audience!

If you are going, allow at least an hour just to get in the building! There was a huge queue just to pick up tickets, and you need to have your order reference and payment card out ready, they really hustle you through. Then the queue to get in was literally circling the theatre. Not only is your bag searched but you have to do an airport style ‘arms out’ pose and be brushed down with the electronic thingy.

I would not recommend it for younger children. It is very dark, literally and figuratively, and often very loud. We heard a poor kid who gently whimpered through the whole first act.

If you are at all a Potter fan though, it is definitely worth a watch.

[Scaramouche]

Originally Posted by Gill H

We ended up booking for Man of La Mancha (£15 each and we used a £20 theatre token) and Six (£18 each and we used the other £20 theatre token)!

Will def see Come From Away at some point though.

As for Cursed Child (no spoilers!) ... the cheap seat tactic backfired on me. I was squeezed into a corner seat and literally could not sit down. Those seats are Flitwick size rather than Hagrid size. Fortunately I could stand without blocking anyone’s view, so I stood for the first act. A lovely usher then moved me to an ‘accessible seat for people with, um, issues’ which was one of those seats the ushers use. Dress circle, perfect view. OK, so Peter was still up in the balcony but at least he now had a bit of leg room.

As for the play - very good, particularly the effects, but both parts could have done with trimming. It could have been three 1-hour acts with two intervals, I think.

The storyline was good although nothing really new - it relied very heavily on a plot device which gets over-used. I enjoyed getting to know the new generation of students and seeing what Harry and co were like as adults. Oh, and I’m surprised there is any scenery left as Harry chewed most of it!

Best line was when a character described Hermione’s school career as ‘moderate to average’ to indignant gasps from the audience!

If you are going, allow at least an hour just to get in the building! There was a huge queue just to pick up tickets, and you need to have your order reference and payment card out ready, they really hustle you through. Then the queue to get in was literally circling the theatre. Not only is your bag searched but you have to do an airport style ‘arms out’ pose and be brushed down with the electronic thingy.

I would not recommend it for younger children. It is very dark, literally and figuratively, and often very loud. We heard a poor kid who gently whimpered through the whole first act.

If you are at all a Potter fan though, it is definitely worth a watch.

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I have to disagree, we absolutely could have sat through a third part at 2hrs40 lol.

If you book your tickets online, you will get them through the post which thankfully saves the box office queue though these are common in all theatres, ours is often down the road!

I want to see Six let us know how it is!

We’re seeing Jamie again next week in the cinema, though probably going to get tickets for London again in June when we go up and then not sure what for the matinee.

I’m just blocking out the next 4 weeks of work as I’m not really interested in any of it! Roll on April/June/July!

[Gill H]

I booked my tickets on line and opted for picking up at box office as we usually do. There is never a queue at other theatres when we do that though, and certainly not one that hustles you!

[Ds4ljs]

Going to see HP in May so hoping tickets come through soon 😀

[Scaramouche]

Originally Posted by Ds4ljs

Going to see HP in May so hoping tickets come through soon 😀

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Should be within 2 weeks of the date you are seeing, could be only 5 days though

[Ninja]

Love going to the theatre, especially musicals, seen Mamma Mia umpteen times, Phantom, Wicked, Hairspray, The Band, Priscilla, Lion King can't think of what else off the top of my head

Going to watch Motown tomorrow afternoon with my Mum, I bought the tickets for her 8oth

[DisneyDaffodil]

Originally Posted by Ninja

Love going to the theatre, especially musicals, seen Mamma Mia umpteen times, Phantom, Wicked, Hairspray, The Band, Priscilla, Lion King can't think of what else off the top of my head

Going to watch Motown tomorrow afternoon with my Mum, I bought the tickets for her 8oth

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Hope both you and your mum have a great time 😀