The demise of the Box Office?

Okay - in this day and age of open and honest communication I need to declare an interest in this subject. Having spent many a happy year working in various box offices, it’s a subject close to my heart.


This week The Society of London Theatre has just published findings showing that, since 2003, online ticket sales have increased from 17% to nearly 50%.

So what is it like to actually book online and how are theatre owners and producers meeting this huge demand? Well, like anything, it’s a bit hit and miss.

Would you go into a clothes shop and buy the first shirt on the rack, regardless of size, colour, etc? No, but for many online box office services, this is exactly what you get. No chance to pick the seats you want - instead you are allocated 'best available'. Interesting, though, is how some theatre owners define ‘best available’. Most people would go for a central view first over a seat at the extreme edge of the row but, for one of the major players in the West End, their 'best available' default is to sell from left to right across the row; so if you want central it’s worth opening up multiple windows and requesting several seats until the system gets to the central seats. Another major west end operator also has some interesting definitions on its seating - restricted views have now been replaced by the phrase ‘side view’. Perhaps more likely to sell but not likely to encourage return visits once you find the 'side view' actually means you miss 50% of the action.


Some theatres of course allow you to pick your own seats from a live seating plan and, on the whole, this is a much more customer-friendly system. No more getting side seats when two prime seats are waiting to be snapped up by someone who just happens to book later than you. It’s also a good bargain hunter - do you really want to pay £10 a head more when the row behind is cheaper? There are some problems with some of these systems, however; a couple of theatres have some price sections where there are only three seats in a row at that price, try and book two of them and it wont let you. Now, while single seats left over is the bane of box office staff's life, groups of three are not that common.

The worst system of all is thankfully only operated now by a couple of ticket agents. Here, you don’t get to choose your seats, nor does the system allocate you seat numbers. Instead, you get a message telling you that you will be allocated specific seat numbers when collecting your tickets. Now, are you really going to risk that to find that you have been allocated the restricted view seats?

So, if the customers are now doing most of the work themselves, when are theatres going to pass on some of the savings and reduce booking fees, etc? While some venues waive booking fees for online sales, many still charge a booking or service fee and possibly also a postage and handling fee. Are they really trying to say that the costs for online bookings are the same for a staffed box office?

More importantly, if online sales continue, what is the future of venue-based box office staff? With increasing sales, will the box office clerk soon be replaced by a computer terminal? It's happening now at cinemas and rail stations and for many theatre ticket collections so how long before this is extended? Having clerks sitting in a theatre from 10-8pm 6 days a week isn’t cheap and I'm sure some producer is already wondering how they can save this overhead. I'm not for one minute suggesting that box office clerks are replaced but I'm sure some accountant is wondering if they can get away with it.

From a producers viewpoint the convenience of 24-hour booking via the intranet is certainly a plus but, from a marketing view, it can also be a poison chalice. How many times can a theatre advertise 'hurry and book now as this show is virtually sold out' when customers can go online, access the seating plan and see row, after row, after row of empty seats.

So, yes, half of all theatre tickets may now be booked online and this figure is sure to rise but theatres and producers need to embrace new technology to keep one step ahead of the ever more demanding customer.

Enjoy - Theatre Royal Norwich

When first produced Alan Bennett's Enjoy was a rare flop. It marched back into the West End last year with a record breaking advance but still received what can best be described as 'mixed' reviews from the National Press. Many of the critics seemed to take issue with the fact that for them this wasn’t a traditional Bennett play - as if he was bound by some contract to only write in a certain prescribed style.

Now on a National tour, thankfully audiences are once again proving the critics wrong.

Set in 1980s Leeds, Bennett’s home town, Connie and Wilf are about to be moved from their soon to be demolished family home into a modern maisonette.

As residents of the city's last back-to-back properties there is interest in documenting their lifestyle, and so they are sent a silent observer to witness and record their everyday lives.

What the observer realises however is far from ordinary, here are a couple, married for 30 years but silently falling apart. Connie is slowly loosing her memory and her mind and Wilf is racked with pain after a hit and run accident. What is on the surface a happy marriage is on closer examination rockier than either would care to admit hiding a history of violence and sexual frustration. Matters aren't helped by Connie’s fast vanishing memory and her inability to remember where her long lost son and wayward daughter are. Daughter Linda returns home with her issues and the prodigal son returns in an unexpected manner.

Will the couple move to the new house and will their marriage survive the move.

As ever with Alan Bennett this is a play that mixes hilarious, wonderfully observed humour one minute with heart-renching sadness the next. The plays ending is both moving and sinister and is one reason perhaps the critics have been divided.

Alongside Bennett's wonderful writing, this production excels with two outstanding central performances, David Troughton's seething pot of anger that is Wilf and Alison Steadman's increasingly frail and vulnerable Connie. Both command the stage with highly detailed and multi layered performances.



Despite what some critics say this is classic Bennett and this production restores this script to its rightful place as a star in the British Theatrical annals.

Ordinary Days - Sir John Mills Theatre Ipswich

Gallery Players have long had a tradition of presenting new work and with Adam Gwon's musical Ordinary Days they manage to trump the National Theatre.


Adam Gwon is one of America's up and coming musical composers and if this piece is anything to go by is surely a front runner to succeed Stephen Sondheim when the Maestro finally puts down his manuscripts.

Set in New York this chamber musical follows the lives of four thirty-somethings going about their daily routine in the big city. The show may be titled ordinary days but this is anything but ordinary - this charming, moving and incredibly witty show is packed from start to finish with beautifully crafted songs, at first seeming unlinked but as they progress developing into an interlinking narrative involving all four characters.

There are echoes of Sondheim here but also Jonathon Larson and Avenue Q's Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx but mixed with a unique sound.

Director Steve Wooldridge draws out the humour but also the multi layered hopes, fears and dreams of these New Yorkers.

While the score is outstanding, it of course needs a cast to perform it and Phil Kinsella, Clare Dungey, Steve Watts and Helen Wheatley all step up to the mark and deliver spot on performances.

The musical arrangement for Piano, Cello and Guitar works well in such an intimate space, managing to underscore when necessary then belt it out as required.

The one minor niggle of the evening would be a few issues with some uninspired lighting and blackspots but these are minor concerns in a thoroughly impressive production.

You may not have heard of the show before but why not catch it now and then be able to say you where there when it becomes a major hit. Oh and the reference to the National Theatre - apparently there are plans for the National Theatre to present Ordinary Days in the future.

Frankie & Johnny In The Clair De Lune - New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich

Its 3am in the morning and two middle aged work colleagues have stumbled into bed together in a small, cramped New York apartment. Diner cook Johnny has fallen in love with waitress Frankie but she is more cautious, not even sure she wants to see him again. As dawn slowly breaks will their love blossom or will the cold light of a Manhattan dawn kill any chance of happiness?


So follows the premise of Terrence McNally’s Frankie & Johnny in the Clair De Lune (the latter part of the title dropped for the screen adaptation), just arrived at the New Wolsey as part of a major national tour by Middle Ground Theatre Company.

In what has been headline-grabbing casting, Hollywood actress Kelly McGillis, famous for her roles in Top Gun and Rolf Saxon (Mission Impossible and Entrapment) battle their way through the early hours pillow talk. Headlines helped by the extensive nudity at the start of the show - no Graduate half light here!

It says much about the skills of both actors that any film credits are forgotten as they create beautifully detailed and believable characters. The chemistry between both is evident throughout, making the burgeoning relationship totally believable.

Director Michael Lunney directs with pace and utilises every inch of his evocative and detailed set.

Some of the New York specific comedy may be lost on a UK audience and perhaps the second act lacks some of the pace of the first but this is still a wonderful examination of the early stages of romance. Not one for the children with full frontal nudity and ‘adult’ language but for those willing to spend the night a heart-warming evening.

Happy Birthday Maestro

Today sees the birthday of the greatest musical theatre composer of his time. Over the years he was redefined the landscape of Broadway and the West End and has reinvented the genre. His songs have become instant classics and his scores admired by those outside of theatre. This year he is being celebrated by shows being staged on both sides of the Atlantic and a series of concerts featuring his back catalogue.

And while  Andrew Lloyd Webber may also be blowing out his birthday candles today, I am in fact talking about the Maestro himself Stephen Sondheim, who today celebrates his 80th Birthday.

 

Winner of an Oscar, Eight more Tony awards than any other composer, Grammy's and a Pulitzer prize Sondheim is one of those rare critical and public acclaimed authors. Having worked with the greats such as Hammerstein and Leonard Bernstein Sondheim now mentors young writers and is still turning out new work.

In tribute to a true living legend my top ten Sondheim scores:

1. Company
2. Sunday In The Park With George
3. Passion
4. A Little Night Music
5. Into The Woods
6. Gypsy
7. West Side Story
8. Assassins
9. Sweeny Todd
10. Anyone Can Whistle

 

Noises off - grumpy in the stalls

Why is it that I now seem to remember a production or venue more for the fellow audience members than for any artistic endeavours onstage?

Now audience etiquette does evolve and bad behaviour is by no means limited to theatres - just don’t get me started on cinema audiences but I do wonder why some people splash out on tickets when they have no interest on what is going on onstage.

To avoid any potential lawsuits I wont name the theatres involved but all the below are genuine experiences over the last year.

• Quote from the second row "It’s nice to see you are suitably attired for the theatre, why don’t people wear evening dress anymore"
• Mother and son eating their Big Mac Meal in the auditorium during the show (craftily trying to hide the Mcdonalds bag in her handbag)
• Quote during the interval "I'm going to stop supporting this theatre if they continue to sell tickets to foreigners"
• The running commentary from the row behind
• People who sit at the end of the row as soon as the doors open and then complain when you want to get past them to your seat
• Heckling/joining in - seems to be a new trend with musicals especially

And of course the now common trend of watching the glow of mobile phone/blackberry screens throughout the auditorium as people text throughout the show -obviously such important messages that cant wait until the interval.

There are even some theatres where you go expecting to have to battle the audience. One local theatre is renowned for their 'evil' audience who will literally shove you out of the way and look down their nose at you for daring to be in 'their' theatre while another will openly complain if you dare to want to leave your seat in the interval. It is also fun to eavesdrop on the one-up-manship at another as the worthy extol how much they support the arts then go on to say the last production they saw was The Sound of Music 8 years ago.

Theatres constantly strive to attract new audiences but both new and old need to understand some basic rules of audience going. Front of House staff also need to play their part in policing the auditorium, something that seems to be lacking at the moment.

So as the Olivier Awards are handed out to the theatrical community in London tonight in no particular order my awards for pet hates from audiences go to:

1) Synchronised coughing -one cough starts a game of I can cough louder and more often than you
2) Running commentary - thank you I did wonder why the vicar had just hid himself in the wardrobe
3) Latecomers - always three rows from the front in the centre and carrying 8 carrier bags
4) Chatting over overtures - as the orchestra gets louder so does the conversation
5) Rustling - lets buy the most overwrapped sweets we can and then eat them in the quietest moment
6) Mobile Phones - the bright blue nuclear glow throughout the show
7) Arm wrestlers - I think you'll find I have purchased half your seat as well
8) The Shopper - why put my 12 bags of shopping in the cloakroom when I can put them in front of you
9) The weak bladder - I must run to the loo 30 seconds before the show starts from the middle of the row
10) The karaoke singer - why did I pay £60 to hear the star sing this when you can sing it flat and out of time?

Yours grumpily from the stalls....

Measure for Measure - Almeida Theatre

There are not many Shakespeare plays I haven’t seen over the years but for some reason Measure for Measure has escaped me - until now that is.

In his first Shakespearian production as Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre, Michael Attenborough tackles what is seen as one of The Bard's 'problem plays'. It may be his first stab at Shakespeare at the Almeida but he sets the standard high in a near faultless production.

Vienna has become overrun by the sex trade, heralding a brief appearance from the pole dancers, the first of many indications that this modern dress production may not follow the usual conventions of Shakespeare. While it could be seen as a gimmick it works and gives the piece a modern relevance. In an attempt to restore order the Duke appoints Angelo to restore order. Unfortunately his best intentions don’t go exactly to plan when Angelo turns out to be as corrupt as the city he's supposed to be cleaning up.

As the Duke and Angelo Ben Miles and Rory Kinnear excel, Kinnear in particular giving a gripping performance that commands attention. Equally impressive is Anna Maxwell Martin as novice nun Isobella who bargains with Angelo for her brothers’ life. A performance even more impressive when you note this is her Shakespearian debut. A performance filled with emotion, ever gesture and inflection spot on.

Les Brotherton's visually stunning set of twin revolving walls is lit perfectly by the Lord of Lighting Designers David Hersey, framing this chamber piece with a variety of locales while focussing on the central performances.

Fine supporting performances from the company and a fluid direction make this an instant classic - not so much a problem play anymore but a timely, relevant and powerful exploration of morals and the abuse of power.

Cider With Rosie - Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

Like many I studied Cider With Rosie at High School and, while the basic premise sticks in my mind, it is with shame I have to admit I haven’t picked up the book since. Now having seen the marvellous Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds production I am inspired to dig out a copy and re-read it again.


Rural life may suddenly be the flavour of the month thanks to the likes of Larkrise, Cranford and The Victorian Farm but in Daniel O’Brien's new stage adaptation of Laurie Lee's classic the lost charm of this way of life has never been more real.

Set against the context of the four changing seasons we are aware of not only time passing but also an era soon to be lost to the modern world, innocence lost in a race to embrace new technology.

What is interesting with this adaptation is we see life not only through the eyes of young Laurie but also through his brothers, sisters, mother and neighbours. This expansion gives a much broader view of village life and offers a range of vivid characters for the cast to sink their teeth into - and they more than rise to the challenge.

Director Abigail Anderson draws out the full poignancy but also the humour in Lee's words, helped by clever and evocative scoring by TJ Holmes(who also appears in the production).

Designer Dora Schweitzer and Lighting Designer Mark Howland create a visually impressive playground for the cast, who turn everyday objects into a multitude of scenes with filmic quality.

This is a true ensemble performance with not a weak performance among the six strong cast. After its run at Bury ST Edmunds, the show will be touring and is one to catch for a gripping view of a bygone age. A truly outstanding production.

Forever In Your Debt - New Wosley Theatre Ipswich

There are some shows that should just be put down to experience and never spoken of again - Forever In Your Debt is one of those shows - we shall mention it here but lets never speak of it again.

It’s hard to describe exactly what Forever In Your Debt is or, to be precise, what it wants to be. I suppose a play with music comes closest but Foursight Theatre Company’s production leaves you somewhat baffled and more than a bit depressed. Nicole Kidman's Blue Room may have been described as 'pure theatrical Viagra'- this is more like pure theatrical Valium.

A family hit by chronic debt seems an apt topic in these credit crunch times and loosely (very loosely) this show follows the tale of one family who, for some unexplained reason) all seem drawn to the roof of the same skyscraper. Teetering on the edge they are coaxed back from the brink by the office cleaner. Sadly this is one of those productions where the brochure blurb is more exciting than the show itself.

One by one each of the family tell of their hardships in song, but after hearing the same tune for the umpteenth time with just a change of lyric you just begin to switch off. Perhaps it wouldn’t matter if the song was catchy or well performed but its sounds more like the wailings of a third rate folk band after too may scrumpy's.

Therefore the relevance of the disfigured daughter, the moustache wearing other daughter, the cross dressing father and the piano tooting mother just pass you by – yes I said it was baffling.

Despite their hardships you don’t actually care for any of these characters and I use the word Characters loosely as they are little more than thinly drawn stereotypes.

Now not all plays need or indeed should have a happy ending but after 90mins of people throwing themselves off tops of buildings you do need some redemption and this is desperately missing from Forever In Your Debt.

Foursight are an experimental theatre company but this is one show that is in desperate need of The Samaritans. A three quarter empty auditorium gives some impression that this is not going to be a huge hit for Foursight and perhaps in a way they should be grateful for the small numbers - reputation is only as good as your last show and based on this outing they will need to work hard to entice back punters in the future.

Mark Shenton discusses future of theatre critics

In his latest blog for The Stage, Mark Shenton discusses the future of Theatre Critics.

Now having reviewed for the local press this is a subject close to my heart.

Now I know that in the views of some publishers 'the arts' are lurking on their priority list somewhere just below WI cake sales and possibly just ahead of the annual tax inspectors conference. What never ceases to amaze me however is the lack of any theatrical knowledge required for wannabe critics. You wouldn’t send someone who has no interest in football to cover the big local derby but any passing bod seems fair game for theatre critics.

 So who do we get? - a pick from one of the following:

• a) Whatever junior reporter just happens to be free that night and isn’t needed to cover the more important annual general meeting of the local branch of Trainspotters Anonymous
• b) Friend of reporter who is covering the annual general meeting of the local branch of Trainspotters Anonymous, who has always wanted a free night out at the theatre
•  c) Someone who was once third dancer on the left for the local am-dram production of Sound of Music On Ice
•  d) Mother/Father or Daughter of one of the cast/directors/writers

While they may be enthusiastic the actual value of any review to the theatre is questionable - many times I have read with interest the review of the fellow critic who sat in front of me and wondered if they actually understood a word of what was being said. Reviews tend to fall into three groups

• 1) The school report "I went to the theatre, we had some ice cream, the seats were nice, the play started, the set was pretty and the lighting colourful, some actors did some acting and dancing and singing and we all laughed/cried (delete as appropriate) and then went home. PS the ice cream in the break was lovely"
• 2) The recycled press release "Schindlers List the Musical is an instant classic, this thought provoking play will delight theatre audiences up and down the country. Director Sebastian Shakespeare direct from his acclaimed production of Titus Andronicus in Latin will give you one of the most unforgettable nights in the theatre."
• 3) The family postcard "Despite only having two lines in the entire 14hour production of Tantalus, John (or little Johnny as we affectionately call him) is undoubtedly the star of the show. His costume - sewn with great love by Aunty Joan (thank you!) was perfection. I don’t know what the rest of the show was about as I left to take Johnny home after his scene but you should go see this wonderful child, sorry show" 

Now I exaggerate of course but I have seen reviews scarily close to all three of those examples.

Do they give the theatre or production any true value? Yes they may contain 'rave' quotes but unless justified will damage reputation for any customers who book on the back of the recommendation to find that the show is in fact a turkey that even Bernard Matthews would reject.

An even more worrying trend if for local BBC websites to invite theatre reviews from the public in return for two free tickets. Anyone can apply with no selection criteria.
This 'user generated content' can of course produce some worthy submissions and give an accurate reflection of a play but how often? Judging by the evidence of content from the local BBC site the quality and more worryingly knowledge of the 'critics' leaves lots to be desired. Plays credited to incorrect authors, plot devices missed and whole sections covering the leads role in EastEnders rather than the play in question.

 So while West End and National Critics may be under the spotlight, perhaps its also time to consider the state of theatre critics in the regions.

Lloyd Webber 'furious' over bloggers

So Andrew Lloyd Webber isn't happy that people have been blogging about Love Never Dies before it officially opens tonight.


Given that punters have been paying up to £90 for 'premium' seating (or even more if booked via a ticket agency) and that his Lordship states the show is a work in progress what did he expect?

LND ticketing is a sore point here anyway. Lloyd Webbers own box office sold me two tickets an hour after the show went on sale back in October but when chasing a few weeks ago for the tickets was told due to some unexplained error they had cancelled my booking. No notification, no apology and no tickets available apart from 2 premium seats at £90 each (nearly 3 times the value of the cheapskate seats I'd booked and received confirmation email for)

Now LND may have taken a huge advance but is this the way to keep loyal customers booking for shows when the initial hype dies down? Lloyd Webber's See Tickets (part of his Really Useful empire) states they are top for customer service but a manager advised someone in their complaints team 'may' call me back and a month on I'm still waiting. Perhaps if ALW did some mystery shopping to his call centre rather than worrying about bloggers more people would be filling his theatres.

The Long Way Home - Jubilee Hall Aldeburgh

For only the 2nd time in their history, Eastern Angles have staged an 'off the shelf' play instead of one especially commissioned for them and it turns out to be a poor decision.


Instead of a locally inspired play we are transported to a Greek island and a widow’s journey back to her birthplace.

On the way she meets a young lad who thinks he's a dog and slowly a touching relationship develops between them.

There is potential here and some effective staging on a simple set. The current theatrical fashion to include puppets is continued here with an effective ghost of the woman’s husband conjured up from a clay jug.

The clever staging however doesn’t manage to hide the fact that the play itself is paper thin and stretched way to far to fill two acts. The long way home it certainly is and could do with a desperate short cut.

Hidden here is a one act play for children but for a full staged adult production fails to inspire. Come on Eastern Angles, return to doing what you do best - stories rooted in East Anglian life.

Sweet Charity - Menier Chocolate Factory

An oversight I know but lets start with a confession - I have never seen Sweet Charity on stage or on film. I blame having to light a rendition of Rhythm Of Life at college that left me in a cold sweat.

So it was into the dark at the Chocolate Factory for their latest sell out hit. Yes some of the songs would be familiar and Tamsin Outhwaite will always be my Nancy but the rest would be a whole new ballgame.

As is always the way it never ceases to amaze they manage to squeeze shows of this size into the shoebox that is the Menier - the band alone seems to take up most of the space - but as ever the intimacy does wonders with the staging - not only can you see the cast sweat, you are likely to get covered in it!

This 60's musical is in many ways an American version of Cabaret - a dance hall hostess tries to make good. But while Sally Bowles may have had a darker side, Charity Hope Valentine is as the title suggests sweet. Wronged in love she sets out to meet Mr Right but how will he cope with her profession.

Tamsin Outhwaite shows her theatrical pedigree, with a note and foot perfect performance that milks both the sympathy but also knows when to hit the comic edge - her performance in If My Friends Could See Me Now is spot on and timed to precision.

It is perhaps in the big show stopper numbers that Sweet Charity works best and Big Spender turns into the demon love child of the aforementioned Cabaret and La Cage Aux Folles while Rhythm is a glorious Hair parody full of wide eyed madness.

This is once again a spot on production but one that I fear will get lost on the forthcoming transfer to the larger Haymarket - It may be controversial but I would suggest that Sweet Charity is not the 'classic' show it's long history has lead us to believe and perhaps is best suited to this small scale production.

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