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Post by Stephen on Jan 10, 2018 1:53:12 GMT
The Bridge is excellent, after all it is a theatre that speaks for its time and is designed for a 21sr century audience, where some theatres featured on this thread were aimed at a 19th century Victorian audience. Looking forward to going back there to see a Julius Caesar and going not just for the play. And isn't it just wonderful to exit and be greeted with the spectacular views of Tower Bridge and the Thames? And perhaps pop into the Ivy next door. I really hope the theatre does well. I plan on visiting for everything especially as they do some deals for young people. I suppose in response to your thread i'd firmly put this up there as a great new guest experience. Lovely before you even enter, loads of space, friendly ushers, easy to locate facilities and all brand new. Long live the Bridge Theatre!
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Post by rumbledoll on Jan 10, 2018 9:21:38 GMT
Re Young Vic: I actually like the place. Great coffee and the bar, even though with limited space, is a nice one to relax before or after the show. Staff is frendly and helpful. I once returned an already collected ticket by phone and got an instant refund (hardly ever happens in any other theatre). When I arrived with the big piece of lagguage, even though the place doesn't have a cloakroom, they did not send me away to Waerloo station - it was taken care of by security who put in into the back room for me free of charge. A BO lady lended me a pen once and cafe staff did not charge me for the meal because my order took too long to take (basically, they forgot about me for 10 minutes but any other waitor could just shrug this off 'cause the place was pretty full).
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358 posts
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Post by tysilio2 on Jan 10, 2018 10:19:53 GMT
Paid my first visit to the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton on the Wirral in September. I believe it's been refurbished and is a lovely environment with great parking and excellent spacious bar area inside. Great sightlines inside the auditorium as well.
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Jan 10, 2018 13:13:29 GMT
Really? Presumably woman didn't hydrate in those days either. Is that likely to be true for other older buildings thus explaining the few squeezed in toilets we get? Oh yes, ladies in those times were expected to do nothing but marry, give birth and die, more or less. Quite correct about that reason for older buildings. Also, before the Bazalgette sewers, there wouldn't have been a lot of point building decent facilities as you would have nowhere much to drain them off to anyway. Just as well I've from more modern times, I'm failing miserably on all counts currently (hope to put the last one off for some time yet).
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Jan 11, 2018 0:39:47 GMT
Re Young Vic: I actually like the place. Great coffee and the bar, even though with limited space, is a nice one to relax before or after the show. Staff is frendly and helpful. I once returned an already collected ticket by phone and got an instant refund (hardly ever happens in any other theatre). When I arrived with the big piece of lagguage, even though the place doesn't have a cloakroom, they did not send me away to Waerloo station - it was taken care of by security who put in into the back room for me free of charge. A BO lady lended me a pen once and cafe staff did not charge me for the meal because my order took too long to take (basically, they forgot about me for 10 minutes but any other waitor could just shrug this off 'cause the place was pretty full). The box office at the Young Vic are great, think the biggest complaint is the size of the lobby and how crowded it gets pre-show, as for me I pick up my ticket and go, sit and relax with a cappuccino opposite I’m Caffè Nero (The No.1 coffee show). Really? Presumably woman didn't hydrate in those days either. Is that likely to be true for other older buildings thus explaining the few squeezed in toilets we get? Oh yes, ladies in those times were expected to do nothing but marry, give birth and die, more or less. Quite correct about that reason for older buildings. Also, before the Bazalgette sewers, there wouldn't have been a lot of point building decent facilities as you would have nowhere much to drain them off to anyway. Not true if women didn’t die, Queen Victoria would be still on the throne (which fits in quite nicely with this thread).
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 5, 2018 22:55:24 GMT
I was in the New Victoria Theatre, Woking 2 week’s ago for Sunset Boulevard and OMG what a beautiful house, absolutely a treat to see something there. Second time going there after seeing Chess there a few years back.
I note that Woking is 25 minutes on a fast train from Waterloo. Wimbledon is about 20 minutes on a train from thes same station and has a theatre that is a dive. Given the choice I am going to push the train out and go to Woking if possible instead.
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4,950 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Feb 6, 2018 13:16:00 GMT
Wimbledon is about 20 minutes on a train from thes same station and has a theatre that is a dive. Seriously? The New Wimbledon is one of the most beautiful, nicely kept and atmospheric theatres I know of? And it means you can call in and see London Bridget!!!
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 6, 2018 20:10:07 GMT
Wimbledon is about 20 minutes on a train from thes same station and has a theatre that is a dive. Seriously? The New Wimbledon is one of the most beautiful, nicely kept and atmospheric theatres I know of? The gents on the stalls (not literally) are awful, just like the Phoenix.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2018 20:54:09 GMT
Although it gets the best shows, the Edinburgh Playhouse is awful. Tatty, run down auditorium with no lift access and only one disabled toilet. The foyer is awful - cramped and dark. As it's an ATG venue, you will have to pay £2.50 for a bottle of water to prevent you from fainting in the extreme heat. The heat is especially intense if you sit underneath the balcony or circle overhang. You cannot move at the end of a performance as there will be people left, right and centre of you.
On the other side of Edinburgh is the lovely Festival Theatre which has been all done up and looks amazing - big glass front and everything! I've seen the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, The Addams Family and Miss Saigon there, and every time I go there I realise how run down the Playhouse actually is.
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Post by showgirl on Feb 7, 2018 5:16:17 GMT
I note that Woking is 25 minutes on a fast train from Waterloo. Wimbledon is about 20 minutes on a train from thes same station and has a theatre that is a dive. Given the choice I am going to push the train out and go to Woking if possible instead. The New Victoria is indeed a beautiful theatre (and therefore vastly out of keeping with the hideous town centre in which it sits) and I would go there more often but for the journey being complicated for me - I have either to go via Guildford, which is slow and means I can't buy a Travelcard and go onto London for the evening - or via Clapham, which is also slow. The other aspect which really deters me is how soul-destroyingly bleak the town centre is. If/when I go somewhere to see a play, I like to have a little time to wander around and explore; sometimes longer if it's a place I know and love, such as Chichester. But when I do go to Woking, it's more a case of trying not to look at the surroundings but to get from station to theatre and back again as swiftly and straightforwardly as possible. That said, Woking audiences are in my limited experience there immeasurably better-behaved than the raucous rabble I've often encountered at the New Wimbledon, and productions often visit both venues, so for those who can face Woking itself, something to bear in mind.
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1,089 posts
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Post by tonyloco on Feb 7, 2018 9:40:35 GMT
As part of the raucous rabble that occasionally visits that dive of a theatre in Wimbledon I have to rise up to defend the New Wimbledon Theatre where I have seen a number of highly enjoyable musicals and plays in recent years. From my home in Wembley I also occasionally visit Richmond and Bromley as well as Wimbledon and I give thanks that all places still have a fully functioning theatre that presents a varied programme of productions to a high standard in perfectly acceptable venues. If only we could rescue the Golders Green Hippodrome back to being a working theatre then I would be a very happy bunny.
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3,470 posts
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Post by showgirl on Feb 7, 2018 12:19:01 GMT
So far as New Wimbledon audiences are concerned, I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush and I did indeed say I had "often" rather than invariably encountered the less appealing type. Also, I've never had an issue there with solo theatregoers or couples or indeed men, so far as I recall; it has always been large groups of well-lubricated women, dressed up to what we used to call the nines and generally looking and acting as though they were on a hen night rather than a theatre trip. There's a difference between having a good time with some friends and spoiling the enjoyment of others and deterring them from returning - though with the business the New Wimbledon derives from these patrons, if the theatre had to choose they'd probably prefer to lose the quieter, non-imbibing smaller parties or singles.
EDIT: so maybe it's a case of the guest facilities - since this is the thread subject - being too good for some!
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Post by tonyloco on Feb 7, 2018 13:13:20 GMT
Thanks for spotting that, theatremonkey!
Yes, I have to make it clear that I have never attended the New Wimbledon Theatre as part of a large group of well-lubricated women, dressed up to what we used to call the nines and generally looking and acting as though they were on a hen night rather than a theatre trip.
What have I been missing???
Just joking, showgirl. I guess I have been lucky in choosing the performances at Wimbledon not frequented by such parties, probably because I try to go to the mid-week matinees or evenings early in the week before the noisy female parties have got ready for their outings!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2018 20:29:29 GMT
Although it gets the best shows, the Edinburgh Playhouse is awful. Tatty, run down auditorium with no lift access and only one disabled toilet. The foyer is awful - cramped and dark. As it's an ATG venue, you will have to pay £2.50 for a bottle of water to prevent you from fainting in the extreme heat. The heat is especially intense if you sit underneath the balcony or circle overhang. You cannot move at the end of a performance as there will be people left, right and centre of you. On the other side of Edinburgh is the lovely Festival Theatre which has been all done up and looks amazing - big glass front and everything! I've seen the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, The Addams Family and Miss Saigon there, and every time I go there I realise how run down the Playhouse actually is. have you been to the Playhouse recently? They've just repainted and re-carpeted the auditorium, which I think has made a huge difference. I went to see Grease in September and Shrek in December and I completely forgot! The new paint job is indeed lovely and much better than the gaudy red of before. The carpets are definitely not as sticky as they used to be which is a good sign.
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 7, 2018 20:37:59 GMT
I note that Woking is 25 minutes on a fast train from Waterloo. Wimbledon is about 20 minutes on a train from thes same station and has a theatre that is a dive. Given the choice I am going to push the train out and go to Woking if possible instead. The New Victoria is indeed a beautiful theatre (and therefore vastly out of keeping with the hideous town centre in which it sits) and I would go there more often but for the journey being complicated for me - I have either to go via Guildford, which is slow and means I can't buy a Travelcard and go onto London for the evening - or via Clapham, which is also slow. The other aspect which really deters me is how soul-destroyingly bleak the town centre is. If/when I go somewhere to see a play, I like to have a little time to wander around and explore; sometimes longer if it's a place I know and love, such as Chichester. But when I do go to Woking, it's more a case of trying not to look at the surroundings but to get from station to theatre and back again as swiftly and straightforwardly as possible. That said, Woking audiences are in my limited experience there immeasurably better-behaved than the raucous rabble I've often encountered at the New Wimbledon, and productions often visit both venues, so for those who can face Woking itself, something to bear in mind. Well there is a great thought, I haven’t thought of, when I go to the theatre I like to maximise my day out and see a couple of shows, I wonder how doable Chichester and Woking is in one day? have you been to the Playhouse recently? They've just repainted and re-carpeted the auditorium, which I think has made a huge difference. I went to see Grease in September and Shrek in December and I completely forgot! The new paint job is indeed lovely and much better than the gaudy red of before. The carpets are definitely not as sticky as they used to be which is a good sign. Think anything looks great, if you had the misfortune of seeing Grease. 🧟♂️🧟♂️🧟♂️
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Post by showgirl on Feb 8, 2018 5:17:55 GMT
Apologies, all for going off topic but: Phantom of London of London, I've never attempted Chichester and Woking on the same day (just never occurred to me, though I think for me the routing/ticketing wouldn't work) but for anyone who can stick to SWT, rather than FGW and GTR as in my case, it might work. What I have done on the same day is Guildford (ie the Yvonne Arnaud) plus Woking, or Woking plus somewhere else on the SWT network, eg Kingston (Rose), Richmond (Orange Tree or Richmond Theatre) - or, for the brave, the New Wimbledon would also fit this option. Certainly, from comments I hear at Guildford matinees, there are people who have travelled up from further down the SWT route, e.g. Portsmouth and that area.
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 8, 2018 8:15:12 GMT
I haven't done it too. Showgirl you sound you come from the Surrey area?
But jus had a look at National Rail website and you can catch the 17:46 train and change at Havant and arrive Woking 19:03. So it's something to bear in mind and another good option.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2018 20:56:32 GMT
The New Victoria is indeed a beautiful theatre (and therefore vastly out of keeping with the hideous town centre in which it sits) and I would go there more often but for the journey being complicated for me - I have either to go via Guildford, which is slow and means I can't buy a Travelcard and go onto London for the evening - or via Clapham, which is also slow. The other aspect which really deters me is how soul-destroyingly bleak the town centre is. If/when I go somewhere to see a play, I like to have a little time to wander around and explore; sometimes longer if it's a place I know and love, such as Chichester. But when I do go to Woking, it's more a case of trying not to look at the surroundings but to get from station to theatre and back again as swiftly and straightforwardly as possible. That said, Woking audiences are in my limited experience there immeasurably better-behaved than the raucous rabble I've often encountered at the New Wimbledon, and productions often visit both venues, so for those who can face Woking itself, something to bear in mind. Well there is a great thought, I haven’t thought of, when I go to the theatre I like to maximise my day out and see a couple of shows, I wonder how doable Chichester and Woking is in one day? I went to see Grease in September and Shrek in December and I completely forgot! The new paint job is indeed lovely and much better than the gaudy red of before. The carpets are definitely not as sticky as they used to be which is a good sign. Think anything looks great, if you had the misfortune of seeing Grease. 🧟♂️🧟♂️🧟♂️ Grease is my guilty pleasure haha. The audience were horrific though.
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