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Post by alessia on Oct 17, 2022 12:07:25 GMT
I booked for all three shows- fortunately the affordable row C in the circle was still available. Are the standing tickets already all sold out or is Donmar keeping those for walk-ins?
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Oct 17, 2022 12:19:39 GMT
I booked for all three shows- fortunately the affordable row C in the circle was still available. Are the standing tickets already all sold out or is Donmar keeping those for walk-ins? If I remember correctly they weren't available on the first day of public booking when I booked for The Band's Visit either but they were up for sale later so I think they just aren't released until closer to opening. |
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Post by kathryn on Oct 17, 2022 21:36:14 GMT
News of this has been out for 24 hours but no one has started a thread on this which I find fascinating. Time was when the Donmar was the theatre everyone wanted to go to, if they could get tickets, or talk about if they couldn't. Has it lost its mojo? I ] The short answer is yes. It’s been ages since the Donmar had the sort of high profile hit that would sell the place out in 30 minutes. |
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Post by inthenose on Oct 17, 2022 22:41:13 GMT
Speaking of Next to Normal… oh wait! Nobody was… *wanders back into the appropriate thread*
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Post by n1david on Oct 31, 2022 18:25:01 GMT
It's possible the Donmar has overegged the Donmar at 30 event this Sunday. Got an email today giving me my "last change to buy" at both the £1k and the £2.5k levels, which suggests it has not yet sold out. No seat plans on the website but it lets e put the full allocation of 4 seats at both levels into my basket. I suppose at these prices even a less than full auditorium will be a significant fund-raising event, and I'm sure there won't be any empty seats in the auditorium on the night, but perhaps again another sign that Donmar is some way from its peak.
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Post by imstillhere on Oct 31, 2022 20:28:23 GMT
The entire Longhurst era of Donmaris overegged - so little has been selling well for YEARS.
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Post by inthenose on Oct 31, 2022 22:01:25 GMT
It's possible the Donmar has overegged the Donmar at 30 event this Sunday. Got an email today giving me my "last change to buy" at both the £1k and the £2.5k levels, which suggests it has not yet sold out. No seat plans on the website but it lets e put the full allocation of 4 seats at both levels into my basket. I suppose at these prices even a less than full auditorium will be a significant fund-raising event, and I'm sure there won't be any empty seats in the auditorium on the night, but perhaps again another sign that Donmar is some way from its peak. They keep trying to sell me stuff too. It’s really annoying |
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Post by Marwood on Oct 31, 2022 22:32:06 GMT
Last thing I saw there was Saint Joan in 2016 and since then it’s been nothing but dull and (well I’m sure they think it is anyway) worthy productions that I’ve had no interest in whatsoever: the fact they’re selling ridiculously overpriced tickets for charity events that only the friends and family of the people appearing in would want to see without having to take out a second mortgage means I will look elsewhere for my theatre. The fact that they no longer attract world class actors to appear in their shows speaks volumes.
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Post by Jan on Nov 1, 2022 8:52:16 GMT
The entire Longhurst era of Donmaris overegged - so little has been selling well for YEARS. That's true. They built up their reputation and audience under Mendes/Grandage but since 2011 both have been trickling away and now the tank is almost empty. These days I think of them in the same way as places like the Arcola - they may have some interesting productions now and again but I feel no particular loyalty to them, not like I did during the previous regimes. |
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Post by bordeaux on Nov 1, 2022 14:46:46 GMT
Yes, in agreement with fellow-posters worried about the Donmar. They've moved away from the successful Mendes/Grandage programming. There has been more new writing which hasn't really hit home - I'm thinking of some US shows that didn't have the impact here that they did over there. New writing is clearly a tricky thing to manage, especially if it's not always been part of your theatre's identity. And there are newcomers on the block who are doing the sort of shows that the Donmar might have done under previous management: @sohoplace's Medea with Sophie Okonedo and the Josie Rourke As You Like It are shows that would have been Donmar (or Almeida) shows in the past , as are The Bridge's John Gabriel Borkman and possibly the Christopher Hampton thing with Maggie Smith and the Laura Linney My Name is Laura Barton. Clearly theatres change and we are no longer in the 90s but equally clearly they are not what they were.
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Post by cavocado on Nov 1, 2022 15:06:45 GMT
Big prices increases there too. I think the £15 tickets have gone up to £21. I know their costs will have risen as with all businesses, but theatregoers (esp those buying the cheaper tickets) will be tightening their belts too. Higher prices can just lead to heavier discounts or papering when shows don't sell. £20 is likely to be a cut off point for a lot of people, so might be a risky increase if too many people decide to just wait and see.
There aren't many theatres now with big online queues the minute tickets go on sale. The Almeida is one of the few that still has that level of excitement, but even they still have £10 lowest price I think.
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Post by Jon on Nov 1, 2022 21:25:38 GMT
The Donmar isn't in any in danger of going under so not sure why people are worried.
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Post by zahidf on Nov 1, 2022 22:33:34 GMT
I think stuff like Bands visit and Next to Normal have been hits. Basically needs a good musical! Star casting is definitely gone (Henry V accepting
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Post by theatrefan62 on Nov 1, 2022 22:35:39 GMT
The donmar might not be about to go bust, but it's reputation is not what it used to be either. The buzz around it and its productions has really died. Other venues have now stolen its crown.
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Post by Jan on Nov 2, 2022 4:17:29 GMT
The Donmar isn't in any in danger of going under so not sure why people are worried. Dont worry, no one is worried. It’s just that “not going under” is not much of an ambition for a place that used to be the hottest ticket in London. |
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Post by kathryn on Nov 2, 2022 8:31:27 GMT
Yes, it’s just sad for those of us who used to regularly stake out a spot in the day seat queue. Inevitable though- nothing stays the same forever.
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Post by samuelwhiskers on Nov 2, 2022 11:50:06 GMT
Agreed. I still have a credit note from 2020. Just nothing that really appeals.
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Post by zahidf on Nov 4, 2022 11:22:42 GMT
It's just lost its NPO status and arts funding
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Post by Rory on Nov 4, 2022 11:58:07 GMT
It's just lost its NPO status and arts funding Terrible news and Hampstead Theatre is affected too by this. |
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Post by alessia on Nov 4, 2022 12:43:52 GMT
Awful, I have just heard too
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Post by Jan on Nov 4, 2022 14:20:34 GMT
Can’t say I’m that bothered. From memory the ACE funding of the Donmar makes up a relatively small proportion of their total income and other theatres have prospered despite having their ACE funding totally cut - The Orange Tree for example.
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Post by Jon on Nov 4, 2022 14:29:56 GMT
Can’t say I’m that bothered. From memory the ACE funding of the Donmar makes up a relatively small proportion of their total income and other theatres have prospered despite having their ACE funding totally cut - The Orange Tree for example. I agree, it's not great but they'll survive. Hampstead on the other hand I'm not sure about. |
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Post by Jan on Nov 4, 2022 14:34:18 GMT
Can’t say I’m that bothered. From memory the ACE funding of the Donmar makes up a relatively small proportion of their total income and other theatres have prospered despite having their ACE funding totally cut - The Orange Tree for example. I agree, it's not great but they'll survive. Hampstead on the other hand I'm not sure about. Not sure Hampstead deserves to survive, it's been on life support for years. As far as I can see overall ACE total funding has increased but it's been redirected outside London - hard to argue that the Donmar should retain funding at the expense of regional organisations. The RSC lucky to get away without a funding cut - the new team in charge will have to work hard to justify that decision. |
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Post by youngoffender on Nov 4, 2022 16:29:36 GMT
I suppose the challenge for the Donmar is the size of the venue - even with a full house, ticket revenues per show must be relatively modest. How much will they have to increase by without the ACE grant, and will that in turn deter the younger and less affluent?
You could argue that the Donmar earned its grant when it was producing shows that warranted NT Live broadcast around the country (the Hiddleston Coriolanus), or which contributed to British theatre's 'soft power' by transferring outside the UK (e.g. Red on Broadway). That's obviously not happening now. The only solution will be to put on shows that people are prepared to pay commercial prices for, which means more stars and a repertoire that is drama-led rather than agenda-led.
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Post by lynette on Nov 4, 2022 18:34:39 GMT
‘drama-led rather than agenda-led’ youngoffender
Yep, you said it. Let’s see what happens now.
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