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Post by Jon on Nov 10, 2024 16:50:21 GMT
Young Vic lost its funding at the same time as here and Donmar. Might be a fairer comparison given the Donmar's considerable legacy membership and reputation.
YV had a funding cut rather than lost ACE funding entirely so not a like for like comparison. |
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Post by aspieandy on Nov 10, 2024 17:01:38 GMT
Can't see much on Google either way; do you have any details?
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Post by Dave B on Nov 10, 2024 17:28:46 GMT
although Hampstead is going to stagnate even further. I think stagnant is a good word here. I like Hampstead - I see a lot there but... I don't usually pre-book. Season announcements rarely excite me (Downstairs use to before the significant price increase) while I can usually be sure of a level of quality in any production they put on and I can also be reasonably sure that there will be some offers and yes sometimes papering available. I've never even considered joining, I've never thought about the chance I might not get a ticket. I think their pricing is off, £35 for the cheapest seat and while there are not many seats with bad views, the seats are not comfortable and the legroom is not great. The Invention of Love appears to have sold well, but the play following it, East is South...well checking a random Sat night - there are 12 seats sold.
I do think something needs to change and it should be on par with Donmar and Almeida and Young Vic but they lost so much funding and associated staff losses - new blood sounds like a good idea to me to be honest.
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7,183 posts
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Post by Jon on Nov 10, 2024 18:10:13 GMT
although Hampstead is going to stagnate even further. I think stagnant is a good word here. I like Hampstead - I see a lot there but... I don't usually pre-book. Season announcements rarely excite me (Downstairs use to before the significant price increase) while I can usually be sure of a level of quality in any production they put on and I can also be reasonably sure that there will be some offers and yes sometimes papering available. I've never even considered joining, I've never thought about the chance I might not get a ticket. I think their pricing is off, £35 for the cheapest seat and while there are not many seats with bad views, the seats are not comfortable and the legroom is not great. The Invention of Love appears to have sold well, but the play following it, East is South...well checking a random Sat night - there are 12 seats sold.
I do think something needs to change and it should be on par with Donmar and Almeida and Young Vic but they lost so much funding and associated staff losses - new blood sounds like a good idea to me to be honest.
The pricing should be on par with say the Almeida but also they need to do better attracting talent to the theatre, tricky without ACE subsidy but it's not impossible. Hampstead Theatre has prided itself on new work but I would as someone has mentioned a mix of new and revivals would shore up the finances and revivals doesn't have to be really old shows, it could be recent plays like The Village Bike by Penelope Skinner or The Night Heron by Jez Butterworth. I know it's crass to think commercially but Hampstead needs to let go of its former mission and embrace a new one. |
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Post by lt on Nov 10, 2024 19:27:56 GMT
I think stagnant is a good word here. I like Hampstead - I see a lot there but... I don't usually pre-book. Season announcements rarely excite me (Downstairs use to before the significant price increase) while I can usually be sure of a level of quality in any production they put on and I can also be reasonably sure that there will be some offers and yes sometimes papering available. I've never even considered joining, I've never thought about the chance I might not get a ticket. I think their pricing is off, £35 for the cheapest seat and while there are not many seats with bad views, the seats are not comfortable and the legroom is not great. The Invention of Love appears to have sold well, but the play following it, East is South...well checking a random Sat night - there are 12 seats sold.
I do think something needs to change and it should be on par with Donmar and Almeida and Young Vic but they lost so much funding and associated staff losses - new blood sounds like a good idea to me to be honest.
The pricing should be on par with say the Almeida but also they need to do better attracting talent to the theatre, tricky without ACE subsidy but it's not impossible. Hampstead Theatre has prided itself on new work but I would as someone has mentioned a mix of new and revivals would shore up the finances and revivals doesn't have to be really old shows, it could be recent plays like The Village Bike by Penelope Skinner or The Night Heron by Jez Butterworth. I know it's crass to think commercially but Hampstead needs to let go of its former mission and embrace a new one. The Park Theatre also doesn't have ACE funding and certainly for me has a lot more shows I'm interested in compared to the Hampstead. |
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