Critics can no longer take guests to NT press nights

I have very little sympathy. If the critics were being expected to buy their own tickets, I'd sympathise, but the inability to take a friend or partner along without them paying their way doesn't get in the way of them doing their job, and although being out at the theatre most nights can put a dampener on a critic's social life, that's kind of what they signed up for in the first place. And how many other jobs are there where there's an expectation of taking your partner to work with you just for fun? There are bigger battles to be fought, there are better hills to die on.

EDIT: oh, I've just looked at the article in the OP. What a childish headline!

That's the point Dominic Cavendish makes in the Telegraph. If that's the case maybe they should take along one of their readers rather than a partner/ friend so the view they get reflects the public's.

Maybe they could make conversation with the people sitting next to them, or even *gasp* a fellow critic who will have their own ideas but would also appreciate the opportunity to talk it over with someone who understands the need to talk it over and is sympathetic to the fact the critic can no longer bring their own guest.

But isn't that like saying we should all take a mate to work with us, in case we need to discuss anything with them?

My sympathy is extremely limited. £20 is not a lot to pay, and movie critics seem to handle having to write review without taking a friend or partner along to films.

Usually, the opinions of a companion are more worthwhile if they've paid a token £20 than if they've sneaked in on a freebie.

Actually, this change in policy is designed to grant to respected bloggers the free access to excellent seats on press performances that will allow them to experience the production in ideal conditions, and not to make public comments after seeing an early dodgy preview from a rubbish seat (like a lot of the commenters on this website!)

A slight twist in the tale - I've just had an email from Rufus Norris no less saying that the drum revolves need work doing and they need to raise £350k to get it done without disruption. Sounds like this +1 palaver is really just a tiny part of a greater financial picture, one that's going to feature a fair bit of belt-tightening.

Me too. I might give them a few pennies for that one.

I do love the NT revolve. It gives me a little fizzle of excitement every time.

As someone who has spent a good chunk of the past few years reviewing regional theatre, the standard expectation is that the press get 2 tickets. The first change I was aware of was when the RSC restricted online only coverage to a single ticket for press nights - which didn't go down that well in some quarters. The RSC always used to give free copies of scripts (for new/rediscovered pieces) to all critics - they then stopped doing that and only gave them to 'major' outlets. I had to fight to get WOS included on that list.

Given how many freebies theatres do tend to give out, this does seem a little tight-fisted of the NT. Will they be charging the great and the good for their partners? I doubt it.

Part of the strategy was always to woo the press in order to get them onside. It won't be the critics who pay for the extra ticket, it will be their publications.

There is a fragmentation in terms of theatre coverage with many major national publications reducing their arts pages. This is not going to help build good relations between the NT and Fleet Street - at a time when the artistic future of the company has been in question as a result of some very poorly received productions.

Ryan, there isn't a play written or about to be written that needs a revolve. It is pretty ridiculous that they built it with so such high maintenaince needs and expense. That they are lumbered with it I suppose requires thinking about its use. But to be honest I think this is chucking good money after bad.