Cock - Ambassadors Theatre

In somewhat defence of the show, they aren't actually allowed to put the name of the show on the tube ads. I'm sure they would if they could as it would probably help if people knew the name while trying to book...

If they can’t sustain their business without deceiving and ripping off customers then they shouldn’t have a business in the first place. A business model that actually depends on these practices is not ethical, and may not even be legal. The risk should be on the producers because they are the one who market and advertise the service, not customers who expect to get what is marketed and are paying a lot of money they wouldn’t otherwise.

They're not deceiving anyone? It's always a T&C of booking a theatre ticket that the cast is subject to change because humans are not machines and need holiday and sometimes get ill. The poor guy has covid, it's not like he's bunking off work to kick his feet up and marathon a few Netflix shows. If the risk of actors getting ill was on the theatre, the risk would be too high for small venues and short runs to contend with, considering the potential for lost revenue, and we'd lose out on some great shows.

It's usually pretty clear on the website. Unless the advert is dispensing tickets, you're going to have to buy them from somewhere, which tends to make the T&Cs clear. Regardless of how big and bright you make the notice, people are still not going to read it, anyway. That's why you get people turning up at the theatre and complaining about not being able to see the full stage from their reduced price restricted view ticket, or horrified there's no seat for them with their standing ticket. I don't see how you could fail to realise that obviously no one can guarantee the appearance of an actor. They are legally entitled to holiday, they could get injured, they could be ill. You take a gamble in booking the ticket. Either you get who you wanted to see, or you get the understudy who often should have been the person the part went to if they weren't stunt casting. They're not 'getting away with' anything, that's just how theatre works - and how it should work. I think NYC refund policies are mad and insulting to those who cover lead roles. Thank god we don't have them here in the same way.

There are actual legislation and laws that say it is their job actually to make qualifiers visible (whether you agree or not is another question). And the issue isn’t that people can’t have a day off or be sick - it’s just when they are it’s not the consumer that should have to pay for it if they don’t want to, assuming the producers were selling tickets on the basis of them being there (which is not every show - only shows like Cock or Glenn Close in Sunset boulevard where the names and faces are being marketed). Currently in NYC they follow their laws, probably because the consumer context is much riskier in terms of litigation.

Tickets are sold with the stipulation that the presence of no actor is guaranteed. There's nothing illegal going on. You accept that T&C when you book the ticket, regardless of whether you agree with it or not.

But no one is buying tickets directly from the poster? ? ? ? People who see it and want to get a ticket are going to probably go online and it there, where they will see the T&Cs and can read them at their leisure. I think the show is allowed to assume a certain level of common sense in their advertisements: obviously they cannot 100% guarantee the appearance of person in a play performed live.

It doesn't much matter to me whether they do or not. But to suggest them not doing so is illegal is a strange position to take when no show puts it on their posters and we've yet to see a lawsuit (and from the recent lawsuits we have seen, it's clear theatre people love an opportunity to sue)

Taron still off. Very young crowd in. Clearly signposted though. Back of the stalls doesn’t seem tooo bad for £20 (considering one row forward is like £65).

Essentially, at various dramatic points in the story, the dialogue stops, the lighting changes and the cast contort themselves into various shapes and positions to indicate the agony or ecstasy their current situation has made them feel. I’m sure others can explain it better, but it felt like dance on slo-mo to me.

Marianne is right. Joel is an incredibly gifted actor and immediately won the crowd over last night - no mean feat when people go for a celebrity.

Enjoyed the play, the first hour is particularly strong but it does stumble a bit in the last half hour or so.

The “choreography” is mainly just to signify scene changes/passage of time.

They better offer refunds or this show is a complete and utter scam. Selling an entire run on his name and not being able to deliver on it is the problem of the producers not audiences. Audiences should not have to pay for their inability to deliver.