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Jul 30, 2017 19:39:24 GMT
Post by Phantom of London on Jul 30, 2017 19:39:24 GMT
A very significant number for theatre.
As shows seems to be confined to only doing 8 shows a week, normally 6 evening with 2 matinees, however there's a but of wriggle room here and producers can alter this to suit their box office. However it still comes down to 8 performances a week, there must be a good reason for this?
So is this right? You look at Angels in America, where both shows come in at an hefty 8 hours, so performing time would be 32 hours, also you have to factor in that the company manager might want everyone in at an agreed time, then you have wardrobe and make up and still you might have to do vocal warm ups. Then you could be easily looking at over a gruelling 50 hour week.
Then you look at the short running shows, such as kids company at the Donmar or Our Ladies and maybe Mentor or Ladies Day, these shows require a commitment of maybe 20 hours a week, so should these shows do more performances? Is the 8 shows a rigid requirement? Could actors do more of very popular shows and get paid overtime?
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Jul 30, 2017 23:29:47 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 23:29:47 GMT
Interesting how this would work, lot of difference between say King Lear and a 90 minute play. Often though shorter plays have less characters so amount of dialogue or numbers could work out the same.
How are panto wages worked out when there can be 12 plus shows a week, for an ensemble would it be based on on 8 show week so if it was 12 shows a week they'd get 1.5 times Equity minimum for example.
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999 posts
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Jul 31, 2017 10:30:21 GMT
Post by Backdrifter on Jul 31, 2017 10:30:21 GMT
A quick look at the remaining 3 weeks or so of Angels suggests 6 x part 1s and 12 x part 2s left to go. I wondered if the NT's pattern takes account of the workload for 210+ minutes on average per performance and avoids the 'standard' 8 per week. If the remaining pattern is representative of the whole run it'd average at about 6 performances per week which I estimate to be about 24 hours of pure performance time.
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5,072 posts
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Aug 6, 2017 18:18:33 GMT
Post by Phantom of London on Aug 6, 2017 18:18:33 GMT
I haven't been keeping an eye on the schedule here, not surprised if it isn't doing 8 performances a week, as they are so long and energy sapping for 8 actors. However when this arrives on Broadway next year, they may have to, if they want the numbers to work.
The National normally has something running in repertory in the Lytterton, this time they haven't.
When Heisenberg opens soon that only lasts 80 minutes, which is just over 10 hours, saying that it is a 2 harder, so will be energy sapping.
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4,156 posts
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Aug 6, 2017 21:48:39 GMT
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Post by kathryn on Aug 6, 2017 21:48:39 GMT
Well, sometimes on Broadway* they schedule 7 performances instead of 8, and then decide that's too much hard work and so cancel the remaining Saturday matinees as well!
*The Public is probably off-Broadway, tbh....but the opportunity to snark was too good to miss.
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