Monday 26 October 2020

Lovely to be back at the Coliseum yesterday - not looking quite like this, but a very enthusiastic, socially-distanced audience was clearly thrilled to be there for a 'secret' Mozart concert to test drive the new normal. (Perhaps not that big a secret as I'd read about it online! Free tickets in the dress circle - what a treat!) When the artistic director urged us to use the facilities - to trial the lavatory queue algorithm - we felt quite guilty that we'd been before we set out! I'll admit I was doubtful about how social distancing would work in such a huge theatre - everything I've been to recently has been on a much smaller scale. I don't know how many hours and how many algorithms it has taken - but what a smooth operation! And there was something so joyful about being in a theatre again.

6 comments:

Sue said...

Mary, I'm so happy to hear how well this went. I had read about it online aswell. Really looking forward to going again. (In the end, I did manage to get tickets for two trips to the RA with my daughter, to the Leon Spilliaert and the Gaugin, and they were great. We even went for a drink in Claridges afterwards to celebrate).

Mary said...

Gosh, you do it in style, Sue - I usually go over the road to see if anything's reduced to Tesco prices In Fortnum's!
Yes, the Coliseum went very smoothly - I couldn't think how they'd get everyone in and out of their seats without shuffling past, but they did - a lot of thought and planning must have gone into it. Hope you get there soon. They announced a couple of things coming soon - which now, of course, I can't remember - and more in the New Year.
I think we'll be living with this for a while yet so it's good to get back to as normal as possible.

Vronni's Style Meanderings said...

I'm so glad you managed to go and it went so well! One of my favourite words is joyful and it's wonderful to still have things to be joyful about on these strange days...
xxx

Mary said...

There's definitely something about being part of a live audience, Vronni - now it's creeping back, I realise I've missed it. Though I've been hugely grateful for all the museums, too. I do feel lucky to be in London with so much going on more or less as normal.

Pam said...

Glad you went, because now... . Sigh.

Mary said...

Yes, I had tickets booked for Thursday - managed to change them for Wednesday - and who knows when we'll be able to go again, Pam? It is a shame - because every arts venue I've visited has been extremely well-organised.