Billy Elliot Theatre in London . . . Awful

[bwaybri2]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 12:32pm

Has anyone else been put off by the "tube" noise at the Imperial in London - saw Billy Elliot there a few weeks ago, and when the miners descend in the elevators at the opening of the show I thought "wow - great sound effects - authentic bass" but then every 5 to 8 minutes there was this low - highly audible rumble - very distracting -

didn't Carnegie Hall have a similar problem rectified several years ago -

[Patash]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 12:49pm

Interesting. I saw Billy Elliot in London, sitting in the stalls, and don't remember the rumblings at all.

I remember they used to be horrendous in the Broadway Theatre. Not sure if they still are, as it seems I've mainly been mezzanine more recently.

Edit: I just realized you said London's Imperial Theatre. Isn't it still at the Victoria Palace?


Updated On: 9/9/08 at 12:49 PM

[AvenueQResident]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 12:51pm

I think you mean the Victoria Palace :)

I don't think we have an Imperial in London.

Updated On: 9/9/08 at 12:51 PM

[p.s.]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 1:08pm

Billy Elliot will be at the Imperial Theatre in New York.



p.s. We don't refer to our underground as tubes, and the trains are absolutely silent. The only rumblings we've heard in the past few years have come from the TKTS booth construction.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 1:15pm

I have been seeing Broadway shows for 12 years. And the only outside noise that I have heard during the show was either a car horn or a siren. Both of which never really bothered me. After living in NYC for 18 years I realize that those are part of the soundtrack of the city and thus not put off by them.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 2:21pm

Although this thread's title is deliberately misleading, I agree that the noise from the tube trains under the Victoria Palace is a problem.

And the miners don't descend the pits at the opening of the show; it happens towards the end.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 2:24pm

I seem to remember hearing rumblings while seeing Assassins at Studio 54. I know I heard outside noise because I can remember being distracted. Also happened when I saw A Touch of the Poet.

[Miss Elphaba]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 3:17pm

I saw Billy Elliot in London last year, sat in the stalls and don't remember hearing any sort of rumblings, never have in any West End show, to my knowledge.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 3:24pm

It was very noticeable at the Pheonix during Blood Brothers but is not as bad as when the fire station right outside the Palace gets a call...
Updated On: 9/9/08 at 03:24 PM

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 3:59pm

The problem is worse at The Criterion, The Garrick and The Wyndams.

[alfgiotir]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 4:10pm

I also heard noise at Studio 56 while watching Sunday.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 4:13pm

Where is studio 56? I only know of a Studio 54...

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 5:15pm

yes.. 54 is the worst

[Weez]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 6:29pm

You get tube noises at quite a lot of London theatres. It's kinda unavoidable, particularly when half the theatres are rather underground. (Does anyone know how the Savoy is for tubes? I can't remember offhand, but that's a terrifically below-ground-level theatre. XD) You get used to 'em. Although as WickedBoy said, I've noticed that the Garrick and the Criterion are particularly bad for 'em. XD

Personally, I find the police sirens whizzing down Shaftesbury Avenue more of a distraction when at the Apollo/Lyric/Gielgud/Queen's, but maybe that's just me. ^_^

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 7:08pm

Its never really affected my theatre going in London at all to be honest, and im there quite a lot

I do remember doing a show in London however and hearing the tube a lot then, but that was when we were in the dressing rooms

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 7:09pm

Weez, The Savoy is tube free as the Circle and District lines run about 50 mtr down to wards the river and the Embankment. You would be surprised how much of the Savoy Theatre is above ground as the whole the block is on a big slope.

[AvenueQResident]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 7:54pm

Of all the shows I saw recently, I've never heard any tube noise going off.

Probably because I'm focused on what's going on inside the theatre, rather that out.

[murron]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 5:12am

Duke of York's pretty awful too. Sitting in the middle of the stalls, I literally had to ****my ears to hear the quietly spoken parts of a play. The tube was that noisy!

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:18am

I've seen Billy Elliot 6 times now from Balcony to front of Stalls and never heard tube noises! But pretty much most of the theatres on Shaftesbury Avenue you can hear either cars/street noises OR tube noises... annoying, esp when a police car goes by! URGH!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 11:27am

When I saw Billy Elliott last year, I don't remember any noise from the Underground. What I do remember was thinking, "Ok, now I get the hype."

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 10:26am

The gorgeous Victoria Palace Theatre, London.
Billys home