Thrifty Theatre Travelling

I think we'd all agree that being a theatre fan is quite an expensive hobby. If you factor in ticket costs, booking fees, merch... ice cream at the interval, it all starts to add up. For me, I find my biggest expense is always travel. I live in Scotland, and am lucky that I have such diverse and interesting theatre right on my doorstep, but I am also a repeat attender and lover of London which leaves my bank account in a sorry state. Over the years I've tried to perfect the art of travelling on a budget, and have adopted 5 rules that have saved me a penny or two:

1. If travelling by train ALWAYS book 11 weeks in advance-

 source

The train is my transport method of choice so this to me is a no brainer. Train companies always release seats 12 weeks before the travel date and I've found that on the 12th week the prices are at their highest - but a short 7 days later you get all the bargain fares. You need to be on the ball though, as these fares are limited and do get snapped up pretty quickly.

2. Best fare finder- http://www.farefinder.virgintrains.co.uk/

I know planning a trip 11 weeks in advance isn't always feasible, so if you're booking trains closer to your travel date then 'Best Fare Finder' is your new best friend. There are different versions of this tool but I swear by Virgin's offerings. You basically input your travel information and it gives you the cheapest available fare - genius!

3. Accommodation -

There's only one way to go for accommodation on a budget and that's the good old Travelodge. 9 times out of 10 these rooms work out cheaper than a private hostel room (and they come with en suites which is always a bonus). Travelodge are one of those companies that use any old excuse for a sale, and I mean any excuse.

If it's a public holiday or change in season we see a drop in prices but If you happen to check on the one day a year there's not a sale, look for the 'Find our lowest prices' tab. This works as a comparison tool for all the Travelodge hotels available in your city of choice and you are always guaranteed the lowest rate.

4.  The Megabus

source 

Now I personally have mixed feelings about the Megabus. 8+ hours in a cramped seat often next to someone you don't know, with no refreshment facilities doesn't really sound like the dream scenario. You can't really argue with their prices though. I've seen myself getting a return from Glasgow - London for £20, which is amazing - however 4 hours in I am always willing to pay double to get off. If it's a life or death, need to see this show situation then this is a cheap way to do it and if you're the type of person that can fall asleep on a bus then more power to you.

They now offer a sleeper service - The Megabus Gold, which I have tried and if I hadn't been spoiled by their 'bendy bus' trial I would maybe be more of a fan. This is more expensive (averaging £40 per single journey) but it does save from forking out on a hotel room for an extra night.

5. Avoid Flying

Source

If there was one tip I could give then this would be it. Flying short haul sucks! Delays are likely, you're restricted with baggage (unless you want to shell out to check in a bag) and contrary to popular belief it's not any quicker. By the time you get to the airport, wait on your flight, land at your destination and make your way to the city centre it doesn't work out any quicker. It does work out a lot more stressful though having to chop and change onto various transport methods.

So there you have it, the secrets to my thrifty travelling. If you have an upcoming show planned give one or more of these a go and see how much you could save too.

Review - Cats

    ***WRITTEN BY ME FOR BACKSTAGE PASS*** 

 

Cats is a musical that stands alongside few others as one of the longest running shows in musical theatre history. Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and boasting 21 years in the West End and 18 years on Broadway, it has captured the hearts of audiences on a global scale.

Based on T.S. Eliot's work 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats', we follow a group of Jellicle cats as they prepare for the annual Jellicle ball, where one from their midst will be selected to journey to the Heaviside Layer to be reborn and embark on a new life.

Basing an entire musical on a book of poems about the psychology of cats doesn't allow for an intricate plot and this is the main downfall of the show. Although we given a detailed introduction to each cat, there is little storyline to tie these pieces together and at times this renders the show difficult to follow.

However the show's saving graces are its breathtaking choreography, stunning costumes and impressive set, comprising of the various debris of a junkyard spilling off stage into the audience. Consistently mesmerising dance numbers and beautiful instrumentals more than made up for the lack of stand out songs with the exception of the iconic song 'Memory'.

Cats is very much an ensemble piece with no one feline overshadowing the next. Each cast member has their own chance to shine and their performances are seamless both individually and as a group.

It's clear that despite being 32 years old, the production has not lost momentum and will continue to dazzle audiences for many years to come. 

Review - The Lion King

                          ***WRITTEN BY ME FOR BACKSTAGE PASS*** 

Regardless of age nobody could fail to be mesmerised by the magic of 'The Lion King', and with 90 crew members and 232 puppets it's safe to say this show does not do things by half. This coming of age story follows Simba, a young lion cub eagerly waiting to follow in his father's footsteps and become the King of the Pridelands. 

Often with a touring production comes slimmed down sets and costumes, but not here. Everything you'd expect to see in the West End show is present and correct and having seen both I actually preferred the atmosphere of a smaller theatre. The tickets specify to be seated at least 5 minutes before curtain up and without giving too much away you will not want to miss why. The familiar opening note from Circle of Life starts and the stage is suddenly alive with colour as we see Julie Taymor's vision come alive when the animals gather to celebrate the birth of their future king. 

With music and lyrics by Elton John and Tim Rice the score is filled not only with songs you would expect to hear such as Can You Feel The Love Tonight and Hakuna Matata, but also numbers with traditional African styles which really pull the production together.

The cast as a whole delivered a perfect performance. John Hasler had Timone's sarcastic streak nailed and had great rapport with Lee Ormsby who played Pumba. One highlight for me was Gugwana Dlamini's take on Rafiki - she brought such warmth and energy to the role. I also enjoyed the addition of a Scottish Zazu (Meilyr Sion), although I'm not sure how well the colloquialisms would translate outwith a Scottish audience. 

It's really great to see regional theatres housing productions of this size and judging by the electric atmosphere in the audience last night I have no doubt the show will have a successful run here.

Review - The Pure Amazing Wizard of OZ

                                            ***WRITTEN BY ME FOR BACKSTAGE PASS*** 

 Review by Siobhan Brennan

It's December in theatre land, and that can only mean one thing - panto season has begun. Last night I followed the yellow brick road to Cottiers theatre in Glasgow's West End to see Insideout Productions’ offering - 'The Pure Amazing Wizard of Oz'.

We join Dorothy, a poor girl from Partick, currently working 9 to 5 to help her Uncle Henry and Aunt Hen who have clearly been hit by the recession. A tornado strikes, transporting Dorothy and Toto (her tartan toad) to the land of Oz and flattening the Scaffy Witch of the East End in the process. What follows is the familiar story of Dorothy's quest to find the wizard but with a distinct Glaswegian twist.

The cast worked well together and handled playing multiple roles (including operating Avenue Q style puppets) with ease. Connor McAllister relished playing the villainous Wicked Witch of the West End, while Neil Mcnulty, Alison Rona Cleland and Lee Reynolds made a highly entertaining comic trio as the scarecrow, Tin Wuman and cowardly lioness.  Leading the cast as a bubbly yet vulnerable Dorothy was Joanne McGuinness whose vocals in particular shone amongst the strong ensemble cast.  

Gillian Pugh hit the nail on the head with the costume designs by incorporating Scottish culture into a lot of the outfits. There was no shortage of tartan or thistles but the Tin Wuman’s apron (made solely of Irn Bru cans) was a personal favourite.

The Cottiers panto might not be the flashiest show around, but what it lacks in special effects it more than makes up for in humour, warmth and above all, talent.

Rent Recap & MIA

I've been MIA from the blogging and theatre world in general for a while now, and to be honest I've really enjoyed the break. 

I think there's a thin line between being passionate about something and being consumed with it. For a long time I feel I was the latter, it was getting to the point that if it wasn't a show, then I wasn't interested which was causing me to miss out on a lot of awesome things. 

The whole point of this long winded opening is that last night, my love for theatre was reignited with an impromptu trip to see Rent in concert. So impromptu in fact that I hadn't actually decided I was going until 3 hours before. 
With very little thought we jump into the car to start the 5 hour round trip to Aberdeen- and I'm so glad I did. 

I have already seen Rent when it was in Glasgow (see review here) and I really enjoyed it, but this time was even better than the first. The cast seemed so at home on that stage, and the standard of talent was really phenomenal. Rory Taylor is still so on point playing Roger, he has such a unique sound and he had me from the first note of 'One Song Glory'. And just like last time Ian Stroughair absolutely stole the show with his astounding yet humbling take on Angel. He brought the laughs, the tears and everything in between. 

The second the show ended I felt motivated and inspired to get back into seeing more shows and in turn reviewing more which is such a testament to the cast and creatives. I look forward to seeing what 2014 brings for me and for this blog. Thanks for baring with me. 

Siobhan x