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Theatregoers' Handbook
By Mark Shenton and Roger Foss
204 pages
Harden's
£7.99
Dateline: 31st August, 2004
The co-authors of this handy little work are both theatre critics and
therefore will have spent an embarrassing proportion of their lives
in the theatres that they so lovingly describe.
Their main concern is to ensure that anybody visiting a theatre in
London will know all the pleasures and pitfalls of the particular establishment
that they have chosen to visit before they arrive. They will also learn
a little about the history of each venue, including many quirky facts
such as hauntings and the character of the front of house staff. Like
Macqueen Pope in his An Indiscreet Guide to Theatreland published
about sixty years ago, Messrs Shenton and Foss expose the realities
of theatre going for an often-unsuspecting public.
This book may prove of particular benefit to various interest groups.
It is clearly aimed at the generality of theatregoers but producers
will learn an awful lot and, in particular, those from overseas trying
to select an appropriate theatre for a London transfer might well regard
it as a Bible. For a second edition, it will be helpful for the numbers
of seats in every theatre to be included, rather than just in the vast
majority. It is possible to count them from the comprehensive seating
plans but this might prove tedious.
Those with disabilities are particularly well served too, as for every
Theatre, access, audio facilities and arrangements for Guide Dogs are
delineated.
As well as location, website and box-office hours, transport arrangements
(including parking) are detailed and the stomach is catered for both
in a section on facilities within the theatre and one on places of interest
near by which often include restaurants and pubs.
In many ways, where the book really scores is in an innovative section
for each theatre entitled "Best seat in the house". For the
most part, this is likely to be somewhere in the centre stalls but at
the Comedy, the authors go beyond the call of duty in identifying seats
A6 and A7 in the front row of the Dress Circle!
Theatregoers' Handbook covers every West End theatre in considerable
detail, classical venues such as the Royal Opera House and then moves
on to major Fringe, minor Fringe, theatres outside central London but
generally within the M2, with the exception of that honorary Londoner,
Stratford.
After a West End theatre map, the final section is a glossary that
is to be commended for its tongue-in-cheek and occasionally scathing
comments. This mirrors the introduction which controversially questions
the financing, operation and upkeep of West End theatres before moving
on to subjects such as "booking tickets without hassle" and
"best behaviour and things that go wrong on the night".
The publishers Harden's are best known for their restaurant guides,
a pair of which are briefly reviewed as well.
The chatty style that they specialise in has transferred well to this
new venture. Perhaps surprisingly, not only does Theatregoers' Handbook
act as a work of reference but is a very good, informative and entertaining
read too.
Philip Fisher
Articles Indices:
Articles from 2004
Articles from 2003
Articles from 2002
Articles from 2001
Articles from 2000
Articles from 1999
Articles from 1998
Articles from 1997
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