Problems with hard drives, and worm infested laptops, which ultimately lost so much of my personal pictures and videos, meant I badly needed a laugh, and I thought that this play at the Tivoli was going to be the answer.
I had seen the poster for the play last week, and I had booked it soon after mlly first round in hospital. To get into the Tivoli you have to go up a long side alley ramp which automatically rules out having access to the bar.
I was immediately shocked to find that the two wheelchair spaces are at the very sides of the theatre which makes for uncomfortable viewing, and is exactly like watching a television from a side angle.
I did notice that there was no one dumb enough to occupy the side rows behind me . This annoyed me, because ultimately its a sub-standard seat that I paid full price for.
I did complain to the manager on duty Mr. Michael Whelan, but even though he took my mobile number I haven’t heard anything from him, and to be honest I don’t expect to.
For a theatre dating from only 1987, there really is no excuse. Maybe the original architect needs a badly needed refresher course on building design and inclusion for all.
The wheelchair spaces are worse in the Olympia, but at least that has the excuse of being an old protected building.
The play itself was very much a let down. I had expected it to be side splitting. An uplifting tonic! The kindest description of the set was that it was minimalist, when really it was just very dull and cheap looking.
It could sorely have benefited from the presence of one or two more actors, rather than the same actress putting on voices. The poster had showed two people, so I wasn’t expecting a monologue.
There were one or two chuckles, and she seemed to have a hard core base of people at the back splitting their sides with laughter, but I kept looking around the first ten rows, and the opposite was true.
It seemed to be quietly cursing the fact that they hadmsacrificed a Saturday evening to get dressed up, travel from wherever, and pay over their hard earned cash for this ( at least they got to see the full stage).
None of us were prudes, but in my opinion, this unsophisticated play just went too far on cheap comedy, and appealing to toilet humour to the point of overkill.
I think I would have been more annoyed, if it had of been a quality play with full production, that I couldn’t see all of.
The only consoling fact, was I only had a ninety minute drive, as opposed to some wheelchair user coming up from Kerry. As I said to Mr.Whelan, its just not good enough to pay full price (€26 each), for such poorly situated seats like that with no bar access (at the interval especially).
(Update: Wednesday 22/5/13) Went to see the Lion King at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre last night, and this has restored my crumbling faith. Brilliant spectacle and unbeatable wheelchair viewing areas.
If only they could all be this good…………..