It’s been nearly four glorious years since the Teatro opened with The Lion King in 2007. For the many who had never experienced the magic of a live theatre show before SA’s largest theatre opened, it’s been a delightful glimpse into how contagious theatre can be. “It is truly wonderful to see how theatre audiences have grown exponentially since April 2007,” says Bryan Hill, General Manager of the Teatro at Montecasino. “The diverse appeal of the productions staged at the Teatro has witnessed an extremely divergent mix of people flocking through its doors, which, as of January 2011, numbered over 1 209 performances." Joburg residents confirmed these figures when they voted the Teatro Best Theatre in the Leisure Options Best of Joburg Readers’ Choice Awards 2010.
“We see up to 1 830 people for every perfomance and it is our ultimate pleasure to provide an enjoyable experience that every guest encounters after viewing our productions. We’ve put together some hints and tips that will serve as a guideline before you set out on your theatre-going adventure,” says Bryan.
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Refreshments/snacks: Unlike the movies, where you can munch away on your box of popcorn without unduly bothering anyone, your noise levels and your actions can affect the performers on stage. Don’t bring a picnic, sweets covered in rustley wrappers or anything that makes more noise than a pin dropping.
Cell phones: Talking to your long-lost pal next to you and a buzzing or beeping cell phone fall into the same category as refreshments and snacks. The more you can lose yourself in the production, the more you’ll enjoy the experience, and so will the people around you. So switch it off….
Babies and small children: Babies, as many weary moms will attest to, make an awful lot of noise and fidget – a lot. |
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So leave them in the care of Granny or a Nanny and come and enjoy a well-deserved night out! Check the show information for each production, but the general rule is no babes in arms or children under three for most shows.
Late arrivals: The time shown on the ticket is the time that the show actually starts – there are no ‘shorts’, ads or previews. The Teatro doors open an hour before the show, which gives you access to our bars overlooking the Piazza, and the auditorium doors usually open half an hour before the curtain rises.
Parking and finding your way: Make sure to leave some extra time to find parking and head to the Teatro, especially if you can only get parking at the west entrance of Montecasino.
Pictures and other mementos: The appearance of artists and the designs for sets and costumes are all copyrighted and photography of any kind is prohibited by law. Don’t despair there’s usually an array of show merchandise for sale in the foyer.
| Wheelchairs and lifts: There is one lift at the Teatro which goes to the first and second floor and is located next to the toilets. We do however have seating and wheel chair access within the Teatro. For detailed information and for the booking of these facilities please contact Edie Fleming at 011 510-7472 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).
Facilities for the hearing impaired: We’re very proud to offer facilities for the hearing impaired to enjoy our shows. Seats purchased in rows ZB, ZC, ZD and ZE in the stalls allow access to the Oticon loop system for those patrons wearing hearing aids, which enables customers with a hearing impairment to fully enjoy all performances. The wheelchair platforms also have access to this system. |
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For all other queries: For more info on where you can buy tickets, proximity of ATMs, lifts, access to disabled parking and recommended disabled seating and everything you’ve ever wanted to know about visiting the Teatro, contact Edie Fleming on
011-510-7472 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm). | |
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