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Monkey to take over the O2
By Amira Hashish, Evening Standard 07.11.08
Back with a new base: Monkey, Journey to the West
Monkey: Journey To The West is set to return to London in November, appearing at the O2 for a month long run.
Following sold out shows in Manchester, Paris, Charleston and London's Royal Opera House, the production leaves theatres and arrives at Monkey's World, a bespoke tent, at the O2 Arena.
With interiors designed by the Monkey team, Monkey's World will also feature a bar, restaurant, foot massage parlour and a VIP after-show area.
The contemporary opera written and directed by Chen Shi-Zheng, with music by Damon Albarn and design by Jamie Hewlett will host a red carpet premiere in aid of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy on November 12th.
The UK's largest music therapy charity, Nordoff-Robbins provides over 30,000 therapy sessions across the UK for children and adults with learning disabilities.
For more information visit www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk
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Reader views (2)
This is a reply to the comment that Joyce Campbell has made. At all events, technical difficulties are expected and it just happened to be on the night that you had attended. Although there were signs saying that there was no re-entry once you came in. I heard them specifically say that there was a change and that you can go out and come back in just as long as you have your ticket. I thought the bar staff were great, I saw that they handled the crowd pretty well cause im sure over 1500 people were in there on that night. The perfomance was great but yes, due to the fireworks it did spoil it but that was something no one could sort out. On the whole i give it 4/5.
- P. Williams, Dagenham England
Disastrous start. Completely spoiled the atmosphere by unbelievable problems. Wanting the whole atmosphere of 'The Journey' we made sure we would be well on time to eat in the 'Monkey World' dining area before the opera started.
A day or so before, someone from the organisation? texted to say come earlier at 6.00pm. We and others dutifully turned up to be made to stand for half an hour. We got in at the original time 6.30! Then the nightmare began. For 1 hour 50 minutes we and many others waited, enquired, requested, demanded that we get something to eat or even drink. At £28 a time people got upset, some left. Notices stated that there would be no reentry if you left the premises. Having spent £108 on tickets we couldn't leave to find food. Our drinks, which were even difficult to order, didn't arrive for an hour due to lack of staff manning the bar. Some people had paid in advance and did not get any food. People who managed to get a starter began sharing it around other people as starting time approached. After pleading yet again, we were given a starter just as a gong was struck behind us telling us that we had 5 minutes. We crammed in a few morsels as more food arrived 3 minutes before the performance. We had to leave it and run to make it into our seats on time. The Performance was good but between loud firework noises from Canary Wharf and a storm as well, it all lost some of the magic that we had anticipated. Very disappointed.
- Joyce Campbell, Hitchin England
