Sara C.
Yelp
Oh BGET, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways....
Positives first. It's gorgeous building that fits perfectly into the redeveloped docklands. The theatre itself is magnificent and extremely well designed. I've sat in the stands, the lower circle and the upper circle and I've found that at no point is your view obscured or does the sound suffer. The bars are well stocked, though there's no Guinness only Murphys, which is a minor annoyance. The taxi ranks outside are fantastic, you walk out the door straight into one!
Overall it is a wonderful theatre. However I can't get over the following points....
The Bord Gais Energy Theatre? Are you kidding me? When I heard of the rebranding originally I thought it was a joke (it was Marty Whelan in the mornings on LyricFM and sometimes he does let on) but no, gone is The Grand Canal Theatre, so aptly named!
Second, Tayto? Really? You're selling massive bags of Tayto at the Theatre? Have ye thought that through AT ALL? The noise is one thing, the cheesey, oniony smell quite another.
Finally, and this is on a more personal note, maybe children under 12 shouldn't be allowed in to the evening shows? Or adult only options should be offered, like in some cinemas. I'm in no way anti-child but I can't help but think that trying to get an under 12 to sit quietly through the more dramatic, and maybe less action-filled, parts of a play or musical is asking quite a lot! They get bored, they want to pee and they ask loud questions.
I always enjoy my trips here, but can't help but think some improvements could be made.