We went last night to a performance of How to be a Dancer in Seventy-Two Lessons at Sadler’s Wells East. I am not going to pretend that I am an aficionado of contemporary ballet, having so seldom been, but the work was amazing, very excitingly danced and if there are tickets left for tonight’s performance – there probably are because it’s a big theatre – I strongly recommend it.
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
I was keen to see this (especially being an Irish passport holder!) but – even with my 20% discount as a Sadler’s Wells member I couldn’t justify the price of a ticket. I still haven’t seen anything at Sadler’s Wells East despite my membership and it being a 15 minute walk from my front door. I, as no doubt many others, increasingly find myself being interested in all sorts of arts things – theatre, dance, music, exhibitions – but looking at the price of admission and deciding against. Ironically my daughter goes to see much more than me as schemes like Young Barbican, Barclays Dance Pass, Tate Collective and the like make it affordable. I do wonder if attendance by people like her falls off a cliff when the young person reaches 26 which is when most of these schemes stop. Except, of course, at the Wigmore Hall where the qualifying age is up to 35.
Dear Joan, I’m so sorry you weren’t able to see it. You would have really enjoyed it. Charles