<B>Re-run of the Marie Celeste in the ROH</B><P>At the start of the second interval it was the usual procedure of chasing up the stairs into the Floral Hall to get to the bar before the hordes. But this time not only did I beat the hordes, but also the Bar staff. It all seemed like the famous mystery of the 'Marie Celeste' there were all the drinks set out, but no staff. I mused whether we were supposed to just help ourselves and whether the programme had been 10 minutes shorter than expected.<P>People were still coming into the Hall, but not in their usual numbers. So we wandered about a bit and the realisation dawned that something was amiss. Then a member of staff appeared looking nervous and said very quietly that we should leave the buliding straight away and then disappeared. Quite a lot of people were still standing about and others still coming in, some drinking their pre-ordered drinks. So, yours truly went around for a few minutes telling people they had to leave the building and no it wasn't just so that I could grab their drinks.<P>Eventually there was a tannoy announcement that we should leave. We spent about 10 minutes outside having been directed to the far side of the street. There was a fire engine drawn up outside, but the main concern was that we would miss 'Sandpaper Ballet'.<P>To sighs of relief we were told we could go back in - it was a false alarm. Not a particularly impressive evacuation I have to say and we were never told what had been the cause of losing the interval [<B>later</B> -see the exploding potato newspaper story below]. I managed to grab a drink from the Press table (I was on business) where a charming lady, not from SFB looked after me and I gave her a criticaldance card. 'Oh yes,' she said 'The press people showed me your coverage - it's very impressive.' Afterwards I realised that it was Lillian Hochhauser, part of the entrepreneur couple who have organised the whole of the ROH Summer Season of 4 leading companies. <P><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited August 17, 2001).]

This reminds me of an "alarming" experience i had earlier in the year. I was operating the lights for a performance I had directed when the fire alarm went off during the middle of a duet. The performers kept singing, only momentarily glancing to see whether they should leave, the band kept playing and the audience stayed put although a few organised coats etc. It was a false alarm, smoke from a pyrotechnic setting the alarms off but the best bit was the rest of the cast and all the backstage staff were out in the street after the first ring - so much for the show must go on!<P>I hope this didn't spoil your enjoyment - I'm sure it didn't. It certainly gives another reason to remember the evening!<p>[This message has been edited by Joanne (edited August 16, 2001).]

Oh, you Brits are sissies. When the fire alarm went off at the War Memorial Opera House in SF during Yuri Possokhov's solo, no one got up!

Oh dear. This is embarrassing...<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Burning Potato Clears Royal Ballet</B><P>THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<P>LONDON (AP) -- About 2,000 ballet-goers fled Thursday night's performance at the Royal Opera House. The U.S. performers didn't bomb -- it was a potato that burned.<P>...<P>None of the dancers immediately claimed responsibility for the potato...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><a href=http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010816/wl/britain_ballet_evacuated_1.html target=_blank><B>More</B></a><p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 17, 2001).]

The ROH at night, just to give everyone else an idea of what it's like waiting outside... for the potato to cool down:<P>[img]../../../images/royaloperahouse-night.jpg[/img]

<B>Showstopper is hot potato</B> <BR> <BR>BY PHILIP PANK in The Times <BR> <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>THE Royal Opera House has been beset by problems since its sophisticated redevelopment but last night a fire alert that evacuated the building was traced to a humble potato. <BR>About 2,000 patrons had to leave the theatre in Covent Garden after a ballerina’s microwaved snack overcooked and set off smoke alarms. <P>The hungry dancer was a member of the San Francisco Ballet, the oldest professional ballet company from the United States, which is performing in London this week. Fire crews were called to the building and followed the trail of smoke to the backstage area used by the dancers.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,2-2001285108,00.html" TARGET=_blank><B>click for more...</B></A><P>It makes you wonder about the veracity of all newspaper articles as:<P>- There were probably about 1400 people in the audience. I wish it had been 2000.<BR>- The dance pieces quoted are from another programme<BR>- The SFB technical staff have been impressed by the ROH facilities<P>

The potato is making bigger headlines:<P><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Opera House cleared by potato</B><BR>James Burleigh and Laura Smith, This is London<P>A ballet dancer's exploding baked potato forced the Royal Opera House to be evacuated mid-show. <a href=http://www.thisislondon.com/dynamic/news/story.html?in_review_id=443931&in_review_text_id=393473 target=_blank><B>More</B></a><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Call it ``Swan Bake'' -- Potato Stops Ballet<P>LONDON (Reuters) - Around 2,000 ballet-goers were evacuated from London's prestigious Royal Opera House on Thursday night when a backstage fire alarm went off -- triggered by an exploding baked potato. <a href=http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010817/od/potato_dc_1.html target=_blank>More</a><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 17, 2001).]

Philip Rank of the Times - "Hot potato provides perfect opportunity to get a dig in at the ROH." What has the lighting, and indeed early technical faults, got to do with the hot potato evacuation? Surely it is more interesting to consider how man ROHs we hae lost in this country to fire...

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>how man ROHs we hae lost in this country to fire...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Quite! How many glasses of pinot grigio tonight Emma?

From ABCNews.com (it keeps getting better and better):<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Trevor Sumner, assistant divisional officer with the London Fire Service, said two pumps and a turntable were sent to the scene. "It was a bit strange when the crews got there. They searched the kitchenette where the microwave was and couldn't find anything at first. Eventually, one of the lads looked inside the microwave and saw the potato and its plastic tray plastered all over the inside.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><a href=http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/abc/20010817/wl/britpress010817_1.html target=_blank><B>More</B></a>, about halfway down the linked article.<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 18, 2001).]

Amusing little piece in a newsletter from dtol website that I receive evry week.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Did you hear about the exploding potato at Covent Garden? A performance by the San Francisco Ballet at the Royal Opera House in London was stopped by a fire alert that caused the building to be evacuated.<P>Fire crews discovered the alert had been caused by a smoke alarm, triggered by a potato being cooked by a ballerina in a microwave oven (I think the potato was in the oven, not the ballerina). A spokesman for the San Francisco Ballet said: "Nobody has owned up to it yet." I bet!<P>This raises a number of serious questions:<P>- Is a baked potato suitable for a ballerina's diet?<BR>- Does dancer training include cooking skills?<BR>- Was this a rehearsal for a newly choreographed ballet, involving a potato and a microwave?<BR>- Why was a ballerina eating in the middle of a performance?<BR>- Was it an English potato or a cheap foreign import?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Joanne (edited August 19, 2001).]

I have a theory about this ballerina and her potato - she obviously just got her sautes muddled up!

I was told yesterday about dancers in a well-known ballet company who created havoc when they tried to grill steak in a toaster.<P>What is it with you dancers?

I know dancers who live off ClifBars and bananas... And then there was this one that seemed to have nothing but coffee in the three or so days I was around her...<P>However, going back to the ROH, why was there a need to have a makeshift kitchen backstage I wonder.<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 19, 2001).]

Well although we have grace during performance and as teachers try and perpetuate this to our students a great many teachers and dancers that I know are the most clumsy people around, myself included. If there is something to knock over, spill or drop I'll find it!