In a word DREADFUL. If you were going to book tickets - don't. If you have booked tickets -see if you can get your money back. I am not going to go in detail as to why it was bad - it would take too long and quite frankly I have wasted enough of my time on it.
It was the first time I had been to the Dolphin and quite frankly it has put me off going again. On top of the terrible "entertainment" the food was average and the service poor.
Thankfully I was with some friends so the evening wasn't a complete write off. But please BE WARNED.
Sherlock Holmes at the Dolphin
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richpickings
- Posts: 75
- Joined: 15 Oct 2006 17:05
- Location: Ex of Kirkdale
i have to respond with a few of my own comments.
I attended the opening evening with some friends. Although the Dolphin was busy, we were shown to our seats fairly quickly and experienced excellent table service throughout the evening. (paying the bill at the end was very much of a scrum at the bar).
The seating was well laid out in the garden and the technicians had apparently overcome the problems last year when it rained and made the electrics unsafe.
As for the play, I thought it went very well. All of the actors seemed to have practiced the event flawlessly.
I do think some parts of the play seemed unnecessary and dragged the evening out. I think the script could have been shortened and refined.
But on the whole I thought it good value and a nice local evening out.
Admin did splendidly and scrubbed up quite nicely in a dress with frontage.
I attended the opening evening with some friends. Although the Dolphin was busy, we were shown to our seats fairly quickly and experienced excellent table service throughout the evening. (paying the bill at the end was very much of a scrum at the bar).
The seating was well laid out in the garden and the technicians had apparently overcome the problems last year when it rained and made the electrics unsafe.
As for the play, I thought it went very well. All of the actors seemed to have practiced the event flawlessly.
I do think some parts of the play seemed unnecessary and dragged the evening out. I think the script could have been shortened and refined.
But on the whole I thought it good value and a nice local evening out.
Admin did splendidly and scrubbed up quite nicely in a dress with frontage.
The menu was exceptionally limited, and doled out like a canteen. No choice of starter or dessert and two choices of main - no meat dish. Service was pleasant, but inefficient bringing half the tables dishes at one time and then a ten minute gap before the remaining ones
The play was fabulously unfunny. Badly staged and in several places inaudible. People who had paid for dinner had to watch from behind a hedge - the good thing is that at least we saw less of it. The play was overlong, didn't capitalise on its supposedly local setting, and after the interval even the actors seemed to have given up and got bored. If Equity cards could be endorsed, then quite a few points should be given out. Mainly a hugely dull production of a dire script .
We were really looking forward to it and quite frankly i wish I had stayed home and burst my haemorrhoids!
The play was fabulously unfunny. Badly staged and in several places inaudible. People who had paid for dinner had to watch from behind a hedge - the good thing is that at least we saw less of it. The play was overlong, didn't capitalise on its supposedly local setting, and after the interval even the actors seemed to have given up and got bored. If Equity cards could be endorsed, then quite a few points should be given out. Mainly a hugely dull production of a dire script .
We were really looking forward to it and quite frankly i wish I had stayed home and burst my haemorrhoids!
Blimey! Some of that criticism is well over the top.
I saw it last night and I think ALIB's review above was a fair and accurate description of the overall experience, though that was the previous night. Some of the acting was really excellent, though maybe they should have had microphones as it was occasionally hard to hear.
We didn't have the set menu as we didn't have time, though we did have some chips and sausage/bread that was all very nice, though apparently technically they weren't doing anything other than the set menu.
One of the bar staff was obviously a bit new and inexperienced which contributed to some of the problems getting served at the bar, but it was busy.
Overall it was very enjoyable. Worth it alone for the sight of Admin in a dress.
I saw it last night and I think ALIB's review above was a fair and accurate description of the overall experience, though that was the previous night. Some of the acting was really excellent, though maybe they should have had microphones as it was occasionally hard to hear.
We didn't have the set menu as we didn't have time, though we did have some chips and sausage/bread that was all very nice, though apparently technically they weren't doing anything other than the set menu.
One of the bar staff was obviously a bit new and inexperienced which contributed to some of the problems getting served at the bar, but it was busy.
Overall it was very enjoyable. Worth it alone for the sight of Admin in a dress.
Shhhhh! - no pictures please maam!Juwlz wrote:Overall it was very enjoyable. Worth it alone for the sight of Admin in a dress.
Just thought to say I am the only amateur in the production. The rest are pros and it shows backstage. Yes we did have issues in Act 2 on opening night after a flawless dress rehearsal the night before. That's the risk, danger and enjoyment of live performance.
It is a spoof and hence dependent on getting the right reaction from the audience. I can see that being upset before we even got on stage is going to make that difficult. Night 2 was better than Night 1. Tonight should be better still. So, if you are unsure, check it out before the rains set in ...
Admin
I think it's great to stage events in the garden at the pub and hopefully with experience the standards will improve.
I haven't seen the performance so cannot comment on that.
I can, however, comment on the food at the Dolphin. Unusually for me I have eaten there twice in the last week - once for lunch and once for dinner. Each time I forget how expensive the food is and, although tasty, not really good value for money. The pre theatre menu seemed to be an okay price for 2 courses (£11) until we ordered it the other night and the portions were miniscule. The starter was feta cheese, with a few wafer thin slices of cucumber and beetroot houmos and some flat bread. It sounded delicious and tasted nice but there can only have been about 5 small cubes of feta, 1 tablespoon of houmous, 1cm of cucumber (maximum) and 4 pieces of flatbread. The maincourses were also tasty but the 3 fishcakes were small and came with a tiny homage to a salad on the side of the plate. The couscous was good but again very small portion.
I'm interested to know how pubs price their food and why eating in the Dolphin for a 2 course pre-theatre menu is as expensive as a pre-theatre menu in Covent Garden
I haven't seen the performance so cannot comment on that.
I can, however, comment on the food at the Dolphin. Unusually for me I have eaten there twice in the last week - once for lunch and once for dinner. Each time I forget how expensive the food is and, although tasty, not really good value for money. The pre theatre menu seemed to be an okay price for 2 courses (£11) until we ordered it the other night and the portions were miniscule. The starter was feta cheese, with a few wafer thin slices of cucumber and beetroot houmos and some flat bread. It sounded delicious and tasted nice but there can only have been about 5 small cubes of feta, 1 tablespoon of houmous, 1cm of cucumber (maximum) and 4 pieces of flatbread. The maincourses were also tasty but the 3 fishcakes were small and came with a tiny homage to a salad on the side of the plate. The couscous was good but again very small portion.
I'm interested to know how pubs price their food and why eating in the Dolphin for a 2 course pre-theatre menu is as expensive as a pre-theatre menu in Covent Garden
Right, I've just booked 6 tickets for next Weds for me and some non-Sydenhamites. Thankfully (I think!) I didn't read some of the reviews on here first! Hopefully by now any teething problems are resolved so am looking forward to it.
2 questions though...
What happens if it rains? Does the show go on / cancelled or what? (I've no idea what the weather will be like next Weds but that was the only evening we could all do!).
Where to eat beforehand along the High St!? I suggested the Mexican but this feels more like a place to eat 'later'. Has anyone actually eaten in the Two Half's or Golden Lion in the early evening - any good? Else, we'd probably just stay in Town for eats...
Ta
Gaz
2 questions though...
What happens if it rains? Does the show go on / cancelled or what? (I've no idea what the weather will be like next Weds but that was the only evening we could all do!).
Where to eat beforehand along the High St!? I suggested the Mexican but this feels more like a place to eat 'later'. Has anyone actually eaten in the Two Half's or Golden Lion in the early evening - any good? Else, we'd probably just stay in Town for eats...
Ta
Gaz
It will be cancelled - if only to save the lighting and other electricsGaz wrote:What happens if it rains? Does the show go on / cancelled or what? (I've no idea what the weather will be like next Weds but that was the only evening we could all do!).
I believe you will be offered tickets for a later performance or refund. The first night had to be cancelled last year and the run was extended to accommodate everybody.
Admin
Holmes was fab
I don't know why those people are whinging!
The show was really funny - some great acting and some real gem performances.Probably a bit scary in parts too but done in quite a cartoon fashion.
I've eaten at the Dolphin before and it is a bit pricey but delicious anyway.
Oh yeah, the bushes could do with trimming!
C
'she called me Kenny on account of it being a shortened version of my name...'
The show was really funny - some great acting and some real gem performances.Probably a bit scary in parts too but done in quite a cartoon fashion.
I've eaten at the Dolphin before and it is a bit pricey but delicious anyway.
Oh yeah, the bushes could do with trimming!
C
'she called me Kenny on account of it being a shortened version of my name...'
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girl_canuck
- Posts: 56
- Joined: 3 Feb 2009 14:24
- Location: Sydenham!
I was really excited about this show, and I usually go out of my way to support local events like this. But.... ohhhh... it was awful last night. Really bad.
The food was nice, but overpriced for the portion sizes and selection.
You could tell most of the actors were really good, and deserved to be in a better show. BUT the play itself was DIRE. It was all over the place, not funny at all, and just completely lacking in anything that made it interesting. The music was uninspiring (Pomp and Circumstance for the final scene??), and frankly I couldn't wait to get out of there. I was really tempted to leave halfway through, but we'd ordered another bottle of wine for intermission, so had to stay.
Such a shame because I really had high hopes! The show in Trattoria Rafelle (Ameretti Angels) in July was superb - maybe we can get that company back next year for a show in the Dolphin?
The food was nice, but overpriced for the portion sizes and selection.
You could tell most of the actors were really good, and deserved to be in a better show. BUT the play itself was DIRE. It was all over the place, not funny at all, and just completely lacking in anything that made it interesting. The music was uninspiring (Pomp and Circumstance for the final scene??), and frankly I couldn't wait to get out of there. I was really tempted to leave halfway through, but we'd ordered another bottle of wine for intermission, so had to stay.
Such a shame because I really had high hopes! The show in Trattoria Rafelle (Ameretti Angels) in July was superb - maybe we can get that company back next year for a show in the Dolphin?
I don't think the Golden Lion do food in the evening.....Gaz wrote:Where to eat beforehand along the High St!? I suggested the Mexican but this feels more like a place to eat 'later'. Has anyone actually eaten in the Two Half's or Golden Lion in the early evening - any good? Else, we'd probably just stay in Town for eats...
Ta
Gaz
I've only been to the Mexican place once before and found it very medicore for the price.
Gara Masala are doing a 1/2 price offer on food on weekday nights at the moment. Despite the shabby looking exterior I always find the food to be excellent.
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LaHibernis
- Posts: 12
- Joined: 22 Aug 2009 08:55
- Location: Thorpes
It was a little on the small side but then £13 for 3 courses seemed pretty good value to us - unless you're used to going to McDonalds in Covent Garden of course....sophie wrote: ...I'm interested to know how pubs price their food and why eating in the Dolphin for a 2 course pre-theatre menu is as expensive as a pre-theatre menu in Covent Garden
Food was fresh and tasty and there is something delightfully pleasant about not needing to move from your dining table to watch the action.
We went on the third night and whilst the script could have been tightened a bit, it was still good fun on the whole with good acting. We were reflecting afterwards that we're spoilt having some pretty good quality "local" theatre in such a nice environment.
On the whole we'd definitely recommend going.
PS The NewsShopper review seems pretty fair.
"It was a little on the small side but then £13 for 3 courses seemed pretty good value to us - unless you're used to going to McDonalds in Covent Garden of course....
Not sure I've boxed the comment above or not!
Anyway, we had the 2 courses for £11 - £5.50 for each course if split in 2. How very dare you suggest we might eat in McDonalds!
We usually eat at Sofra in Covent Garden where you get a very substantial meal for, I think, £12.95. I would recommend it to anyone but always forget the street it is on - Tavistock perhaps? Turkish food in a very nice setting. I think the £12.95 meal is called the Healthy something or other and they bring you a range of meze. An extra £2 in a Covent Garden restaurant, as opposed to a south London pub should I think equal the same kind of value for money food although you get much more in Sofra.
Of course the pre-theatre dinner there would mean you would be hard pushed to make the performance at the Dolphin!
Not sure I've boxed the comment above or not!
Anyway, we had the 2 courses for £11 - £5.50 for each course if split in 2. How very dare you suggest we might eat in McDonalds!
We usually eat at Sofra in Covent Garden where you get a very substantial meal for, I think, £12.95. I would recommend it to anyone but always forget the street it is on - Tavistock perhaps? Turkish food in a very nice setting. I think the £12.95 meal is called the Healthy something or other and they bring you a range of meze. An extra £2 in a Covent Garden restaurant, as opposed to a south London pub should I think equal the same kind of value for money food although you get much more in Sofra.
Of course the pre-theatre dinner there would mean you would be hard pushed to make the performance at the Dolphin!
It may have had mixed reviews here but due to overwhelming popular demand the producers have added TWO extra dates to the run of Sherlock Holmes & The Curse of the Werewolf at the Dolphin Pub Sydenham.
Extra show dates are Weds 2nd & Thurs 3rd September, starting at 8pm.
Tickets from the Kirkdale Bookshop or phone number 020 8778 4701.
More pix and stuff here: http://spontaneousproductions.co.uk/she ... ewolf.html
Admin
Pix by Ann Pownall http://www.annpownall.com
Extra show dates are Weds 2nd & Thurs 3rd September, starting at 8pm.
Tickets from the Kirkdale Bookshop or phone number 020 8778 4701.
More pix and stuff here: http://spontaneousproductions.co.uk/she ... ewolf.html
Admin
Pix by Ann Pownall http://www.annpownall.com
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Muddy Waters
- Posts: 137
- Joined: 2 Oct 2004 17:05
Good spoof and a great laugh last night - maybe slightly long, but what the heck! Food was plentiful and service was excellent. Whatever hiccups there were on the first night seem to have been well ironed out.
If anyone was wavering after the first reviews there are tickets for next week's extra performances so suggest you get to Kirkdale Bookshop without further delay and snap these up!
If anyone was wavering after the first reviews there are tickets for next week's extra performances so suggest you get to Kirkdale Bookshop without further delay and snap these up!