Fire Works and Music!

[Asset]

And by the way I also was in bed at 10pm last night, as were my 2 children.

[sillywoman]

And me, and my 4 children. We have jobs and school to get up for on a Monday.

[intexasatthe moment]

I was also in bed and found it hugely disturbing - and I live in Barry Rd.

A 93 year old lady I visit ( living not that close to the scene ) was also woken from one of her rare spells of sleep and then spent ages trying to relocate the arms of Morpheus .

Personally I found it inconsiderate and annoying.I think the fact that it was so unexpected made it more disturbing ,I lay there trying to imagine what on earth was going on.

[Townleygreen]

No, Asset, I was addressing your point, all the equipment that was being loaded was to do with the fireworks show. A normal production in the theatre shouldn't impact on you - did you notice the West Side Story production, which was on in mid- December? If not, then you should have no worries.

I take your point about the parking - you must live in Townley Road.

Sillywoman, I was in bed by 8pm, as usual of course.

That was late for me. :-)

[tomk]

Smug and arrogant response to a genuine concern that the whole neighbourhood was kept awake (literally) by an inconsiderate local business. The amplified music , albeit brief (5 songs? 30mins?) was the loudest i have heard in a residential area from an open air venue (I presume it was open air - it was extremely loud). We live in Upland Road so pity anyone closer. And yes, we were asleep at 10.30 - some of us have to be in work by 8am. And our kids did wake up (baby and toddler). So thanks Alleyns. Townleygreen, perhaps you'd be kind enough to pass on our thanks to the school.

[hazza522]

what a load of wining, cynical grumps. So what if you couldn't get to sleep until midnight. it's the only event i've ever known at Alleyn's to cause this kind of late night disturbance and I doubt there will be one for a very long time. I think it's fantastic that the school has put this much time, energy, funding and enthusiasm into drama, especially as the school was founded be an actor. Why couldn't you just enjoy what everyone who was there would agree was a magical and beautiful evening instead of moaning away on some dusty internet forum. It was the singularly most exciting, inspiring and uniting experience I've had at Alleyn's and its sad how all you can all do is complain about your bedtimes. Yes, it is completley open to use by the community. Yes, the NYT has their own studio and are able to put on their productions. Yes, you all need to grow up and try and get out more.

[Mikecg]

What are you telling me that somebody in East Dulwich had a good time? It's an outrage I tell you.

[tomk]

This magical, beautiful (!) evening would have been spoiled by turning the music down to a reasonable level! Heaven forbid! Sir Trevor Nunn would never allow it! etc

[Townleygreen]

Well said, Hazza, there are some seriously sad and grumpy folks on here it would seem. It WAS a magical evening. The expressions on the children's faces as they watched the fireworks and the various events was good to see.

[Asset]

I'm only complaining about the lack of consideration regarding a forewarning. If I was going to have a loud party I would inform the neighbours, seems only decent.

No Townley Green I don't live on Townley Road. And as you seem so well-informed, I will take your word for it that I won't be disturbed at 1am on a regular basis by equipment being humped around, cars revving, people shouting etc etc.

[Asset]

Why couldn't you just enjoy what everyone who was there would agree was a magical and beautiful evening

Um, 'cos I wasn't invited. I did watch the fireworks though - very pretty.

[indiepanda]

I saw the fireworks, very good they were too - but I have to say it was the loudness of the music that alerted my attention to them - and I live on Crystal Palace Road.

I was trying to get to sleep, having to be up at 5.30am. It did seem a bit late for a display - it's not like it's summer and they needed to leave it that late to be after dark after all.

[Ted Max]

It was a wonderful night celebrating the unity of this most accessible of institutions. The only downside was that Sir Trevor never brought Imogen with him. Quite a few of the children's dads had been w*nking themselves into a pit thinking about her, but she never showed. Typical of those St Paul's and Westminster girls.

[Reg Smeeton]

>

> And Reg, were you really in bed by 10 pm.? What an

> impressively early night that was!

I'm an old man, TG. Though actually it was the children who were woken up, not me.

> Earlier in the evening there was a fantastic show

> that was put on by present and former pupils of

> the school (going back to boys who were in plays

> directed by Michael Croft),

Tremendous! I don't remember seeing tickets advertised, or I'd have loved to go.

[Ted Max]

All that theatre, all those kids weaned on professional standard theatrical facilities. To produce what? One pretty boy with the range of a tiger moth who got caught f*cking the help. Let's hope for a better return from this new platform, eh?

[Townleygreen]

Are you referring to one Lude Jaw, by any chance?

[bawdy-nan]

great to hear it's available and thanks for the contact details

[KalamityKel]

Was there a particular reason why the fireworks had to be of the large expensive variety? Local firework displays and even party in the park was not so "banging". One could feel the vibrations, from the bottom of LL, before hearing the explosions.

Many would be less of the "wining, cynical grumps" as you put it hazza if those around had warning, it wasn't done on a Sunday late into the evening, wasn't so big and generally involved the community.

As suggested by Townleygreen it was/ is meant to be the start of wonderful opportunities so why weren't the community a part of it as well?

[Michael Palaeologus]

Presumably by inviting Parents to their fee paying school, they thought they HAD told the local community.

Non-fee paying Parents being of the lower orders and so not worth concidering.

What's wrong with a Saturday night? Most people would be OK with that, but a Sunday night?

There is an uncomfortable arrogance in the view that its only a one off and its the SCHOOl that did it - so all must be well.

[LordshipLaneMum]

I thought I'd share an extract from the email I received having asked the school similar questions as have been posed here:

"We reluctantly had to choose to hold the Gala Opening on a Sunday because that was the only day when actors and actresses are free, and a main focus of the evening was to include our acting alumni and parents. Mindful of the fact that this was a Sunday evening, we booked the firm on the clear understanding that it should be just a fire and light display with absolutely no fireworks of the ?bang? variety, and indeed that the emphasis would be on visual impact, rather than noise....Like you, however, I was dismayed by the accompanying and unexpected noise from the fireworks.

Unlike some local schools and organisations, Alleyn?s does not have regular fireworks displays, and it was the first such event of this kind in my 7 years here as Headmaster. As a local resident myself I am only too aware of the disturbance from loud displays which take place locally with regularity and no warning. It was for reasons of courtesy that we informed adjacent houses of our display, and I apologise that it was so much noisier than we had anticipated. We have no intention to repeat such a display; this was a very special one-off evening for the Alleyn?s community to celebrate the conclusion of this major building project."

[*Bob*]

I must add my voice to the chorus of disapproval.

I was trying to watch 'Heartbeat' on VHS at the time and was forced to turn the volume up to seven.

A selection of indoor fireworks - placed on a raised plinth - would have been a more appropriate celebration.. assuming Sir Trevor could have been found a seat near the front, naturally.

[*Bob*]

LordshipLaneMum Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

"....Like you, however, I was dismayed by the

> accompanying and unexpected noise from the

> fireworks.."

[Surprise]

sillywoman Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> And, as usual, Alleyns showed courtesy and good

> manners by sending advance notification of the

> event and an apology for any disruption caused to

> those who live closest to it. Not.

They did! I got a letter about it through the door a week ago.

[sillywoman]

Lucky you Surprise - I guess you live "adjacent" rather than opposite or behind.

I agree wholeheartedly with all the comments about exclusivity. Not many really mind a once in a while party. It's the absolute arrogance and PLU attitude that Alleyns consistently displays to anyone not giving them money or kudos in some way that makes them a legitimate target for our griping. They really do believe they are the heart of the local community and cannot see beyond the boundary of their playing fields or Woodwarde rd (are there any children on this road who attend a state secondary?). I suspect they put letters through a few houses on Townley rd and considered that they had notified "the community" of the event?

This is just the latest in a long line of incidents that shows their true colours, as described so well by MP (see below).

"Presumably by inviting Parents to their fee paying school, they thought they HAD told the local community. Non-fee paying Parents being of the lower orders and so not worth considering."

Grrrrrr(6)

[Michael Palaeologus]

"this was a very special one-off evening for the Alleyn?s community to celebrate the conclusion of this major building project."

......So the rest of the community can take a hike!