I have never understood why set designers, or directors, have not always had as their top priority making sure that every seat in the theater can see the show. Particularly on Broadway, where the sets and the staging are custom designed for that particular house. What excuse is there for partial view? If the gargantuan Moulin Rouge set cuts off the view of a quarter of the house, then it is a failure of a set. Find a way of realizing your artistic vision while respecting your whole audience.
This is another area where Hadestown gets things right. My "partial view" side box seat meant that I missed some of the band, and maybe some of the scenic elements, but nothing important. All of the action was center stage -- I was frankly surprised that they marked it as partial view (but I will take it, if it means they do not charge $400 for it). |
