Reports at the time suggested that it was believed that the London theatregoing public would demand an intermission, although it may be that the union was part of it and they just didn't want to report that. But bolstering the idea that the public was unhappy is that when La Mancha first played in London in 1968, it opened with no intermission but one was added during the run. When it came back in 1969 with Kiley, there was an intermission.
Thanks for the La Mancha announcement info. I don't remember hearing it, which makes me wonder if perhaps it wasn't done at matinees but only at evening performances (more likely perhaps to have attendees with babysitters at home). But I know you saw La Mancha many times, including (I would imagine) at matinees. |