When I travel I tend to go for live theatre instead of movies.  Live theatre is an experience that can never be replicated, because it is always changing.  The audience changes, the people on stage do something different each night – the show you see will never be performed that way again.  I like theatre.  Theatre is cool.

I saw a movie instead of a live show when I was in Frankfurt in 2010, but that was because I’d heard about German movie houses and I wanted to experience a movie in German.

I don’t think I talked about that during my re-cap, but basically my sister and I went to a movie theatre in Frankfurt.  We really wanted to see “das A Team” but it wasn’t coming out for another week, so we settled for “Kiss und Kill” (side note: Katherine Heigl is less annoying in German).  At the theatre we got to pick our seats instead of it being general admission (which was difficult because we had no idea what the inside of the theatre looked like).  No, we did not get beer with our popcorn, but it was an option.

Side Note: German theatres have a LOT of adverts before their movie.  Like, a LOT – at least 15 minutes worth.  I noticed that the theatre was pretty empty before the movie, but people started filing in during the ads.  Those people must have known.

As for the experience?  Well, the chairs were really comfy – almost like arm chairs.  Even though I had no idea what the movie was about, it wasn’t too difficult to pick up the plot (which is why we chose a romantic comedy and not “Inception“).

…and now I want to watch more movies in German…  Moving on…

So back to London 2012, where I specifically planned to go to the theatre and see a movie.  Why?  Because I had been given my second chance.

In Halifax I had been too busy to see this movie.  When I finally had time not only was it no longer playing at my closest theatre, but it was not at any other theatre in Halifax or Dartmouth.

This is the problem with Part 1 movies – you have to see them before the Part 2.  Also, it doesn’t help when tons of people have seen it and they want to talk about it and you’re putting your fingers in your ears and going ‘nanananana’ in hopes of not getting any spoilers…  (I may be super-sensitive about this right now – see, my computer at home broke so I don’t have internet, so I haven’t seen the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary special yet, and it’s driving me CRAZY).

*deep breath*  …Moving on…

In London the Harry Potter movie was still playing.  So I went.  It was in a little theatre in Leicester Square, which sat about 50 people (maybe less).  I think I was one of 10 people going to the movie, but because of the small theatre it didn’t feel too empty.

The movie was in 3D, and at this theatre you had to buy your 3D glasses separate from your ticket (I think it was only £1 or £1.50).  At the end of the movie you still had your 3D glasses and you could bring them to another show, saving you another purchase.  Here in Halifax you get the 3D glasses with your ticket, then you recycle your glasses at the end of the show (they probably just get cleaned up and repackaged, really).

I still have my glasses from London, although I’ve never tried bringing them to a theatre here.  Maybe next time…