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Roy Thomson Hall
Category: Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts Performing Arts [Edit]
60 Simcoe StToronto, ON M5J 2H5
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Downtown Core
(416) 872-4255
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
7 reviews for Roy Thomson Hall
7 reviews in English
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Review from Johnny H.
Toronto, ON
5/9/2012 2 photos
I've only watched movies at Roy Thomson Hall for Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Acoustics are excellent, and interior ambience is modern but inviting. Yes, this is the theater where high profile movies are screened/premiered as gala events. They do it at Elgin too, but this is still considered to be the spot for the festival's highest launch pad.
The screen is a tad bit small. If you sit on upper floors (you will likely to unless you purchase gala package), you literally have to look down to balance your line of sight to the movie screen. it is so flat facing and the the upper floors are too high from the main floor. It's really different from sitting on second floor at Ryerson or Elgin.
Seats are narrow and tight no matter where you sit. There is barely enough room to stretch your legs. On the first floor, the view of the movie screen might get blocked by someone in front of you.
Despite all these nitpickings, watching a movie at Roy Thomson Hall is a special memorable experience. It is the type of occasion where you bring a date, your best friend or any loved one to. Beware though. It's best to show up 1.5 hours before the show to secure a good seat.
Overall, Elgin is still my favorite spot to watch a movie. -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 5/4/2012
I'm such a loser, I just created a new venue because I thought RTH wasn't on here. And I spelled it "Thompson". Anyhow.
What's great about the place is location. It's right at King Street, and you can walk underground from St. Andrews station. Parking is available too at $10 flat rate in the evening. Actually for 2 people, it's cheaper/same as a round trip on the ttc.
TIP #1: go to the lower level parking and you'll find tons of spots.
TIP#2: park closer to the exit on the lower level you'll have to leave this way anyway
TIP#3: when leaving the parking lot, there are TWO lanes you can use, not just one.
The structure of the place is round, but with multiple levels. It's sad but sometimes I still get lost. The benefit is though, almost every door you can exit to the lobby no matter what. It's sometimes forgotten, and so many times the crowd is stuck in a bottle neck, but there's another exit right beside them. Today when we were leaving, there was clearly a traffic jam, but the usher did not point people out the exit right in the next aisle (nor did they notice). I walked right through, and found everyone stuck going one exit, when an empty staircase was facing them straight in the face. HELLO, PEOPLE!
Okay, back to the venue. There's a music store that sells overpriced classical cds. Who buys CDs anymore? My dad, that's who. But regardless, I think their prices here are inflated, but still makes money because people of a certain age won't care to find deals or get them on iTunes. TIP#4: check in to Foursquare and get 10% off your purchase
The bar people are nice. As with all music an theatre venues, TIP#5: Prepay and order your drink and snacks before the start of the show. It will be ready for you when intermission hits, and you won't have to line up (and you can score a nice seat by the window).
Inside, they renovated the place, got rid of the hanging glass ball, and put in some wooden acoustics. Other than that, not much has changed since I was coming here in the 90s except the amount of people showing up. Anyhow, the acoutics are really good, for music. There were hardly any mics tonight while the chamber orchestra played, but we could barely hear the concert master speak. In the program is says "Please avoid humming whispering or crinkly wrappers because our acoustics are so good" (or something like that).
The Program also says "do not lean forward or stand because it obstructs others view". I found the chairs really uncomfortable. They are too slanted back, and I end up slumping down, it's already hard enough to stay awake! But what is nice, is that the orchestra seating is slanted upwards. The back few rows of Orchestra are not so bad.
TIP#5: Apparently if you get there early enough youcan go to customer service and get an ObusForme backrest while supplies last. I want to do this next time, no kidding!
I feel like the place, no matter how much they try to modernize, something about it has it still stuck in the 70-80s.Listed in: Perma Tourist in Toronto!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/27/2011
Inside, it's beautiful. Incredible acoustics, especially for the Water Paper Concerti we listen to… Read more »
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Review from Dishan W.
12/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
This review is from my various experiences during 3 years worth of tiff. A gala event here is something that is definitely fun to dress up for, especially given its proximity to some fancy dining options before or after the movie.
The fan experience here is not super at red carpet, but you do get a better experience than at the Elgin, the red carpet is visible from the outside and fans have more space to crowd around for a view.
There are also a few movies that host after parties at the Bell Lightbox, and that venue is also open for fans to keep trying to catch glimpses of their stars (how you figure out which movies are hosting after gala events there I have no clue).
Back to RTH though, the big plus is that even if you're on the rush line you stand a very good chance of getting in (unless you're pretty far back). The RTH probably hosts more big name gala events than any other venue at tiff and it's acousitcs make it a better experience for a large scale movie compared with the Elgin (I could be easily mistaken though).
The cast and directors/producers always sit on the first balcony level on the first section to the left (facing the front) from the middle, if you do have the option of where to sit, you might want to seat yourself at a prime location to catch a glimpse of them stand up at the end to acknowledge the applause.
The building looks as good inside as it does from the exterior, ushers are friendly, there are ample bars and concession stands so you're not in line for too long.
Hint - parking here is surprisingly not more expensive than surrounding car parks, and keep an eye out for times when you might be able to park for free (not during the evenings though), either it's legit or I was just lucky to catch the one time they failed to check for tickets on a weekend afternoon.Listed in: Your tiff Guide!
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Review from Karl R.
3/12/2010 8 photos
Many people used to complain about the acoustics but I really don't have any kind of ear for that. They've renovated Roy Thomson in the last decade, adding in more natural wood.
Pro:
The circular design to the hall seems to be able to accommodate more patrons closer to the stage, versus a rectangular hall. I like there are several balcony seats around the stage. And they're the cheap seats. Maybe it sucks for the acoustics but I love hovering over the musicians, seeing their sheet music, and being able to watch the conductor.
Many drink stations, adequate places to sit and sip your coffee before the concert. Coffee has free refills.
Con:
A serious lack of bathrooms. The only washroom facilities are near the main entrance. When the concert lets out this creates a HUGE log jam of people. People are waiting for their wife/husband in front of the exits while others are trying to get out.
The seating is enormously uncomfortable. You try sitting in those seats for 80 minutes listening to a ponderous Bruckner piece.Listed in: When you're alone and life is…
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Review from Luke A.
Toronto, ON
9/8/2008
Roy Thomson Hall is mostly a concert hall for the TSO, but it also serves as a venue for special events like Luminato and the Toronto International Film Festival.
Unlike a lot of downtown venues, there's a fair amount of underground parking; at the evening flat rate, it's a pretty good deal. But unless you're there right after the concert, expect to wait in your car as everyone else tries to leave at the same time. A better option might be to unwind for an hour at one of the places along King Street before heading out.
They finished some much needed renovations inside the hall a few years ago, which have improved the acoustics significantly (especially the hanging rig over the stage which is lowered for smaller, chamber music pieces). The hardwood accents also make the concrete interior feel a little more organic than the original design. -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
10/24/2008 1 photo
Architecturally speaking, this building definitely stands out. Conical in shape, it looks like a segment that would be cut out of the end of a trumpet, large side down. The sister venue to Toronto mainstay Massey Hall (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...), the glass and metal structure is definitely eye-catching and as such has become the focal point for the squire found around the Metro Hall (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...). Erected for performing arts, but focussing on an orchestra, the Hall became the new home for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...). Open to performers other than orchestras, comedians, dance acts, musicians, even a rave has graced the stage of Roy Thomson Hall. So it does have some mass appeal.
The sad part is that in its early days, it got panned for poor acoustics. Make chiefly out of concrete, it's not the most sound-conducive material that you could make a performance hall out of. Some orchestras were even rumoured to state that they would never play in the venue. Taking this to heart, the Roy Thomson Hall organization set about making the hall better acoustically, removing some seats and placing in panelling that would make for a better sounding hall.
All of the work seems to have paid off. The Hall is definitely better than its previous incarnation and still has all of the interesting allure that it always had. It's still that weird looking building on King Street. It just looks way better now. -
Review from Brian H.
1/3/2011
I like the multi-tiered, in-the-round seating, the swanky, modern glass lobby, and the well-stocked music store. But ultimately a concert hall must "sound" good, and the acoustics here are terribly muddy! A common problem with circle-shaped halls.
