I always wonder if the axe is ever going to truly fall on the Royal and shut down, like the Paradise theatre finally did in my neighborhood. I hope that it won't happen to the Royal but it wouldn't be a huge surprise either - unlike the Bloor I can't say I've ever seen a film there that was sold out. Maybe I'm just not hitting the right movies.
The Royal does have excellent films on offer, and one great thing is the true diversity in their programming. Unlike some other rep theatres I feel like the Royal really does aim to show films people are passionate about, rather than what is indie/quirky enough to fill the house every night. One example that always brings a smile to my face is seeing a big crowd of surly punks lined up to get tickets to the Patti Smith documentary they showed last year, talking animatedly about it even though they were just picking up tickets (showtime was like three hours away).
The only thing I don't like the Royal for is their seats, which I find ungodly uncomfortable. Part of this might be the fact that I spent the entirety of David Lynch's very long, emotionally uncomfortable Inland Empire sitting with my ass wedged in a seat that felt like plywood. I understand that space/money factors means they can't have La-z-boy chairs like your monster corporate cinemas but seriously, invest in a cushion you can bring with you!