London's Theatres
All the major theatres are within Central London and are easy to get to. Just a little way from Theatreland on the South Bank is The Royal National Theatre renowned for the excellence of its productions. Both The Royal National Theatre and The Theatre Royal Drury Lane run fascinating backstage tours daily.
London also has a thriving Fringe with more than 100 theatres. The venues vary in size and a few require membership (this is just a formality usually costing a nominal fee such as 50 pence but one or two places do require 24 hour membership before the performance). The quality of fringe theatre varies a lot and some of it is very experimental but generally the standard in London is very high. Some fringe theatres are in rooms above a pub which adds to atmosphere and makes it easy to get to the bar in the interval.
Buying a theatre ticket.
Availability of tickets varies from theatre to theatre. As a general rule musicals tend to get booked up quicker than plays. However it is possible to obtain tickets for most productions even on the day. The main exception to this rule tends to be tickets for some of the top musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera or Les Miserables which do get sold out, so it is wise to book these in advance. Booking in advance is usually a good idea anyway to avoid disappointment and to be sure of getting the desired seats for a particular show.
The cheapest seats, in the Gods or with restricted view, are often still available on the day, even for the most popular shows. This is useful for those on a small budget. Another way to make savings, in all but the top shows, is by going to a matinee performance. Not only are the tickets generally slightly discounted but if the theatre is not full then often those in the cheapest seats will be upgraded to better ones. This way it is possible to get a decent seat for as little as ú5.
If you want a good ticket for the same day try the Half Price Ticket Booth in Leicester Square. This freestanding building, situated in the square is the official agent for The Society of West End Theatres. They sell tickets only for performances the same day at half price plus a commission of up to ú2. This can result in a huge saving so there can be a queue. Do note that that the tickets they sell are usually the higher price ones and they only accept cash. Be very careful in Leicester Square! There are some ticket shops there that are just a front for ticket touts one even pretends to be the half price ticket booth. Just because the ticket seller is trading from a shop does not ensure that they are honest!
The next best way to buy a ticket is from the box office itself. Most theatres have a credit card bookings line or you can by tickets in person.
There are also independent ticket agencies who charge a commission but do be careful - not all agencies charge the same rate of commission, some charge excessive prices. If you buy through an agency make sure you are told the real face value of the ticket you are buying, the position of the seat (is it at the back behind a pillar?), and that you know exactly how much commission they are charging you.
Whatever you do AVOID TICKET TOUTS! You will see ticket touts hovering around the most popular theatres and in Leicester Square. They operate by buying up loads of tickets and sell them for many times their face value. Moves are being made to make touting illegal but for now there is nothing to stop them selling a ticket (which may have a face value of ú5 for a seat with restricted view) for ú50 or more!
Information on current shows can be found in Time Out, What's On In London, and the Evening Standard. The Society of London Theatres produce a fortnightly booklet that lists details of the major theatres including times and prices, and a theatre map. This is available free from Tourist Information Centre, libraries, and West End theatres.
