FAQ

How To Find Cheap West End Theatre Tickets

It's a question that has been asked a thousand times - 'What's the best and easiest way to book cheap West End theatre tickets in London?' What's the answer? Well, it can be a little complicated, but it's not impossible........

The West End is home to some of the greatest theatre shows, plays, and musicals in the world and the most popular productions such as The Phantom Of The Opera and The Book Of Mormon can be very expensive with tickets selling at sometimes over £200 each! So if you are on a limited budget, how exactly do you manage to source out and find well-priced theatre tickets to the top London shows?

We have compiled here a list of answers to some of your most FAQ's about booking theatre tickets in London which will hopefully give you an insight into how this industry works and how to source out the best deals to suit your needs.

Should I Try To Book Midweek If Possible?

Absolutely! West End theatre is just like any other business and is fuelled by supply and demand so always look at the dates and try to book midweek, Monday to Thursday when there is usually better availability. Many shows in London are constantly booked out or selling at full price plus booking fee during the weekends but do still have regular and attractive discounts for weekday performances. A prime example of this would be a show like Wicked The Musical at the Apollo Victoria Theatre which is a huge venue and regular discounts on both stalls and circle tickets for weekday performances to fill the theatre.

Should I Avoid School Holidays?

For the same reasons detailed above, school holidays are a big 'no-no' if you want to see popular West End shows on a budget. There are certain weeks of the year though (such as directly after the February half-term holiday) that offer good value as people have just received their credit card bills and are still paying for Christmas, New Year, or maybe a holiday and money is tight meaning that even the most sold out shows will need to drop their prices to fill the venues. There are some fantastic bargains to be found if you are prepared to look and use the dates to your advantage.

Are Midweek Matinees Cheaper?

A lot of productions (mostly short-running plays) have well-known celebrity star performers who are usually employed on big wages which in turn drives up ticket prices as the public flock to see them live on stage. Some of these productions will use the understudy for the starring roles in the midweek matinee which can sometimes lower the ticket price for that performance, so if it's the production rather than the cast that you are interested in then this is a good way to keep some of your hard-earned cash in your pocket! There is also a selection of West End musicals including Tina- The Tina Turner Musical and Back To The Future: The Musical that regularly offer very reasonably priced tickets in both the stalls and circle for the midweek matinee. This is however not an 'exact science', as there are certain popular family-orientated shows such as Disney's The Lion King, where booking tickets for matinee performances can actually work against you and occasionally even work out more expensive as the producers' bank on parents not wanting to keep their kids out too late in the evening.

What Are Lastminute 'Rush' Tickets?

Certain online platforms will offer 'Rush' tickets on the day of the performance for certain productions from as little as £15 which is a kind of lottery system that therefore gives you no guarantee of success. While this is not the best way to do things if you need to go on a fixed date and to see a specific show if you are flexible about what you go to see and when you see it then it can be a great way of seeing some of the most popular London musicals and plays on a very tight budget.

What Are 'Liability' Tickets?

Another way to find lastminute West End theatre tickets is to visit the official theatre ticket booths in and around Leicester Square. Although these shops have ticket allocations from the theatre, they very often buy tickets up front at a lower cost in the hope that they can offload them for a larger profit or at a more attractive price than the competition. This practice can result in shops having to drop prices quite drastically at the end of the day to avoid being left with unwanted ticket stock so if you are not fussy about what you see or where you sit then you could pick up an absolute bargain! It should be noted however that not all of the ticket shops in the West End are 'Official' and it is wise to make sure that you are dealing with shops that are members of the 'Society Of London Theatre' (SOLT) before buying.

Should I Avoid Restricted View Seats Or Are They Good Value?

As nearly all of the theatres in the West End were built during the 18th and 19th centuries, there is usually a large selection of seats that offer a slightly limited or restricted view due to either pillars or an overhang from a balcony. Quite often, (such as the rear stalls seats in the Sondheim Theatre for Les Miserables) this 'restriction' is minimal and affects just a few seconds of the production and will not ruin your experience at all, but it will save you a considerable amount of money on the price of your ticket! It is therefore always worth checking out the seating plan before you buy seats that feature 'R/V' next to them to find out exactly what the restriction is.

Are Upper Circle or Balcony Tickets Good Value?

These seats are located on either the third tier of the theatre or above and cannot ever be classed as 'good seats' but if you are bargain hunting and can find centrally located clear-view seats they can be worth a look for certain productions if you are looking to save money on your night out. it is advisable to check the seating plan of the theatre before purchase though as 'cheap' is not always a bargain!

Is It Cheaper To Book Direct With The Theatre?

Mmmm…...this is not an easy one to answer! It will depend on the show and the performance as the box office at the theatre will generally sell tickets at face value, while for many shows in the West End, you can find cheaper or even discounted rates online or through the official retail outlets in and around Leicester Square if you are prepared to shop around.

How Can It Be Cheaper To Book Online Than At The Actual Box Office?

The official (SOLT) agencies selling theatre tickets in London act as wholesalers for the shows. The producers grant them bulk allocations of tickets and give them access to favourable negotiated rates to ensure that the venues are full for every performance, a little like the airlines and holiday companies operate. This arrangement ensures that productions have the funds to keep running and also gives great value to the consumer!

Is there a difference between West End theatres and Fringe theatres?

Please go to the section Overview Of London Theatre, where we give a detailed explanation about the differences between 'Fringe' and 'West End' theatres.

What are Previews and Can we attend them?

Previews are basically 'dress rehearsals', or performances that let the production team make a few tweaks here and there and for the cast to become settled in their roles live on stage in front of an audience before the show is seen and rated by theatre critics. Most plays will have only a handful of previews and do not normally change much if anything at all! Musicals however are generally larger productions and therefore can sometimes have weeks of previews with numerous changes taking place before critics review it on opening night (sometimes called 'press night'). The public can buy tickets and attend previews, and in some cases, the ticket price is slightly reduced as the show is not yet considered to be the 'finished article'.

How do I buy tickets for London shows?

Please visit our Tickets page for a full list of productions currently on sale in London and the West End.  All London theatre tickets featured on this website are sourced from London's premium and most established suppliers and members of S.O.L.T and can be booked securely online with confidence.

How far in advance should I purchase tickets?

We would always advise you to book tickets as early as you can, especially if you want to see a specific show as the further in advance you book the better the availability will be giving you a wider choice of seating throughout the venue. Generally speaking though, a couple of weeks before the performance should be sufficient for most shows for midweek performances or a month or two for Saturday evenings for the most popular shows such as "Les Miserables" or "The Lion King". If you are flexible about what you go to see, however, many shows still have tickets available on the day, particularly for midweek performances and matinees.

If the production I want to see is unavailable online, what can I do?

Contact us directly through our Contact Us page. We have access to the largest amount of theatre ticket stock available in the West End, and can often get hold of tickets for 'sold out' performances.

We will be coming to the London in a few months and would like to see a West End Show.

How often do the productions change? That is, do we have to decide what we want to see and book musical tickets now, or should we expect there to be new shows available when we arrive and so wait and see?

If there is a show currently playing that you want to see then we would advise you to book in advance to ensure availability. There can be, however, quite a few changes in the West End throughout a couple of months so if you are flexible about what you go to or haven't quite made your mind up it may be prudent to wait for a little bit and check our website regularly for new shows going on sale.

Which are the best shows playing in the West End right now?

Opinions on this subject tend to vary so we would suggest you look at current reviews of shows that you could be interested in or maybe read what the critics in the press are saying!

Are London theatres open every day including Bank Holidays?

Although several London theatres open on Sundays, all of them do have at least one day off per week. Most are open Monday - Saturday and generally they remain open as usual during the Christmas period (except Christmas Day), New Year, and UK bank holidays. Most theatres will have an earlier start time on Christmas Eve and many can have extra matinee performances during the festive period.

In my country we tip theatre ushers. Is this normal practice in London, and if so how much?

No, it is not customary to tip theatre ushers in London, they would probably be embarrassed if you tried to!

Is there a dress code in London when I go to the theatre?

No. There is no dress code to visit the theatre in the West End. You will not look out of place wearing either a suit and tie, or jeans and a T-shirt!

N.B. All of the answers featured to the questions in our FAQ's section for all London theatre tickets are the opinions of Theatretickets-london.co.uk and should therefore be interpreted as such and not as absolute facts.