|
Theatre-going
in London doesn't have to be expensive. Journeywoman
Online teams up with Time
Out London to let you in on the money-saving secrets
that up until now only British women knew about. Have fun!
- The Half-Price Ticket Booth
in Leicester Square has a number of cheap tickets for most West End
shows. These are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis (cash only).(Leicester
Square underground)
- Matinee performances are much
cheaper than evenings but in some instances understudies replace the
stars. Seats for Mon. - Thurs. evening performances in the West End
are uniformly cheaper than Friday or Saturday nights.
- Pay for a restricted-view seat
in the stalls (not all theatres have them), then move to a better
seat when the lights go down. This is only possible when the show
isn't sold out.
- The cheapest seats are usually
in the 'gods' at the top of the theatre, but you'll need a pair of
binoculars to see the show.
- Buy tickets direct from the
box office to save on credit card charges, telephone booking fees
(usually 10%) and agency commissions.
- Go to previews of West End
and Off-West End shows. The tickets are considerably cheaper if the
critics haven't had a chance to pan the show yet.
- The National Theatre
sells a number of tickets for shows on the day from 10am at the box
office: 40 for the Olivier; 40 for the Lyttelton; 20
for the Cottesloe. Queues start at 8am for the popular shows.
- Some theatres have reduced-price
ticket nights: at BAC there's a 'pay what you want night' on
Tuesdays; at the Royal Court all tickets are £5 on Monday nights;
and the Theatre Royal Stratford East has the lowest concessionary
rates for students, seniors and the unemployed. There's also a Student
Standby Theatre Line (0171 379 8900), open after 2 pm, which advises
on ticket availability.
- Many theatres, like the RSC,
the Donmar and the National , sell standing room tickets
at vastly reduced prices. It's well worth enquiring about these if
the show is either sold out or you're extremely broke.
- Look out for special offers
in the back of Time Out Magazine, a weekly magazine, brimming
with info on how to enjoy the city and sold everywhere in London
We thank
the folks at Time Out Magazine for providing JW with this information.
|
