Tips for Finding the Best Seats in the Theatre
Hints and tips for ensuring you get the best possible view of the show for the best price, and how to avoid getting a seat with a restricted view.
Contents
Seating in London Theatres
Many theatres in London - especially those in the West End - are old. Most West End theatres were built between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with some even dating back well before then. Although many have since been refurbished, seating in a lot of theatres can still be quite restrictive, and you can sometimes find yourself sitting in a spot which is cramped or with only a partial view of the stage.
Sightlines
There are a few factors that could restrict your direct sightline to the stage:
How seats in different rows are offset from each other. The better the stagger, the less likely the person in front of you will be in you direct line of sight to the stage.
How much the floor will slope down. The better the rake, the more likely the people in front of you will be below your direct line of sight to the stage
Some theatres have pillars which will partially obstruct views of people sitting behind them. These are often sold for less, and will be clearly marked if you decide to purchase one.
Seating towards the back of a section may be affected by the overhang of the tier above, restricting the view of the upper parts of the stage
Some theatre stages can be quite high, which is advantageous if you are sitting further back, but can severely restrict your view if you are sitting too close
Dress Circle or other tiered seats could be restricted by the safety railing, especially seats towards the front of the section
Box seats, or seating towards to extreme left or right of the stage may only get a partial view of the stage.
Legroom and Comfort
In older theatres, seats can be very cramped and offer little in the way of legroom, especially if you are taller than average. Some areas tend to be worse than others. Seats can also be uncomfortable and very close to the adjacent seats.
Sections of a Theatre
Choosing the area to sit in the theatre is often your most important consideration before securing your tickets. If you choose to sit on one of the tiered levels, always confirm beforehand which tier it is actually on, as some theatres have different names for each tier.
Stalls (ground level)
The Sweet Spot
The best seats in the house are normally found in the centre of the stalls a few rows back, to ensure people sitting here won't be affected by and stage height whilst allowing them to see the entire stage in their eyeline.
Front Rows
If you enjoy being close to the action, then sitting in the first few rows is generally a safe bet, but you should always check if the stage height will become an issue (more on checking how further down this post).
Back Rows
Seats towards the back of stalls will be much cheaper due to their proximity to the stage and the potential of the overhang affecting your line of sight.
Aisle Seats
Some theatres have multiple aisles in the stalls section. The seat next to an aisle is often a great choice, since you'll have extra legroom, easy access to leave, and a better view of the stage since there will be less people to look over.
⚠️ Mind the Rake & Stagger
Stalls is where the stagger and rake are the most important factors - if seats aren't well offset or there is hardly any slope, and if you're unlucky enough to have tall people sitting in front of you, you'll find your view of the action very restricted.
Dress Circle
aka the Royal CirclePremium Views
The centre front of the first tier will usually be for the premium seats, as they tend to offer an unrestricted and complete view of the stage.
Front Row Warnings
The first row can be a great place to sit as it guarantees no one sits in front of you, but be aware of railings and potential curvature at the sides.
Back Row Overhang
Seats towards the back of the dress circle could be affected by the overhang of the tier above.
💡We sometimes find that Dress Circle seats are better than the Stalls, as the steeper rake here means you are less likely to be obstructed by the person sitting in front.
Upper Circle
aka the Grand CircleDistant but Clear
The stage can appear quite far away and won't feel as immersive, but you will still be able to see and hear all the action clearly.
Better Value
The same rules apply here as they do to the Dress Circle, but seating here will be significantly cheaper.
Balcony
3rd Tier (Large Theatres Only)Absolute Cheapest
Seat prices here will be a lot lower as the stage will be far back and far below you.
Very High Up
You will still be able to get a good albeit distant view of everything, and you will have no issues hearing too.
Alternative Options
Theatre Boxes
- 🥂Private & Special
Usually holding 2 to 4 people, these ensure you'll have no distractions from the people around you. Originally intended for high society and royalty, they make any occasion feel special.
- 👀Side Views
Generally located at either side of a theatre tiers, you will often have an angled side view of the stage.
Standing Tickets
- 🧍Unrestricted Views
If you don't mind being stood up for a show, they do offer an unrestricted view of the stage, and you are usually able to move around more freely.
- 🚨Extremely Limited
Only a few shows have these available, and they are generally only put on sale if a show has completely sold out.
You can find a list of many of the theatres with standing options at the end of this guide.
Seating Bands
Theatres often have 4 or 5 different price bands for a show. To simplify things, we have broken these down into 3 main categories so you can clearly distinguish between premium views and budget seats.
👑 Premium
- Centre Stalls
- Front-centre Dress Circle
The most expensive seats in the house. You will normally pay a 15-30% premium to sit here for an unrestricted, perfect view.
🎟️ Mid-Range
- Front, Sides, or Back of Stalls
- Sides or Back of Dress Circle
- Front of Grand Circle
- Boxes
These will usually offer a good but slightly restricted view with average or above-average seat prices.
🏷️ Budget
- Extreme Front, Back, or Sides of Stalls
- Very Back of Dress Circle
- Back of Grand Circle
- Balcony
Restricted, partial, or far-back viewing. These are the cheapest seats in the house.
Checking Seats
Checking your seats before you commit to booking them is essential to ensure you are getting the best value for money for your tickets, and verifying that your view will be as unrestricted as possible.
SeatPlan
This is by far the best resource for verifying the quality of a seat before you buy. Theatre-goers submit real photos and ratings for nearly every seat in London.
300,000+ Photos
Click on an individual seat on the plan to see the exact view of the stage from the perspective of the person who sat there.
Colour-Coded Plans
Each seat is rated with a colour coding so you can easily spot at a glance which seats offer good views and which to avoid.
Granular Ratings
Reviews aren't just for the view. They also rate Comfort and Legroom, often including the height of the reviewer for context.
Ratings here will sometimes be for older shows that are no longer playing at the theatre, so the current show could have a different stage set up. Always try to check the reviews of the show you intend to see.
Theatre Monkey
Another essential resource to use before planning your visit. This site goes into intimate detail on theatre seating for every section of every London theatre.
Architecture Details
Get the exact breakdown on rakes (slopes) and staggers so you know if a tall person will block your view.
Hazards & Legroom
Find out exactly which seats suffer from restrictive pillars, safety rails, or notoriously bad legroom.
Best vs. Worst
They provide definitive lists telling you the exact places to avoid, and the absolute best areas to sit.
Theatre Guides
We have also created detailed guides for each theatre. Check out our theatres page for details.
Theatres with the best views
Although a lot of theatres in London can offer seating which is hit and miss, there are a few theatres that have an excellent sightline to the stage in almost all areas, along with comfortable seating.
West End
- Gillian Lynne Theatre
- @sohoplace
Off-West End
- National Theatre (All Stages)
- The Barbican
- The Bridge Theatre
- The Other Palace
- The Donmar Warehouse
Theatres with Standing Options
If you don't mind being on your feet, standing tickets are often the cheapest way to see a show.
| Theatre | Brief Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Royal Court Theatre | Highly limited spots on the Circle level (Jerwood Theatre Downstairs); usually sold an hour before showtime. | 10p |
| Shakespeare's Globe | Immersive standing in the open-air "Yard" directly in front of the stage. | £5 – £10 (£5 Rush) |
| The National Theatre | Available in the Olivier and Lyttelton theatres once all other available seats have completely sold out. | £5 |
| Donmar Warehouse | Daily release for an intimate space; offers excellent views despite being standing. | £10 |
| Lyceum Theatre | Located at the back of the Stalls or Royal Circle for sold-out performances of The Lion King. | £20 - £30 |
| Piccadilly Theatre | High up at the back of the Grand or Royal Circle for Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Sold-out shows only. | £20 - £25 |
| Bridge Theatre | "Standing Immersive" on the floor, moving with the action. | Around £30 |
| Sondheim Theatre | Located at the back of the Stalls for Les Misérables; released when seats sell out. | £10 - £20 |
| Victoria Palace Theatre | Very back of the Grand Circle for Hamilton; often released as daily rush or for sold-out shows. | £10 - £20 |
| The Harold Pinter Theatre | Spots in the Royal Circle and Balcony; available on the day of or day prior. | £10 - £20 |
| Noël Coward Theatre | Marked spaces behind the back row of the Grand Circle. | £10 - £20 |
| London Palladium | Back of the Stalls or Upper Circle; opened up for highly anticipated, sold-out events. | £10 - £20 |
| Gielgud Theatre | Located at the very back of the Grand Circle when a run reaches capacity. | £10 - £20 |