Guides11 min read
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.
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:
- Stagger
- 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.
- Rake
- 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
- Pillars
- 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. Often sold at discounted rates
- Overhang
- 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
- Stage Height
- 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
- Railings
- Dress Circle or other tiered seats could be restricted by the safety railing, especially seats towards the front of the section
- Side View
- 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.
Dress Circle
aka the Royal Circle
Premium 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.
Upper Circle
aka the Grand Circle
Distant 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.
Various Release Types
Some, like the Globe's Yard, are on sale for every performance. Others are released at a set time, or only once a show has completely sold out.
Look for the STAND pill, or see 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.
| Band | Typical Locations | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
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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. Look for the STAND pill, or browse shows with standing tickets.
Three kinds of theatre sell standing. The first sell it for every performance, bookable in advance. The second release it on a schedule. The third — most of the West End houses below — only open their standing places once a performance has sold out, and some of those sell them at the box office only, so they never appear online. Where a theatre has a show with standing on sale now, it is named under the theatre.
| Theatre | Where, and how it is sold | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Shakespeare's GlobeEvery performance | The open-air Yard, standing in front of the stage. Hundreds of places for every performance, bookable as far ahead as the seats. | £5 – £10 |
| Sam Wanamaker PlayhouseMost performances | The Globe’s candlelit indoor theatre: standing places for most performances, bookable in advance. | £5 – £10 |
| Donmar WarehouseDaily releaseNow: Ilford Boy | Released online at 10am, Monday to Saturday, for performances a week later. | £15 |
| Royal Court TheatreIn person, on the dayNow: Man to Man | A handful of places in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, sold at the box office from 90 minutes before curtain up. | 10p |
| National TheatreOlivier and Lyttelton | Released once the day tickets for a performance have sold out. | £5 |
| Sondheim TheatreLes MisérablesNow: Les Misérables | About 15 places at the back of the Stalls and in the Grand Circle, released online on the day once the performance is nearly sold out — in our daily checks, between 10 and 11am. | £20 |
| Victoria Palace TheatreHamilton | At the back of the Grand Circle, for sold-out performances only. Our daily checks have not yet seen any on sale online. | Not published |
| Piccadilly TheatreMoulin Rouge! | At the rear of the Dress Circle, put on sale only for the next performance and only on ATG’s website; places are not numbered, so arrive early. The Grand Circle overhang hides the top of the stage. | £25 – £30 |
| Lyceum TheatreThe Lion King | About 30 places at the back of the Grand Circle, behind a high wall with a bar on top. Sold at the box office only — we have never seen them online. Not for children or anyone under about 5ft 6. | £15 – £25 |
| Harold Pinter Theatre | Behind the Balcony seats, sometimes at the back of the Royal Circle, and not for every production. Limited headroom, and part of the front of the stage is watched on a screen. | About £20 |
| Noël Coward Theatre | At the back of the Grand Circle, offered once the seats have gone. A clear view of the whole set, with a wall at a good height to lean on. | Not published |
| London Palladium | At the back of the Stalls for some sold-out events. The places are not numbered: first to arrive takes the centre. | About £25 |
| Gielgud Theatre | At the back of the Stalls when a run is selling out. The circle overhang is deep, so the view is a letterbox. | Not published |
| Bridge TheatreImmersive productions only | For its promenade stagings the floor of the auditorium is standing, in among the action. Nothing for a seated production. | Varies |
Positions and prices for the sold-out-only houses are from readers’ reports on Theatremonkey and from our own checks of the booking sites; they change by production.