Do you wish you could go to the theatre more often? With premium ticket prices exceeding £200 this Christmas for The Book of Mormon and other West End shows not far behind, I thought I would give you a few top tips on how to see great shows for less in 2015.
1. Don’t be afraid to try Restricted View seats
The words ‘Restricted View’ send alarm bells ringing in many people’s heads but sometimes it can be the best option. Shows like Wicked offer Stalls seats in the first ten rows or so on the end of each side for £15-£30 because the view slightly misses a few moments in the show that happen at the corners of the stage. Personally I always buy these seats as you can get close to the action on stage and pay very little for it. It’s well worth the slightly restricted view at times. Ticketmaster are the best way to find these seats as you can use the interactive seat map. Billy Elliot is another one where you can buy seats for just £20.70 each in the front right hand section of the stalls because of slight restrictions in the view at times. I’ve sat in these seats before and for the cost saving I think they are well worth it. If you want to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and don’t mind going on your own, the seat on each end in the front row of the stalls is just £26.50 because of restricted leg room. I’ll be honest, the seats aren’t the most comfortable but if you don’t mind contorting yourself for a couple of hours and really want to see this show for a fraction of the normal price then this is a great option.
2. Compare ticket websites and get the best deal possible
You don’t have to buy tickets from shows official websites (although some people prefer to use these). There are some great ticket brokers out there that offer discounted tickets like Lastminute.com, lovetheatre.com and even Seetickets.com and Ticketmaster.co.uk give some special offers on tickets. Of course, you can also check out the great offers available through my website westendwilma.com!
3. The early bird catches the worm – get great discounts on day seats
Depending on how much effort you are prepared to put in to getting a good deal, you may want to consider day seats. Many shows put on sale the front row of seats at huge discounted rates on the day of the show. It’s first come first served to the box office and is usually limited to two tickets per person. Most box offices open at around 10am and queues are quite normal to see but if you are happy to stand in line for an hour or so you grab yourself a real bargain. Check shows websites to see if they offer day seats.
4. Be clever with when you go and what you see
When shows first come out, everyone rushes to see them and theatres become quite full. But when shows announce they are going to close earlier than planned it tends to means that the theatres aren’t as full as they could be. Sometimes in these situations the balcony/upper circle areas can be closed off and people with those tickets get upgraded to better seats in the stalls/dress circle to make the theatre look and feel more full. Whilst this is never guaranteed, buying the cheapest tickets for early, less busy days in the week can sometimes pay off and end up giving you a great seat for very little money.
5. Get a group together
Lots of shows offer discounted tickets if you buy ten or more tickets in one go. So why not get a group of friends together and all go together? This can be a great way to get top price seats for long running west end shows at a great discount. Take a look at the ticket options on shows website where it will usually say if there are discounts available for group bookings (or call the box office directly).
So those are a few little tips on how to get some great bargains on theatre trips this new year!
If you have any others let me know on Twitter @WestEndWilma or Facebook
