His Majesty’s Theatre has four seating levels: Stalls, Royal Circle, Grand Circle and Balcony, with the steepest, highest seats found right at the top in the Balcony.
The Stalls hold around 518 seats and put you closest to the stage, with a step-free entrance from Haymarket and wheelchair spaces available. The overhang from the Royal Circle begins around Row P, where the back rows can lose some sightline to the top of the stage, so seats further forward give the clearest view.
The Royal Circle holds around 285 seats and is reached by roughly 32 steps from the foyer with no lift. It has a gentle curve for good sightlines throughout, though the rear rows can be affected by the overhang from the Grand Circle above.
The Grand Circle holds around 330 seats and is a longer climb of about 62 steps with no lift. It has a decent rake so the row in front rarely blocks your view, but it’s noticeably higher above the stage than the Royal Circle.
The Balcony is the highest level, holding around 103 seats and reached by as many as 89 steps with no lift. It’s the steepest and most distant tier in the building, with tight legroom, so it’s the one to think twice about if you’re not keen on heights.
His Majesty’s Theatre is on Haymarket, just off Piccadilly Circus. Piccadilly Circus station (Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines) is the closest, with Charing Cross (Northern and Bakerloo lines) and the step-free Green Park also within easy walking distance. Buses 6, 13, 15, 23, 139, 159 and 453 all stop nearby, and the nearest car parks are at St Martin’s Street and Trafalgar Square, though the Congestion Charge applies on weekdays and weekend afternoons.
The current building dates from 1897, designed by Charles J. Phipps for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree in a French Renaissance style inspired by the Paris Opera, though a theatre has stood on this site since 1705. Tree founded the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) here in 1904, and the venue has hosted long-running hits including Chu Chin Chow and West Side Story. The theatre’s name changes with the monarch’s gender, and it took its current name again in 2023 following King Charles III’s accession.
His Majesty’s Theatre has a capacity of 1,216 seats across its four levels: Stalls, Royal Circle, Grand Circle and Balcony.
His Majesty’s Theatre is owned and operated by LW Theatres, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s theatre group, which has leased the building from the Crown Estate since 2000.
The current building opened in April 1897, though a theatre has stood on this site since 1705.
The Phantom of the Opera is currently playing at His Majesty’s Theatre.
The Phantom of the Opera has been running at His Majesty’s Theatre since its world premiere on 9 October 1986, making it the West End’s second-longest-running musical.
The theatre’s name changes with the monarch’s gender: it was Her Majesty’s Theatre throughout Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, and reverted to His Majesty’s Theatre in 2023 following King Charles III’s accession to the throne.
Piccadilly Circus is the closest, served by the Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines, with Charing Cross also a short walk away.
Central Stalls rows give the closest, most unobstructed view, ideally somewhere before Row P where the Royal Circle overhang can start to cut off the top of the stage. Front rows of the Royal Circle are also a good option if you’d like a slightly elevated view.
Yes, there’s a level access entrance on Charles II Street and wheelchair spaces in the Stalls, with customers able to be dropped off directly in front of the theatre on Haymarket. Four Blue Badge parking bays are available opposite the theatre on Charles II Street, and LW Theatres’ access team can help arrange your visit if you contact them ahead of time.
Take care choosing your level here – there’s no lift to any of the circles, and it’s a genuine climb: around 32 steps to the Royal Circle, roughly 62 to the Grand Circle, and as many as 89 to the Balcony, which the theatre’s own guide warns “can seem very steep.” All three circles also have 2 steep steps between each row of seating. The Stalls are the flattest, easiest option if heights are a concern, so it’s worth asking for a Stalls seat when you book.
You can book tickets for The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty’s Theatre through the LW Theatres box office or official website, or via the show’s own ticketing page.
