17 Tips To See London Theatre On The Cheap

Break a leg, not the bank.

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

1. Check prices directly from the theatre.

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When in doubt, call or visit the box office. Buying directly from the theatre will save you from paying booking and finder's fees to third-party ticketing agencies, and in some lucky moments, may make you aware of a ticket pricing scheme that was unclear or unlisted online.

2. Go beyond the West End.

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London theatre doesn't end at the West End. There are over 80 Off West End and Fringe Venues throughout the city producing high-quality plays. The Almeida Theatre sells tickets as low as £9, and many of its productions transfer to the West End - so see it first, and for cheaper! It's also nearly impossible to go wrong seeing a show at The Bush Theatre, the Finborough Theatre, or The Park Theatre, among many others. When in doubt, look up reviews of past performances at a Fringe or Off West End venue to get a feel for its overall quality.

3. Standing room is your friend.

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Standing room tickets are often sold at discounted prices, but can often provide the best views! Shakespeare's Globe famously sells £5 standing room tickets for all performances, and these seats get you closer to the stage and give you the experience of watching Shakespeare in a traditional setting - everyone was standing in the 16th century!

4. Take seats with restricted views.

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Some theatres sell discounted 'restricted view' seats, which means that you might be in a corner or slightly obstructed by a beam, but often these seats aren't nearly as bad as you imagine, and taking the risk can result in big savings. When in doubt, call the box office, or find a seating map of the theatre on their website to check out the location.

5. Buy preview tickets.

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Before a show's official opening night, it often runs in previews for a week or two, to get the word out about the show and allow time for reviews to get out to potential audiences. Many theatres, like The Southwark Playhouse and The Young Vic offer preview tickets for £10.

6. Check out the TKTS booth.

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If you've got the morning to spare, queuing at the Leicester Square half-price TKTS booth would be worth your while. There will be various offers on daily or weekly, but good prices for the big shows are generally available.

7. Look for ticket specials.

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Always check out a theatre's website and give the show a good google to see if there are any special pricing deals associated with the theatre or show. The Donmar and the Royal Court sell discounted tickets on Monday mornings, and The Book of Mormon holds a daily lottery, which gives away 21 first row tickets for £20 each.

8. Hunt for last minute tickets.

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Everything Theatre critic Hanna Gilbert tipped BuzzFeed off that, if you can handle being spontaneous and flexible, surfing for very last minute ticket availability can pay off. "Last minute tickets are often sold at a discounted price, so if you have an afternoon spare in the West End, it's worth doing the rounds and asking at a few different theatres. A couple of hours before peak show time (around 19:00) is a good time to ask."

9. Search for promotional codes.

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Daily papers will often publish promotions and deals on productions, so don't skip the Arts section when reading the Evening Standard or the Metro. Sites like Theatremonkey can help you find promotional codes to receive discounts at the theatre, and if you've previously bought tickets from a theatre or booking site, it's also possible you received a promotional code when you made your last purchase, so keep an eye on those receipts and show brochures to get the best price in the future.

10. Take advantage of youth schemes.

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For the under 25 crowd, West End and Off West End offer various programs to make tickets affordable for students and youths. If you're keen to see a show, check out the concessions pricing for students, or call the box office and ask directly. The National Theatre offers a free membership for 16-25s to their Entry Pass program, where members can get £5 tickets to all productions.

11. Go in groups.

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Getting the office or a group of friends together to see a show could pay off at many large theatres. At The Lion King, each guest in a group of 15 or more can save up to £22 pounds a ticket.

12. Keep up with social media.

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Follow theatres, productions, and reviewers on Twitter and Facebook to keep up on giveaways and insider information that could save you money. The Donmar has been known to give away £5 tickets via Twitter, and review blogs like Everything Theatre and A Younger Theatre often host ticket giveaways over Facebook and Twitter that you won't want to miss.

13. Join email lists.

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Keep up to date with theatre's upcoming deals and ticket sales by joining email lists for theatres and specific productions. You'll often be privy to exclusive specials, early sale dates, and giveaways by reading regular newsletters. The Ambassador Theatre Group handles ticketing for many prestigious London theatres, and often sends out incredible discount opportunities over email.

14. Use offer websites.

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You can get great deals for plenty of West End shows by keeping tabs on GroupOn, TimeOut, and Lastminute offers. These can change daily, so the key is to keep up - have notifications sent to your phone or email, and cruise the sites regularly.

15. Become a friend of the theatre.

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If you're London-based, it wouldn't hurt to become a member or friend of your favourite theatre. For £55/year, the Sadler's Wells Theatre offers 20% off all ticket purchases, 2-for-1 vouchers, and many other benefits that can save you if you're a regular attendee. Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, which encompasses many well-known West End venues, offers a priority membership for £30/year, which includes priority booking (to get you the cheapest seats before they sell), and lots of other goodies.

16. Network

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Knowing the right people can go a long way. If you've got friends or acquaintances who work in the theatre or as reviewers, ask their advice on getting good and cheap seats, and if you're feeling confident, express interest in being a plus one to preview events when they get complimentary tickets.

17. Go for day seats.

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Popular shows offer a limited number of 'day seats' for very reduced prices. To get day seats, you'll need to arrive at the box office when it opens. For very popular or sold-out shows, you prepared to queue hours beforehand, or even overnight - you can call the box office to find out when people generally start queuing, and it's best to show up a half-hour or hour before the given time. Day tickets are usually limited to two per person, and can be a bit of a risk - but getting them is a big reward, as you can save up to £80 in some cases, and get great seats to boot.