London Theatre
Ah, London theatre. The West End is the number one place in the world for classics, cutting edge, indie and rising stars. Seeing a show in London is one of the city’s best tourist activities.
Many of the theatres in the West End, aka Theatreland, have be running and selling out the same production for nearly a quarter of a decade. The longest running show here is Agatha Christie’s, The Mousetrap that debuted in 1952 at the Ambassadors Theatre, now playing at the St. Martin’s Theatre.
The biggest names in venues include the Cambridge, Palace, Prince Edward, Lyceum, Aldwych, Globe, Victoria Palace, Theatre Royal, Queen’s, Duchess, St. Martin’s, Her Majesty’s, The Strand and the New London Theatres to name a few.
When you are buying tickets there are a few tips that people in the know, know. Avoid tickets touts selling rip off tickets on the street. If it feels like a scam, it is. These touts even lurk online so its best to buy from Ticket Master, the actual venue’s website or online agents that are part of the STAR group (The Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers).
For a deal head to Leicester Square (center of the square) or Brent Cross Shopping Centre and seek out the tkts boothes that sell discounted tickets on the day of the show.
Other tips to bear in mind are to be sure to ask to see the face value of the ticket and keep in mind that booking agents should never charge over 25% of the face value. Ask to see a seating plan (agents are legally required to show you this before you buy) as you may be in an area of restricted viewing.