atimmons

Should I book in advance or buy once in London? Also, if buying in advance is the way to go, which website has the best service/price. I'm interested in: Phantom of Opera and other popular type shows.

Thanks

walkinaround

try lastminute.com theatre section.

they only sell good seats and i've never had a service or bad seat problem (used them at least 7 or 8 times).

i recommend that you also try the subsidised theatres like the national theatre or barbican. the productions tend to be much better than the worn out commercial numbers in the west end.

the west end is struggling while the mentioned theatres are booming due to their willingness to experiment and keep things new.

taggie

I've always had great success just by dropping by the theatre box offices, either the day of, or a day or two before, the performance I want to attend. I've paid in the neighbourhood of £10 for good seats on many occasions.

Certainly for Phantom you shouldn't have any trouble getting seats.

FromAtlanta

DO NOT go with a ticket broker (i.e. Keith Prowse) their service fees are outrageous!! (I learned the hard way) -Then I found out I could have gotten a cheaper, better seat if I would have waited to buy in London (you can often get standby or last minute ticket deals) ... Live and Learn

You will have no problem getting Phantom tickets in London. (but I have heard good things about lastminute.com - it wouldn't hurt to at least look at their site.)

BTW, the theatre for Phantom is awesome. The rows of seats go up high instead of far back ... so even if you are high up in the cheap seats, you are close enough to the stage to get a great view. It is great!!

Kristi

Just returned from London, went to see 5 shows. Two I booked ahead of time with www.lastminute.com (Woman in Black and Blood Brothers), my seats for both shows were fine, Blood Brothers was only 3 or 4 rows back, W in B was about 15 rows back. Tickets for those shows were the same price as the 1/2 TKTS booth and had the added advantage of not having to swing through Leicester Square during the day to buy.

The other three shows I got at the TKTS booth usually late in the day and still ended up with decent seats for Sweeney Todd, We Will Rock You (1st row balcony) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (15th row). If you ask at the booth, they have a good idea of which shows they can find you the best seats for.

Phantom of the Opera is only sold at TKTS at a 25% discount, you will not find Lion King, Mamma Mia, Mousetrap or anything at the Globe there.

This website has great info on London Theatre, including what you can expect to find at the TKTS booth

http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/

Mark_va

Playbill.com had some discounts on shows I saw last two weeks and I bought them in the US before I left. Saw Saturday Night Fever for 19.77 GBPs-18th row center. Bought Lion King at full price, but 3rd row center. On those, you can even print the tickets at home. All depends on how you like to see the show. Being spoiled, we like up close and dead center-obviously, it comes at a price. London theater is cheaper than broadway, though so that helps.