DH and I will be in London in July. I'm thinking about going to see "A Midsummer Night's Dream" There are still lots of tickets available for lower galleries P & Q which are located to the side of the stage. How is the sound back there? DH really isn't a fan of Shakespeare and not being able to hear would drive him mad.

It's really hard to give an authoritative answer since most of us have not sat in all the seats in the Globe. But the theater is quite steep and shallow, and the onstage action is usually deliberately directed to the far-front of the stage so no one is disappointed.

It's really hard to please somebody who isn't keen on going someplace, in my experience. Sit them up front, they'll complain it's too loud and they don't like listening to all that Shakespeare!

Since London is English-speaking, give or take some of the hired help, why not split up for the evening?

I think the sound is fine at the side.

If the production is the same as, or similar to, last year's, then I think even people who are not Shakespeare fans can be won over. It's played for fun, not put in front of you as a work of art to be revered.

Should one reserve a date and purchase tickets in the US before arrival in London?

We attended King Lear last July--a definite highlight of our trip (DH does have some liking for Shakespeare, though). I think everyone could hear from every seat. Not every seat gives a good view, though. So I'd suggest you get seats immediately with as good a view as you can. You might have him read a synopsis of the play before you go; sometimes that helps someone unfamiliar with Shakespeare to follow.

And mohun--if you want actual seats, absolutely get reservations. Some shows sell out. Lots have limited seats left. We made reservations last early Feb for a late July show and my picks for good seats were limited. Groundling tickets are available the day of the show--cheap, too--but you have to stand the whole performance.

Thanks, Texasbookworm,

We'll try to nail down our travel dates by the weekend. We've also got to reserve a flat for six or seven nights. We've used London Connection before and expect to do so again.

We might also take in a play in the West End. Can you suggest a web site that discusses what plays are currently being produced?

Thanks, I was hoping for someone who has actually sat in those seats. It will be our 26th anniversary, so I would prefer not to split up on that night. DH is going as his present to me.

To Mohun: I am looking at July 9 and while there are tickets still available, they are sparse in places with lots of single seats. If you want more than one seat together, you should get to it as soon as possible.

The Globe is a pretty cozy venue, so you will be able to see and hear from every seat. Definitely reserve/buy tickets before you leave. Dress warm. Even if the weather is mild, it feels a little like being outside for a football game. I'm sure both of you will enjoy yourselves tremendously. Watching the reactions of the other theatre-goers is half the fun.

"Dress warm. Even if the weather is mild, it feels a little like being outside for a football game. "

Even in July??

On our visit to the globe last July, we were WARM; almost too warm at first, as with the crowd and close seats there was not much air stirring. When the sun went down it got a bit cooler. (In fact, the "coolest" thing was that during the "storm on the heath" scene of King Lear, it actually started raining a bit and provided some special effects! Nobody got soaked--and we, in seats which are all covered, got not wet at all.) But you know you need all sorts of clothes for England in July--we wore short sleeves and shorts and sweated, and we wore layers with a rain jacket and shivered, all within 14 days. So just go prepared for almost anything and dress for the weather that day, knowing that it will cool off at least a teeny bit from whatever the afternoon weather was like.

I wouldn't be surprised to be cold in London in July