London Theater tickets.

[wendyp247]

Is there a place in London to purchase last minute theater  tickets at a discount like in New York? Can you please advise where this can be done either on line or in person. TIA. 

 

[Bob++]

TKTS seem to be the most well known, although the queues get quite long at times. https://officiallondontheatre.com/tkts/

Edited June 19, 2019 by Bob++

[cpl100]

8 minutes ago, Bob++ said:

TKTS seem to be the most well known, although the queues get quite long at times. https://officiallondontheatre.com/tkts/

Some of the tickets at TKTS are listed as higher than at the actual theater.  Seems quite odd!

[Cotswold Eagle]

1 hour ago, cpl100 said:

Some of the tickets at TKTS are listed as higher than at the actual theater.  Seems quite odd!

 

TKTS use to be the half-price ticket booth, then it was the discount ticket booth, and now it also sells full price tickets for the Society of London Theatre. The full-price tickets include a £1 booking fee, so the cost will show £1 more than the theatre face value. 

[orchestrapal]

4 hours ago, wendyp247 said:

Is there a place in London to purchase last minute theater  tickets at a discount like in New York? Can you please advise where this can be done either on line or in person. TIA. 

 

 

Standing in line can eat up much of your visit. Most theatre tickets can be bought on line at the actual theatre sites. Skip the middle-man when booking directly.

 

[GrJ Berkshire]

To get tickets cheap you have to be flexible. The better known shows are rarely discounted now and some with the booking fee a £1 up on the price at the theatre, if you can get the tickets. TKTS takes a lot of beating as long as you are not set on 1 or 2 particular shows. 

[Bob++]

In mid July we are going to see Joseph and Matilda in the same week. For people who live in London, or are staying for several weeks, I can see the possibilities of a last-minute booking - it's no different to getting a LM on a cruise. If there is a particular show and a limited number of days, you really have to book direct with the theatre.

 

We have booked a Mayfair hotel for three nights and apart from the theatre, we plan to go to Kew Gardens. The rest of the time will be ad hoc - maybe The science museum.

[cpl100]

4 hours ago, Bob++ said:

In mid July we are going to see Joseph and Matilda in the same week. For people who live in London, or are staying for several weeks, I can see the possibilities of a last-minute booking - it's no different to getting a LM on a cruise. If there is a particular show and a limited number of days, you really have to book direct with the theatre.

 

We have booked a Mayfair hotel for three nights and apart from the theatre, we plan to go to Kew Gardens. The rest of the time will be ad hoc - maybe The science museum.

Is Mayfair the theater district?  (We are quite confused about what location to choose for our visit.)  Would you share which hotel you have booked please?  Thanks.

[Bob++]

Public transport is very good in London so it is not essential to be close. We are staying at The Cavendish London, just off Piccadilly Circus.

 

https://www.thecavendish-london.co.uk/

 

 

[Cotswold Eagle]

Mayfair would traditionally be regarded as outside the ‘theatre district’, which you could describe as the area bounded by The Strand to the south, Regent Street to the west, Oxford Street to the north and Kingsway to the east. But it’s right next to it and easy to walk to many theatres. Soho and Covent Garden are areas more inside theatreland. 

 

Some West End theatres are not in that area, of course. 

 

There are are many, many threads on this board that cover London hotel options including a current one about a safe area to stay for two women. 

[cpl100]

16 hours ago, Bob++ said:

Public transport is very good in London so it is not essential to be close. We are staying at The Cavendish London, just off Piccadilly Circus.

 

https://www.thecavendish-london.co.uk/

 

 

 

15 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

Mayfair would traditionally be regarded as outside the ‘theatre district’, which you could describe as the area bounded by The Strand to the south, Regent Street to the west, Oxford Street to the north and Kingsway to the east. But it’s right next to it and easy to walk to many theatres. Soho and Covent Garden are areas more inside theatreland. 

 

Some West End theatres are not in that area, of course. 

 

There are are many, many threads on this board that cover London hotel options including a current one about a safe area to stay for two women. 

Thank you.  I am going to try to find those threads, though search is not being my friend today.....

[WisRiver]

We make frequent use of the TKTS booth in London.  They sell discount as well as full price tickets.  Their website lists availability for two days https://officiallondontheatre.com/tkts/ If there are shows you must see, then contact the box office directly.  In May, 2019 the two best shows we saw were Six and Come From Away.  Both were sold out productions and we had booked tickets on line.  We bought tickets Witness for the Prosecution at TKTS.  In May the lines were not bad.  The TKTS website also has a link to directory of all shows on the West End.

[Turtles06]

I just wanted to mention for those who may not have considered it that "Hamilton" is in London at the Victoria Palace Theatre.  The production there of this phenomenal show is top-notch.  And not only is it far cheaper than seeing it in the U.S., but the British producers are using "paperless tickets," so there is no scalping/no re-sale market, and you can actually get "tickets."   I would get them in advance if you are interested.  (They are on sale now through late October 2019.)

[GastroGnome]

Just be aware that re-selling tickets (sometime called ticket touting) is often illegal in the UK.  There are ways big companies get around it  (and protections if the tickets are not valid) but be wary of the private individual selling either in person in the lines or on things like ebay.  If you don't really mind what you see - or are on a massively tight budget - you can go to the theaters in person and wait for tickets to be returned or not collected.  A freind's student daughter has managed to see some fabulous really high price shows this way for less than £10.  But it does require persistence and a good sense off humour.