That theatre is entirely unaffordable for the average family?

I’m usually quick enough off the mark to get the £20 tickets at the back of the stalls or front of the middle balcony. View is fine from both locations.

Sadly I failed for Operation Mincemeat though. T’is a pity.

Wow that's a lot I would never pay that !

£600 for 4?! You’re having a laugh. You’re clearly looking at the most expensive seats.

If you are going to massive, posh, theatres, then yes, unaffordable.
There are so many other options though.
We enjoy going to our local village hall for the amateur dramatic performances, our local secondary school has a theatre which often shows productions and, slightly more expensive, our local town has a very small theatre.

There's absolutely tons of excellent, cheap theatre in London for both adults and kids. If you think it's pricey, you probably haven't been to theatre in other countries. Broadway prices will make you take out a sec mortgage.

I am not into huge hyped musicals but London is full of smaller theatres too. I went to the national theatre last week and got a £10 Friday rush ticket. Old Vic has £20 preview tickets for every performance

There is plenty of affordable professional theatre available if you look for it. If you want to sit in the "best" (i.e. most expensive) seats at a big west end production, then of course it will be expensive.

I used to go frequently. Friends and I would take it in turns to book tickets and surprise each other. Used to be able to get tickets for £15 (ok not stalls but not restricted view) now the cheapest are £50+. It’s way too expensive to go regularly now.

You are being unreasonable.
A) because the price you quoted is top seating, not even mid price.
B) because the London run is at Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End so the cost will be high. It's part of a country-wide tour with much cheaper seats in other cities.
There are also plenty of theatres in the London suburbs that do excellent shows for a fraction of the cost you mentioned.

Odd that I’m going on Monday for £25 then. Bench seat. Very slightly restricted view, but hardly any issue (you can see the view from the seat on their website). The bench is padded and has a back.

I definitely think you can see London theatre shows at reasonable prices if you look around. If you want to sit in the stalls near the stage that’s going to be expensive, but it’s always been like that.

Central Tickets and Today Tix for a start have both seat filler and reduced price tickets Prices change on Today Tix in particular all the time so if there is a big West End show you want to see you need to keep checking the prices.

There are LOADS of small independent theatres in London showing all kinds of interesting things if you look around. If you’re stuck on big expensive shows, it’s worth looking at theatres in Guildford and places like that, as they often have shows before they go to the west end in theatres where you can see better and pay less.

I buy at less than £50 per person. Much less usually. I’ve never had a bad view or experience.

YANBU I really wanted to see Carmen at the ROH, it’s the only opera I’m interested in but even restricted view seats were over £100, the only ‘cheap’ seats were standing with a restricted view and I’m not travelling all the way to London to stand and crane my neck.

I live in London, go to the theatre regularly (probably averages twice a week), a mix of fringe and west end, I rarely pay more than £30 for a ticket, often a lot less and never sit in the gods.

Look at websites like See Film First - they send daily emails of discounted deals for shows, some last minute, but others discounts way ahead.
If "Christmas Carol goes wrong" is anything to do with "the play that goes wrong" I'm forever being offered discounted tickets for that.

Explore side galleries and restricted view seats - they're very often absolutely fine.
there's a website where you can explore "the view from my seat"

I dunno, I go regularly to see small companies performing at small independent venues and it’s not hellishly expensive but it’s usually just me and these are definitely not west end shows or child friendly. You can still stand at the Globe for a fiver but that might not be a kid thing either.

I buy tickets costing £15 at my local theatre, you just have to get in quick.

Theatre is a treat. We’re going to see that show and book for the 5 of us mid range tickets and it’s around £450, less than £100 per person. I love the theatre and there are cheaper options but a new show opening in a London theatre with the original goes wrong show cast isn’t going to be a cheapie is it?

Have you looked at the cheaper seats? The experience really is just as good.

very rarely go to the theatre because of cost, I never go with other half as we can’t justify the expense so I go with a friend instead as I only have to pay for myself. Would love to go to the panto at Christmas but not doable for us as a family of 4, we both work.

Absolutely agree. I mean occasionally you get a dud seat but generally they’re marvellous and a bargain! I go very regularly and never spend more than about £50. Some wonderful productions and some great views!

I do often wonder whether those that make statements like, ‘I don’t see the point in booking cheaper seats, the view is crappy’, have ever actually tried the cheaper seats?!

National Theatre do Friday rush now which are £10

Some people have mentioned standing tickets, which I appreciate isn’t an option for everyone but still means ultra cheap tickets. I know the Royal Exchange in Manchester sell them, and the Donmar Warehouse, at ridiculously cheap prices. Cheapest of all is the Royal Court in London who sell standing tickets for 10p each for shows in the downstairs theatre. I’m sure there’s a few more places around the UK that sell them. So, at a tiny handful of theatres, you can have a very cheap night out at the theatre if you’re willing and able to stand up throughout the performance. Such a shame the National Theatre stopped selling these tickets (and day seats).

The views aren’t crappy. And they aren’t expensive.

Sit in the gods. The view is actually better as you can see the whole stage. I’ve never paid more than £50 for a theatre ticket (Hamilton in its first London month). Saw Redmayne in Cabaret for £30. Going to the Royal Opera House for £25 on Monday.

Front is usually fine 🤞

I hope you enjoy it. I’m still trying to decide whether to rebook.

@MumbleBumbleAppleCrumblei think I’m ok, front of dress circle though almost at end. Galling though when it happens, I saw the Enfield Poltergeist a while back and couldn’t see any of the top half of stage where lots happened. And to the point of the thread, it’s not like it was a very cheap ticket.