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Original poster

Old theatres in London not fit for purpose

208 replies

Theatredisappointment · 13/04/2026 13:35

I went to the theatre last week for a birthday treat and now remember why we stopped going.

in the past I have paid hundreds of pounds only to have people in front of me wearing hats and obscuring the view, people wearing huge puffer coats who are about 7 feet tall again obscuring the view. I’ve had people squashed up to me in the next seat making it uncomfortably and impossible to move, as a short person even I noticed the lack of leg room which means people behind you have their legs pushing into the back of your chair constantly.

This time I saved up and purchased a seat in the circle with no one in front of me. Amazing I thought I won’t have to worry about getting a tall person in front of me. Of course I hadn’t anticipated there would be a morbidly obese person behind me. She’d bought 2 seats obviously aware there wasn’t room for anyone next to her but instead my family and I and the person sitting next to me had to endure her body pressing into the back of our seats her stomach was hanging over onto my neck. Every time she moved which was constantly the whole row of seats moved and people were complaining.

It was a horrendous experience. I said nothing to this woman as obviously she couldn’t help it. During the interval I and the lady sat next to me asked a member of staff if we could move, explaining the problem, but were told the theatre was full.

I don’t blame this woman I blame the theatre (The Ambassador) who have squashed as many seats in as possible with zero leg room. They knew she’d booked two seats and would have seen why when they checked her ticket and yet they allowed everyone in seats nearby to suffer.

The whole theatre needs a refit. It’s unacceptable that you pay hundreds of pounds to be put in a tiny seat with zero leg room and the seats aren’t even staggered making it OK for only the tallest people to see the stage! Never again.

OP posts:
DeftGoldHedgehog · 13/04/2026 14:19

JHound · 13/04/2026 14:16

Must depend on where you sit. I was in the circle and could not close my legs or sit facing forward at the Ambassador. And I’m 5ft 8.

Show quote history

I'm 5'7" and a size 10 and on a recent Easyjet domestic flight my knees were touching the seat in front. How anyone bigger than me manages sometimes I don't know. Badly, I would suggest.

Girlwithavibe · 13/04/2026 14:18

Trouble is those old buildings are listed so it would probably not be possible to do a refit !
I'm an average size 10 quiet slim 5ft 7 and I found it super uncomfortable sitting in this teeny seats a different theatre to yours but still tiny velvet seats so I would guess only super thin teeny tiny people would be comfortable and almost everyone else not !
I decided I'm not going anymore because I have arthritis and I can't sit in a stuck position for to long without moving about !
Which would deffo annoy people !
I don't think it's fair to be blaming the overweight lady on you not enjoying the theatre thou !

Oddgain · 13/04/2026 14:17

which she accidentally threw at the person seated next to me

along with her stomach resting on your next

OP… you have a career in the dramatics ahead of you!

Passingthrough123 · 13/04/2026 14:17

shrodingersvaccine · 13/04/2026 13:50

Sorry, the person behind yous stomach was pressing into your neck? I cannot work out the physics of this... was she also incredibly tall? And how did she deal with the arm rest in the middle of her two seats, they don't tend to raise in theatres?

This. What OP is describing isn't possible. I've just found a picture of the Ambassador Theatre's seating and you cannot remove armrest. Plus the woman must be 10ft across for her stomach to be spilling over the back of OP's chair and into her neck.

This is clearly a wind-up fat-bashing thread.

Old theatres in London not fit for purpose
JHound · 13/04/2026 14:16

Simonjt · 13/04/2026 14:15

That theatre has fixed armrests that don’t move up and down.

I’m 184cm tall, I’ve found that theatre fine for both my legs and shoulders, yes, it isn’t roomy, but it isn’t too small to fit. The slope is also very generous.

Must depend on where you sit. I was in the circle and could not close my legs or sit facing forward at the Ambassador. And I’m 5ft 8.

Original poster
Theatredisappointment · 13/04/2026 14:15

She did have a walking stick which she accidentally threw at the person seated next to me so yes good point a disabled seat may have been better.

I do think we have just normalised poor quality seating in theatres with the “what do you expect it is an old building” brigade. If there’d been any sort of emergency like fire we’d all be dead no one could have got out in time.

How do these places meet basic health and safety regulations with tiny aisles? Every time someone left their seat the whole row had to stand up and shrink into their seats to let people past you couldn’t even twist your body round to make space. I’m 5 3 and my whole body was in agony after dying to get my legs into a comfortable position.

OP posts:
JHound · 13/04/2026 14:15

I do agree re a refit. I maybe tall for a woman but not as tall as the average man. Which means most men cannot sit comfortably in old theatres. That seems really discriminatory to me.

Simonjt · 13/04/2026 14:15

That theatre has fixed armrests that don’t move up and down.

I’m 184cm tall, I’ve found that theatre fine for both my legs and shoulders, yes, it isn’t roomy, but it isn’t too small to fit. The slope is also very generous.

JHound · 13/04/2026 14:13

This account seems massively exaggerated. I love theatre and take in about 6-10 shows a year at a variety of places. As a tall woman I have struggled with leg room a LOT. I went to watch Paranormal Activity at Ambassador and had to apologise to people in front as there was such little leg room I had to sit sideways and my knees still pressed in front.

That said, somebody so fat their belly rubbed on your neck? Come on now….

welshgirl2025 · 13/04/2026 14:13

I love the old London theatres even though I struggle to get around them due to disability. They have so much character and history. I dislike the new purpose built multi purpose arenas. Whilst they serve a purpose, for me there is no atmosphere in them.

LittleMissClutter · 13/04/2026 14:13

Vconcerned1 · 13/04/2026 14:11

If the lady was morbidly obese then presumably she should've asked for a seat in a disabled as area, with more space.

Show quote history

If she isn't disabled, she shouldn't be taking up seats for disabled customers.

Franpie · 13/04/2026 14:13

I go to the theatre in London every month. I’ve never felt anyone pressing into the back of my seat.

Some of them are very old, have annoying pillars (Harold Pinter), very shallow rakes, or railings obstructing the view slightly but that’s part of their charm.

I always try to get front seats of the stalls towards the aisles. They tend to to be significantly cheaper, decent leg room and no one in front of you.

Vconcerned1 · 13/04/2026 14:11

LittleMissClutter · 13/04/2026 13:41

I don’t blame this woman I blame the theatre (The Ambassador) who have squashed as many seats in as possible with zero leg room.

Yeah I imagine when the theatre was built in 1913 they didn't really think about future fatties 🙄

If the lady was morbidly obese then presumably she should've asked for a seat in a disabled as area, with more space.

FunkyFringe · 13/04/2026 14:07

The older West End theatres can be uncomfortable, I agree, but there’s very little than can be done about it. There’s a huge difference in somewhere like Sadlers Wells.

shrodingersvaccine · 13/04/2026 14:02

Arlanymor · 13/04/2026 13:56

I don’t think anyone is saying they aren’t to go are they? But if you know your body shape - tall or otherwise - then it’s part of sorting out your logistics to arrange stuff ahead of time to be as comfortable as they can. My ex was 6’ 7’’ - he just got used to having to be clear when making arrangements whether going to the theatre, flying or even buying a bed. One of my friends is in a wheelchair, they also have to do the same, but it’s worth the extra time taken to sort out the lay of the land to make them as comfortable as possible.

Edited
Show quote history

No I agree, all I'm saying is that in theatres and on planes etc sometimes it's not possible to not be in the way if you are big. I'm not, but my mum/sisters are, and my partner is 6'5'', and I really feel for them when people are so clearly furious at them for just being in a space. The lady in question bought two seats etc, how was she to know they would wobble or that her incredibly high up and wide stomach would overhang the row in front (though I'm still not clear on how it would). All I'm saying is sometimes it's not avoidable!

Arlanymor · 13/04/2026 13:56

shrodingersvaccine · 13/04/2026 13:53

Also, just putting it out there but fat people and tall people are allowed to go to the theatre. They've paid their money too and it's not their fault they are fat/tall and the seats are teeny (Playhouse in Edinburgh is the worst I've ever found, entire audience is practically limping out with discomfort at the end of the show)

I don’t think anyone is saying they aren’t to go are they? But if you know your body shape - tall or otherwise - then it’s part of sorting out your logistics to arrange stuff ahead of time to be as comfortable as they can. My ex was 6’ 7’’ - he just got used to having to be clear when making arrangements whether going to the theatre, flying or even buying a bed. One of my friends is in a wheelchair, they also have to do the same, but it’s worth the extra time taken to sort out the lay of the land to make them as comfortable as possible.

shrodingersvaccine · 13/04/2026 13:53

Also, just putting it out there but fat people and tall people are allowed to go to the theatre. They've paid their money too and it's not their fault they are fat/tall and the seats are teeny (Playhouse in Edinburgh is the worst I've ever found, entire audience is practically limping out with discomfort at the end of the show)

LittleMissClutter · 13/04/2026 13:52

Theatredisappointment · 13/04/2026 13:47

littlemiss are you the morbidly obese woman in the theatre?

Is this as intelligent as your conversation gets?

Oddgain · 13/04/2026 13:51

I think someone is maybe just exaggerating a teeny tiny bit here

Gardenquestion22 · 13/04/2026 13:51

I don't mind an old theatre but love it when something I want to see is in a newer theatre and you know the sightlines will be good, it won't be freezing or boiling and the seats will be verging on comfortable. Love the National Theatre!

laurini · 13/04/2026 13:51

Go to a different, more modern theatre e.g. the bridge theatre or the kiln x

shrodingersvaccine · 13/04/2026 13:50

Sorry, the person behind yous stomach was pressing into your neck? I cannot work out the physics of this... was she also incredibly tall? And how did she deal with the arm rest in the middle of her two seats, they don't tend to raise in theatres?

AlcoholicAntibiotic · 13/04/2026 13:49

The Ambassadors is particularly horrible for legroom (not quite as bad as the Lyric Shaftesbury Avenue), but I’m not quite sure how someone’s stomach could be on your neck. (Also not sure how buying two seats would help anyone, as I thought armrests were fixed in most theatres, so not as though people can actually sit in two seats)

Lindy2 · 13/04/2026 13:49

It's not really the theatre's fault. It sounds like this lady would have struggled to fit in a seat in a modern theatre too.

I love the old theatres. I know there's no leg room and there is often an odd pillar a bit in the way but the atmosphere and history outweighs these problems for me. I imagine all the people from 100 years ago sitting watching a show just like I'm doing.

The problems you've listed appear to be people problems really. Inconsiderate hat wearing and being morbidly obese.

Bjorkdidit · 13/04/2026 13:48

I agree OP. I'm not especially large but have long legs and find theatre seats very uncomfortable. I'm also surprised they meet fire regulations given how long it would take people to evacuate.

People are taller and wider than when these historical theatres were built so they really should consider repositioning at least some of the seats to accommodate today's humans. Every time I've bought a ticket recently, it's included a levy 'to support the arts' so perhaps they should use that money?