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Original poster

Help me. Silly dilemma

16 replies

BillyNighysWife · 07/04/2023 07:54

DS is performing next week <proud> some friends loyally decided to travel quite a distance to see the performance. I offered to get the tickets for them (though they are paying). I also bought tickets for DH and I.

I told friends the range of ticket prices and they chose £20 tickets which I told them were in the back stalls. The tickets have just arrived by email and I was about to forward them when I noticed they are in fact right at the back of the upper circle. Tickets for DH and I have also arrived and they are mid stalls and I am wondering whether to give them our tickets because I feel bad that they are travelling so far for such bad seats.

The upshot will be that I pay much more money and get a not very good view of DS. What should I do?

OP posts:
Crumpetdisappointment · 07/04/2023 07:55

i dont think you should give them your tickets
you were the one who made the effort of buying the tickets.

BevMarsh · 07/04/2023 07:59

I'd be honest and tell them you thought they were back stalls but actually they aren't.
You can't really give them your ticket.

Changingplace · 07/04/2023 08:46

I’d just be honest and say sorry the tickets aren’t as good seats as you’d planned but don’t give them yours.

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Original poster
BillyNighysWife · 07/04/2023 08:52

I didn’t really go to any special effort to get the tickets as I was buying my own at the same time. I guess I just feel bad they are travelling so far, I’m grateful to them.

OP posts:
BattleofBeamfleot · 07/04/2023 09:03

I'd say just let them know and carry on.

They chose to pay £20 from a range of prices. Their values are 1) cost and 2) being there. "Good view" is your priority and not theirs.

At their age I saw a lot of shows from the cheap seats - cost was my priority and I had my own way of getting to do things within my budget. (Still have never seen that missing one-third of Phantom of the Opera that takes place on the front of the stage that was hidden from my restricted seat, though...)

I would never choose to pay £100 for a ticket at that age, but now I don't really think anything of it for a treat because my values align more with having the good view for a once in a lifetime experience than with the fact of going, and I have the means to spend on it occasionally now. They're different people with different values to you and you may as well not swap your good stalls seats because it's unlikely to be something they'll value as much as you'll miss.

OnTheRunWithMannyMontana · 07/04/2023 09:05

Can you let them know now and see if tickets can be changed if they aren't happy with the seats?

Original poster
BillyNighysWife · 07/04/2023 10:04

@BattleofBeamfleot

At their age I saw a lot of shows from the cheap seats - cost was my priority and I had my own way of getting to do things within my budget. (Still have never seen that missing one-third of Phantom of the Opera that takes place on the front of the stage that was hidden from my restricted seat, though...)

They are friends of ours. They are in their 60s. I told them seats in the back stalls cost £20. I don’t think they chose them because they were cheap and don’t care.

OP posts:
BattleofBeamfleot · 07/04/2023 10:07

Oh oops!

I thought they were friends of your son rather than older people.

Can you ring the box office and see if you can swap for better tickets that aren't still quite so pricey as yours?

3luckystars · 07/04/2023 10:08

Everyone will have a great time, just enjoy it and don’t be stressing over the tickets at all. You could buy them a drink if you feel bad about their seats but I still can’t figure out why you would think it’s your fault.

just enjoy it.

Original poster
BillyNighysWife · 07/04/2023 10:09

Thanks so much for your responses everyone. I think my OP wasn’t very clear.

  • They are my friends in their 60s who have chosen to travel a long distance to see my son perform
  • They are not hard up. They chose those seats I guess because they thought it sounded a good price for very good seats. That’s because I misread the seating plan
OP posts:
3luckystars · 07/04/2023 10:10

I like the upper seats, but just ring the box office and ask them if you can swap the seats if you think they won’t enjoy it from there.

FetchezLaVache · 07/04/2023 10:10

In that case, I think you should do as @BattleofBeamfleot suggested and see if you can upgrade their seats.

Tell DS from me to break a leg!

saddilema · 07/04/2023 10:26

I often ask at the box office when arriving at the theatre for the show if I can upgrade my seats. I've never had a problem and usually pay a nominal amount like £15 and get much better seats.
If you can't get through on the phone beforehand, give that a go when they arrive.

Original poster
BillyNighysWife · 07/04/2023 10:58

Thanks all!

OP posts:
Original poster
BillyNighysWife · 07/04/2023 16:50

I managed to exchange the tickets for better ones in the stalls. There was a small price difference but for some reason they didn’t ask me to pay it! I don’t know why I didn’t think of doing that until I read the posts on here. Thank you!

OP posts:
3luckystars · 08/04/2023 09:58

Great!!

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