Theatres should stop selling shitty view seats

[Icantseebecauseofyou]

I took my son to the theatre today, we were both so looking forward to it but I can't help feeling that the view was so shit that I've basically paid to see if the guy in front of had nits or not?

The seats were expensive so it was definitely a big treat for us, but still, it was a bit shit.

Why do theatres cost so much? Especially when seats have rigging, barriers etc across the view? Why do seat on the floor cost £300 each then we get people asking why people don't go to the theatre more?

If they are going to sell shitty view seats then they should take a picture from each seat to show this is the shitty view you'll get with all the rigging included and maybe a big fat head in the view too so you know that, actually, it's not worth paying £££ for these crappy view seats?
If I'd seen this photo first, I wouldn't have paid for this seat.

Best seats I had was at the Bridge Theatre to see Guys n Dolls - mainly because we were in the stalls where you are part of the staging and move around with the actors as makeshift podiums pop up and down. We also sat at the little cafe seats they have for some of the scenes. Don’t suppose I’ll get such great seats at another production.

I've always felt that all theatres should be built on much more of a slant than they are so everyone can actually see the stage properly. Especially when tix are so incredibly expensive and a major treat for many.

Real pain when something like this happens, unfortunately, no matter how much or little you pay, if you get someone, can we say, large, infront of you, it restricts the view, most annoying at shows aimed at kids when adults have seats directly in front of your children and won’t move around so there children are in front instead

I am.conflicted on the subject, I definitely feel your pain as I am less than 5ft so frequently need to lean or try to peer past the person in front of me. And theatre tickets are expensive.

However whenever I go to a theatre I often notice the nature of the building and wonder about its maintenance costs (some of them are very old and ornate) and then the cost of the set itself (Moulin Rouge for example) and then the vast amount of people working at the theatre.
And that does explain why tickets are expensive....but obviously that doesn't make them more affordable!

I do love going to a London theatre for the atmosphere - a very rare treat due to costs, though. I think a great view can be had though at Milton Keynes theatre. We saw the travelling production of Chicago there and the theatre has been designed to maximise visibility from all seats. They do get some of the travelling shows from the West End, and that can be good value.

We went to MK a while ago and got better seats than we would for the same price in the west end. I'm thinking of booking to go again next year

Nit-guy is on his phone, as is the person beside him?

That would irritate me as much as the king size view of his big head.

The seats at the back are awful. ck row first time we saw it and really struggled to see.
Ive also been in front row when we won Friday 40 tickets. My dd and her friends became obsessed and new how to get good last minute tickets at more reasonable price.

The picture was taken before the show started, everyone did put their phones away, including me! 😃

@bruffin please share what you learn from your dd 😃

I wish they would remind theatre goers to sit back in their seats along with the mobile phone reminders. I don't think some people realise how much it impacts the view of the person behind them when they lean forward.

Glad your son enjoyed it though. He sounds like a lovely, appreciative boy!

We went to see Wicked and the man in front of DH had the biggest head ever. The phrase Mr Buffalohead was coined.

Hope you managed to enjoy it a little bit.

I wish they would remind theatre goers to sit back in their seats

This!

We went recently and I was sitting behind a very tall chap who sat forward in his seat the entire show :(

The last time I went to the theatre the person next to me absolutely reeked of smoke. I am absolutely not a MN super sniffer who can tell how many hours ago someone had a shower, but this was pretty overwhelming....but I don't think there are any rules you could implement about that! 🤣 obviously it didn't spoil the show but was very noticeable.

(It's possibly more apparent because a lot fewer people do smoke now)

Oh that's crap!

I used to go to the theatre a lot, at least once a month. I now only go and see a few shows a year as it’s too expensive. I don’t want to risk a massive head in front of me when I have paid a fortune. Having said that, there are some theatres who have better seating, mainly the newer ones I think.

For Cursed Child it was basically go to the box office on the day or enter Friday 40.

We also go for rush or lottery tickets on Todaytix.
We are goibg to see Operation Mincemeat for £25 with lottery tickets.
Google papering the house tickets or seat fillers like Central tickets.
DD is also NHS si get Tickets For Good .
Also the is a Theatre Roulette for £25 on Todaytix.

We go to the theatre in London quite often. I always buy the cheapest seats in the knowledge that it is going to be a mixed bag in terms of viewing.

As a general principle the more modern the theatre the better the view in the cheapest seats. Also signing up to email lists like London Theatre and Today Tix gives you the heads up on new things going on sale before the hype has started.

Obvious this isn't as relevant if you are going to a big long running show like Harry Potter but generally beginning/ mid week and far in advance as possible gives you the best cheap seats.

I did try for the Friday 40 but had no luck so decided to splurge!

I'm still doing the Friday 40 just incase

Someone might have linked to this but seat plan are the best. Support them.

In fact you can add your pic and review and inform future bookers. Firmly believe you should know what you are paying for and seat plan does that. You can then make a trade off decision.

i went to the theatre as a student solely on £10- £20 terrible view seats - I was there for the experience and it was the same as a movie ticket. Saw some amazing plays that involved leaning round rigging etc. but because I was young I didn’t get a sore neck or anything for being crumpled up. If it had only been good seats I wouldn’t have gone!

seatplan.com

Tickets for Harry Potter are crazily expensive but we were up there - on the front row - and I got them at the cheapest rate by booking as soon as they were released and so far in advance.

But it was made very clear the view was restricted and I checked what it was going to be like ahead of it. As PPs have said, there are ways you could have checked in advance. And as you're paying for two performances, it's expensive even for the cheapest seats.

There's no way I could have paid for decent seats. They cost hundreds and hundreds of pounds, so that was the compromise.

I don't really have an issue with this if the tickets are a good bit cheaper. As a student and when I first started working I'd have got limited visibility tickets as a way to go but save money. So I think it's fine as long as its reduced and noted at booking what the view is like. I don't find that I pay that amount for the theatre but I guess it depends what you're seeing and where you're going.

They are super expensive, I've looked for March next year in the dress circle and it's coming up as just over 400 quid!

I would love to go again but I can't justify a third of a month's mortgage payment for a day in the theatre!

I'll keep trying the Friday 40 🤞

I always look at view from my seat before I book anything which is rare now as its so expensive, its the same with concert tickets too especially stadiums, you can't see anything so can only watch the big screens for the bargain price of £175

I got Matilda lotto seats for £25 in the stalls with good view.