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.

I checked my emails and I paid £80 for 2 tickets from around that view (3-4 rows back on very top balcony) beck in 2018.

That seemed very good value for 5 hours of theatre. Leg too was awful and we had to lean forward during a watery scene.

I did go again and sat 10 rows back in stalls and loved being able to see the effects up close. I think paid £200 for 2 on that but was 50% off via a wizards unite game discount. I would never pay £400.

Trying a dance show at Sadler wells soon, hopefully that better than central London for views!

DH is very tall and we deliberately book end of aisle seats for that reason, ideally ones that protrude so there’s no seat behind him. It also means he can stick his legs out into the aisle and it’s a bit more comfy if there’s not much legroom.

I don't understand why theatres sell restricted view seats (even if they are cheaper) where a pillar or similar is blocking the view. Just don't put a seat there? You can normally work it out when booking though.

Expensive seats. I’ll never pay that much!

I went to ‘ Two Strangers- Carry a cake across New York’, and got ‘restricted seats’ in row C. They were over half the price of seats further in. However, it didn’t matter, we got a superb view, close to the stage and didn’t miss anything. Would recommend these seats, and the play - funny, tender, entertaining.

I go to the theatre a lot & it is really easy to check out the view from most theatre seats.
Back in the day when I was young & poor I'd by the restricted view seats & 80%+ of the time be able to move to an ok view seat.

If you're spending ££££ then it's common sense to check out the seat & view of the stage.

It doesn't really matter how much you check if you turn up on the day and there's a tall person in front of you. You can't always tell the angle of the rake from pictures.

Try going to see local groups rather than “big” shows. Usually the tickets are cheaper, better views and you’ll help charity groups! Win win all round

We went to see Fiddler on the Roof a while back. We would have had an OK view from the balcony, but people in the front row of it who had paid for a seat with a view obstructed by a bar stood the whole time so we could see practically nothing.

Out if curiosity, what are tall people expected to do? I get none wants their view blocked, but a lot of height- ist comments going on in this thread.

I go a fair bit and views are generally ok. I go to a lot of local theatres, £12 a ticket at my local one and it’s fairly decent acting

It's the same for many things, sometimes the view is questionable. I took ds2 to see Macbeth for his GCSE 's in Wimbledon, it was fine. Went to see the Killers 2022 Emirates stadium and there were big black poles blocking both sides of the screen.

Watching Glastonbury on tv, imagine paying all that money to see bands and everyone at the front has those stupid flags blocking the stage!

Why aren't people challenging poor behaviour, either directly or through the ushers? I'm not talking about tall people but standing up or sitting in a manner to block your view etc. why is everyone so passive?

I agree, flags at Glastonbury drive me nuts.

I can appreciate that most of the theatres in London are a lot older than Broadway theatres in NY, but my experience in NY is that seats are generally staggered so you're centered between two people in front of you. The rake is also generally higher going back.

Unfortunately, whoever designs theatres here seems to accept what the older ones have as best practice and continue with putting seats one in front of the other on an almost flat surface. Very frustrating.

I prefer to book in the front row of the balcony if I can.

In my case the ushers were telling them to sit down but they were just standing up again. I like to think if it happened now I'd make more of a fuss about it, but my dh had recently died so I probably wasn't feeling up to it.

The amazing atmosphere more than makes up for it. I’m jealous every time I switch on the TV!

No-one's blaming tall people. Generally people are saying theatres should be designed so that they can't obscure the view for people behind them.

Is this a joke ahahaha I'm 6' tall and literally the amount of people who tut or sigh or whisper when I find my ALLOCATED AND PAID FOR LIKE EVERYONE ELSE tickets even in the cinema. I bet you are the same type of person not wanting anyone to sit next to them on a plane because then they would have a row to themselves.. we have all paid, you have a choice wether to take your short arse to a play where tall people have also been allowed in (god forbid.) Rant over - all 6 feet of it.

I agree the Other Palace is amazing in every seat. It’s my absolute favourite theatre

We are a tall family, DS 6'5', and always book end of row seats. I think this is pretty standard. I would love to be able to pop into the middle of the row if I had short legs but it is an impossibility.

I always do seatview. And as I have got older I have made a decision to go less frequently but to sit in the stalls every time. A privileged position of course. But I would rather see fewer shows and be able to actually see them.

The National is always a good bet too.

modern theatres are so much better. Milton Keynes is great - you can see well from any seat. Gillian Lyn, Barbican and national are great too. Doesn’t help much if you want to see Harry Potter but worth looking at what these are showing. MK does great touring shows.

I haven’t been to a central London theatre for many years now. The prices are (understandably) high but the experience is so uncomfortable. There's no air conditioning, the seats are squashed together, drinks cost a fortune and there are never enough toilets. DH and I left halfway through the last show we went to because his back was hurting and I had a headache from the heat!