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.

YANBU, i have stopped going to the West End, I now wait for the big shows to come out to the smaller Theatres. In the last few years I’ve seen Les Mis, Chicago, Six and seeing Come From Away in a few months. All at the fabulous Marlowe in Canterbury. On Saturday we saw Chitty at the Churchill Bromley, all excellent seats and lower prices.

This is a good idea

Don’t be so polite next time, tap him on the shoulder and ask would he mind swapping or moving a bit out of the way

I've never paid £300 for a theatre seat in my life, even when I lived in London. But theatres usually have a website with pictures of the view from various seats (the theatres I book, anyway), so you can pick your seat with this info in mind. Also, they usually say if a seat has a restricted view and charge less for it.

I’m 5’8” and I can’t help my height. If I’m in front of you, it’s unlucky, I’m afraid. The real problem is that you are up in the gods, the very top seats or nearly. Honestly the only thing to do, apart from checking the seat view is to be nearer the stage. It’s worth the extra money and you can see and hear much better.

Thank you so much for your wisdom

Well I could unscrew my head and store it under the seat….

I actually saw this in the restricted view seats on the balcony - we were at the side of the stage and missed a lot of the front action (we've seen Heathers many times so we weren't as bothered), but as the side balcony had no one behind we could lean right over and we were so close to the stage. Kind of wish we'd been on the other side so we could have seen the faces of the parents below us in certain scenes, who were there with a maybe 7yo ... 🤣

Went to the London Palladium a couple weeks ago, we had good seats luckily but I realised I'd seen something else there before and had a terrible view from the balcony as effectively your staring at the ceiling decoration rather then able to see the stage.

Really?

I always look at Seat Plan and I'm short so I try to get close to the front. I always worry about having someone tall in front of me, I've been lucky recently although sometimes have to lean to the side a bit.

Honestly I do feel bad for shorter people sitting behind me, but also helpless. My DP is 6’3 which is worse. We really struggle with leg room and try and book end of row seats. It’s not easy, OP and maybe the newer theatres are better as has been suggested.

I get that but your initial response was just silly. I know you can't help being tall, this wasn't a "tall people are twats" thread!

Just don't go.

She has a point. I choose the dress circle (more comfy seats) or the stalls if I go to the theatre. It's worth the money. Not that I am paying £300 for the seats!

Frequently the rake is appalling, which is something it is difficult to address once the theatre is fitted.

Okaaay! I shall sit indoor forever so therefore no need to say anything ever again!

I feel sorry for you.

Fair point and sorry. It’s miserable for you and your boy.

That does look awful. I would recommend Witness for the Prosecution at County Hall. Because it’s still the original set up rather than a traditional stage it works better for views, and the seats are big too.

How good was Come From Away! I saw that in Oxford, and the view was decent, and the show brilliant! I paid £40 for my ticket.

I’ve seen it on the west end and on tour and wouod go again in a heartbeat

to be fair, everywhere I've booked with restricted seating has had a photo showing exactly what the view is like, and if it doesn't there are websites showing it, so perhaps they should link to those if they don't have photos themsevles?

I don't think they should stop selling them because sometimes what is an issue for 1 person is fine for others - I've sat in seats with restricted leg room that were fine for me (shortarse) but would be hard for taller people, and I can imagine the reverse is true for some angles of the stage. But they should be transparent about exactly what a restricted seat entails. However it's a bit harsh to complain about the person in front of you - you could have the best seat in the house and if a tall person took the one in front you'd be stuck!

@Icantseebecauseofyou I had this view at the Bridgewater hall. Ok you can see most of the stage (it was a children’s theatre production not a musical concert) and it was mid to high price range, not listed as restricted and the same price as all the others along the row not obstructed by the rail. I was pretty annoyed. In my view (ha ha) I think this is a restricted view.

I refuse to go to one of our local theatres any more, the views are so bad. The last thing we saw, I could only see about 1/3 of the stage at any one time. The person behind me was complaining to her friends that she couldn't see anything at all. This after paying £200 for us all to go (and that was a few years ago).

Conversely, at another couple of theatres I've never had a bad seat. Even though on Friday night we were sitting behind the tallest people in their row (naturally!) I could still see ok.

i am a regular theatre goer . Good seats or less good seats depending on how organised or flush I am. Leaving that aside, your posting of the picture of some unaware person and your comment about nits is really bit rude.