Theatre prices jokes

[Pjsallday]

Taking eldest DD to London late November to watch her first West end show. She's picked MJ the musical. Looking at tickets now. Admittedly I haven't been to London for seven years or so but the prices????? I'm so upset, was setting aside £65/£75 each for a ticket. Baring in mind DD is a shorter than average ten so need decent-ish seats. There's nothing under £115 and even they are restricted right in the back grand circle. Most expensive seats in the house are £270 each! To put it into context I spent £300 last Easter on a hen do to majorca for a weekend. I just don't know how I can justify all that money for a two hour show. Can any helpful mumsnetters advise me on the best seats for a child in the Prince edward theatre pretty please?

She's 10. And so tiny

I agree we saw Six locally, it was amazing and l felt less ripped off as it's only a 70 minute show.

Touring productions can also be as expensive, this is my job.

OP look at today tix, they’re emailing me weekly about £30 tickets. When you find some you like then go directly to the theatre website and check them - usually cheaper!!

We are going to MJ on Saturday.

You can get DD a booster seat (or two if she really is tiny!), it doesn’t cost and as long as she only levels up to normal adult height nobody cares. It is super expensive but also amazing!

are you sure about MJ though? Odd choice for a 10 year old.

I'm not sure MJ is the choice I would have made for a first West End experience, I would have gone with Lion King, Matilda or Six all fabulous. Six is shorter and more of a concert than a play. Possibly Hades Town if she likes her mythology. Hercules is meant to be opening soon but not sure on the date I think that's at the Theatre Royale on Drury Lane which is a beautiful theatre

Hi OP, West End prices can be very high and there are few option to reduce these. TodayTix will occasionally have deals if you can plan ahead and be flexible. Alternatively there are really good ticket prices at the National Theatre if you book in advance and The Barbican has some great show, but this probably does not fit requirements. Viewmyseat will shows you the exact views.

Some theatres provide cushions/boosters for kids to sit on. Is this an option?

In the summer every years, there’s ’Kids month’ whereby kids tickets are free with adult tickets. Also, there’s always a new year sale with reduced tickets if you can wait until the. New year.

lastly, consider touring productions in regional theatres. So much cheaper.

Can you bring along a seat booster?

I’ve often sat on the back row of the stalls with younger children. That way, if they need a booster or need to peer on way and then the other around the heads of those in front, they aren’t disturbing anyone behind them.

I mention this as they are often cheaper seats too.

In that case look into GILT, Get Into London Theatre by SOLT, Society of London Theatres. This promotion is from early Jan to mid Feb where there are lots of shows with lower
priced tickets ie £20/30/40 in the past.
Admittedly, I don't know how it has fared post Covid but I got to see Lion King, Legally Blonde and others half price for my January birthday. Normally went on sale early December. I think I read about it on Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert newsletter. Worth a Google.

I don't know how people afford it. I have a very wealthy friend who used to go to the theatre several times a week. She was telling me the other day that she's cut right back due to the price increases.

I took DS as a treat to a show he really wanted to see. Managed to get good reduced price tickets - great seats near the front centre stalls for £90 each. But that was still well over £250 once we included train fares, a very cheap pre-theatre dinner and one interval drink each - for just two people.

There's a show I really want to see and DH isn't bothered so I thought I'd go alone. Cheapest seats are £190! I just gave up and hope it will come onto the filmed live theatre circuit.

I've never paid more than £40 to see a west end show and often more like £20
There's a website, think it's called love theatre that let's you search for cheap seats. Like everything else there are bargains if you can make the effort to find them ( and don't min, eg, restricted view or last minute)

I literally just said they can be, as in not always. But thank you :) There are many people (and I’m not saying you!) that think Regional is always cheaper than Town, it’s not. And depending on the show/venue, it can easily be more expensive. Touring comes with a huge added cost.

I’m aware of tires in regionals as well, and dynamic pricing. I work in a Regional these days, and we often go to town to see something because it’s cheaper.

I refuse to go to west end theatre shows as the pricing is ridiculous .
As another poster said , national and Barbican are great ... this week I've been to national fir £20 and Barbican today for £25 ... both are fantastic theatres especially the Barbican !

My sister who is in the midlands waits fir the tours and recently saw Six fir a fraction of the cost !

This isn't the case anymore! Matilda is touring next year and I've got tickets, best seats are £85! I took DD last year to London and didn't pay that much more for similar seats. I love the theatre but definitely getting priced out of going regularly.

Same, I tend to go 2 or 3 times a month. Most are rush tickets/daily tickets as we are fortunate in a position to do that location wise. But I also have two regional theatres near me that get touring shows and never go over £25

Just check out the seat plan first to check the view

I would rather pay less and see multiple shows than pay £££ for great seats and only see 1 or 2 shows a year

But I should say when we go, we just go and come home again so it’s the same as going out for dinner or night in the pub for us as it’s something we love to do

Serves you right for wanting to take a child to see a show about a paedophile.

Not west end, but I went to two musicals at bradford alambra theatre this year. All West End productions that have started touring round the country. One was Disney's Aladdin, and the other 1 was wicked, and because I'm disabled ma Cara gets in free, so it works out about 35 pound each, but if you wanted a normal ticket, it would be about 62. I think so, that's pretty reasonable and where we sat was at the bottom so we could see everything, so maybe it's better to watch musicals out of london

Not sure if it would help but the first time I took my DC to the theatre I booked back row seats and ordered inflatable booster cushions off eBay or Amazon and used those on top of coats and anything else we had. Meant I could book cheaper seats and they could still see, whilst not inconveniencing anyone behind.