Theatre tickets - is there a secret way of getting cheaper tickets that I don’t know about?!

[Ricecakesaremyjam]

I’m desperate to take my little girl to the theatre for a birthday treat but the ticket prices are insane - is anyone able to please let me in on any secret way of sourcing cheaper tickets that I haven’t realised yet?!
I can’t believe everyone really spends over £100 per seat? Or am I just really poor and out of touch with how much the theatre costs these days?! Thanks!

If you book on the day or choose a midweek show prices are much lower than say a sat matinee

also kids week in London you can take a kid for free - just Google that

Don’t go to the West End.

Most theatres outside of the West End have tickets for well under £100

There is an app called Today Tix that often does cheaper tickets depending on the show you want. The downside is that you might now be able to be way in advance…

Look at the theatre's "Friends" memberships. The one nearest me was £60 but still more than paid for itself in one theatre visit.

Kid’s week is coming up. She can get a free seat! And try TodayTix app. And the best seats aren’t always in the stalls. I’ve never spent anything near £100 to go to the theatre.

The Todaytix app is good for cheap tickets.

We spent nowhere near that in London or anywhere else

You just get the less desirable seats. Ie ones at the top etc

Or yes wait for it to tour

Are you in London? There used to be a ticket booth in Trafalgar Square that sold tickets for that day for vastly reduced prices. Not sure if it's still there.

On whichever Tuesday is closest to 15th June, Kids Week bookings open which is when you can book a free child ticket for every adult ticket for some of the top West End shows.

check availability online for same day - turn up at the box office 30-45 mins before curtain goes up and ask for best ticket at best price. Be flexible and be ready to walk away if they don’t sell you for the price you want! Or go as soon as box office opens - about an hour before curtain goes up - ask about the show and offers ans no shows ans then go back just before. Doesn’t always work and they might be disappointed but a conciliation ice cream sometimes helps ! Mid week unpopular nights are best.

Lots of options for tickets for less than £100. If you have a "local" theatre, look for options for touring productions. If you're set on west end, you need to look at different dates and the full range of seats. Some theatres have much cheaper seats at either the sides or the back of the stalls. Equally don't be afraid of higher levels. You can normally get booster seats for kids. I've previously paid £60pp for back of the stalls at Matilda, £40pp for the back row of the highest tier at Lion King, and £40pp for dress circle at Wicked

You have to be easy on dates and book well in advance. Difficult with a child and school holidays though!

If your DD has any SN, you can usually get a free ticket as her carer. I have 2 ND dcs who each have an Access Card, so we go as a family of 4 but just pay for the 2 dcs tickets.

Friday rush or 3-6 months in advance

https://officiallondontheatre.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=gmb the same day seats are also available here

todayTix often does offers (it’s an app and a webpage) and also does rush seats (register, log on at 10 and try to get one or two of the allocated amount at 25/30 £.)
loads of Facebook groups which share offers etc for theatre lovers - families who love theatre is great and really friendly.

As others have said, the TodayTix app is great. There used to be a TodayTix booth at Leicester Square Tube, I’ve got insanely cheap tickets from there before (£100+ reduced to a tenner) but I’ve just Googled & it says it’s permanently closed but that’s news to me, it was open when I was last there so might be worth checking out if you’re local (unless any other MNetter can confirm that it’s gone.)

Hang on, the £100 tickets are only for seats with a pretty decent view. I've regularly been to West End shows for £30-50 a ticket - you just have to sit in less good seats, and I most never go for restricted view seats and still pay that price. Like you might drive a less expensive car or go on holiday to France not Barbados. But unlike those you still get to see exactly the same production!

Exactly

Only a couple of times I've sat towards the front. All the other times I've got the cheaper seats

I've booked for Back to the Future in July. £67 for half way back in the stalls so obviously further back and parts of circle cheaper.

Download today tix and look out for day seats. Nearly all theatre shows in the west end have day seats. Book through the actual venue instead of falling for any third party sellers. Otherwise just buy the cheapy seats at the back.

Have a look at the New Wimbledon Theatre - tickets normally start at £15. We’ve seen some great shows there.

If you’re on fb there’s a great group called “families who love theatre (official)” which has loads of info on it and lots of helpful people. For us:

• kids week BUT with caution - sometimes the prices are uplifted so you don’t really get a “free” seat as such
• ticket lotteries
• the Theatredesk website which does a discount code for members of the FWLT Facebook group
• doing lots of research on individual theatres and seats (using the websites that show a view from each seat) - sometimes I book our group of seats straddling the more expensive and cheaper area and my children have the better seats and I sit in the cheaper one. Get to know your theatres - some don’t have a bad seat / sightline in them in which case the gain for sitting near the centre/front is more marginal, but very many are very variable.
• As others have said, the touring productions - eg we’re going to see Fiddler at our local theatre for half the price of when the tour is at the Barbican. It can be worth travelling to a regional theatre sometimes
• pick your “battles” - which shows do you really only want to see from an expensive seat? Eg The Cursed Child rarely has any offers etc so for that one we sucked up the cost because we really wanted to take the children. But for some others we’re happy to see from any seat really.
• Don’t rule out amateur productions - we’ve been to some fantastic ones.

good luck! If there’s a specific show you’re after, ask about that and we can try to help. I have also not paid £100 a ticket (except for The Cursed Child) as it really racks up for our family size. But (see my penultimate point above re picking battles) I might get close for The Producers as that’s one all of us are desperate to see.

I'm not sure it is always the case, but we've seen some good amateur dramatic shows in our local university town. Tickets under £20 for musicals. We've also been to regional theatre for about £50.

Less expensive seats??? Even super popular shows aren’t £100 for all seats.

kids theatre week (actually whole of august) is brilliant too

Regularly go to London and have never spent £100+ on a ticket. (£89 was the most expensive at Frozen) Normally spend more more than £50 of paying/booking in advance. You don't need to spend £100s

I make use of the options recommended on her already. Rush on today Tix is great, or lotteries. Otherwise booking in advance and choosing 'cheaper' seats and using seat plan or view from my seat to check out any potential restrictions.