London Theater: top shows at bottom prices

So you want to see a show while you’re in London but you’re not sure what to see? And you don’t want to spend a fortune doing it? I’ll tell you how to get cheap theater tickets in London – in fact how to see the best shows for the least possible money. It's surprisingly easy too...

WHAT'S ON AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

There are heaps of sites on the internet selling tickets to London theatre. Some are reputable, some not but even the best are affiliated only to a couple of agencies, and they’ll try and push those tickets above all others. So finding out what's on, and how good it is can be a struggle.

Don't worry. There is a fabulous independent site, which, like this one is run by a real person without an agenda – TheatreGuideLondon. While you can't book directly through the site (I'll tell you the best ways to do that in just a second) you can easily find out what’s on and if it’s any good. They also have a page of special offers which is good to look at as prices and shows change relatively often.

Once you've decided on what to see, you need to know the best ways to book it - make sure you come back here in just a second.

BOOKING BEFORE YOU GO:

You have two options here: the cheapest, and the most convenient.

Cheapest option:

You’ll always pay a fee to any ticket selling agents, and they must by law tell you what this fee is. So the cheapest option for booking in advance is usually to telephone the theater direct and book by credit card - TheatreGuideLondon has a complete list of numbers. (Do check the local time in London before you ring though). That said, they may be reluctant to sell you discounted tickets over the phone, so before you commit it's worth scrabbling round the best internet booking sites too, just to make sure you're getting a good deal.

Easiest option – Book Online:

You can of course buy tickets ahead of time online. You will pay a fee for the privilege but it could be worth it for that hot show you want to be sure of seeing or for piece of mind that it's all organized before you go. Of the sites that sell tickets you need to be sure that they're a member of the Society of Ticket Agents (all listed here are) which will ensure you're treated fairly. Of the many agents around Londontheatredirect post to the US (or you can pick up from the box office.)

BOOKING ONCE YOU ARRIVE:

It’s about the TKTS booth – but it’s not JUST about the TKTS booth.

If you want to wait until you arrive, in Leicester Square there’s a booth which sells half price tickets:

• They’re only for that evening’s performance
• They’re only for shows that haven’t sold out so you can’t be sure of getting what you want cheaply
• There are always lots avaliable, for many different shows. Only the most amazingly ‘hot’ (i.e. popular) shows are unlikely to be there.

Now in the streets around the square there are hundreds of places selling ‘discount’ tickets which are actually far more expensive than those sold by the official booth. For the avoidance of all doubt the booth is in ths square, is called ‘TKTS’ and looks like this:

You can be sure it's the right place as it's the only one to spell the word 'tickets' without any vowels (TKTS). At this stage I'd like to be able to tell you why they do that, but despite extensive enquiries, I can't. Maybe they just hate vowels. At any rate you now know the place to go!

Note: You'll be buying in sterling so make sure you get the best deal on money exchange before you go.

Other ways to ensure you get the best deal:

It's not just about the TKTS booth though, good as that is. There are often offers on certain shows enabling discounted or free entry. YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE OFFERS, beware there are some scam websites out there that try and sell you vouchers. Don't bother with them! Consistently one of the best offers is:

Train tickets 2 for 1: part of the brilliant 2 for 1 offers which require a mainline rail ticket (not tube ticket or oyster card) to get you 50 percent off. More details here.

Sadly the much-loved Oystercard 2 for 1 deal is now no more.

Other top tips for the best theater deal:

• Go midweek, midday but not mid-year! – Tuesday through Thursday nights are cheaper than Friday or Saturday; matinees are cheaper than evenings (though often full of rather noisy children!). If you’re in London in January you’ll often get amazing deals; May and September are sometimes pretty slow too so fingers crossed you'll get a good deal on a memorable show.

• Even small groups can get discounts - groups as small as six or eight can get hefty discounts if you book direct with the theater.

• Consider Day tickets. Some venues offer special tickets only released on the day of the show; these tend to be significantly cheaper than the face value of the highest tickets – sometimes up to two thirds less. You’ll need to check with the theater when exactly they sell them, if at all, then you’ll need to queue for them in the morning. Be aware that for some seats the view is a bit restricted.

This guide is renewed at least every six months to make sure it's totally current and up to date! Last updated Autumn/Fall 2009.

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