STALLS
Layout:
The Dress Circle overhangs the stalls at row H.
The top of the stage is not visible from row P backwards.The front Stalls rows A to J are arranged in a curve in front of the
stage. Rows K to X behind them are split into two blocks by a centre aisle.
The rake (sloped floor to help see over rows in front) is non - existent in rows A to E. Fortunately a high stage can
compensate for this at some productions - when the stage is too high
though... not so great.
It's fairly shallow through the rest of the theatre too, more noticeable
from row J or so. Still, with seats not brilliantly "offset" in
some rows either, the
short may find the circles offer a better view.
The centre aisle seats in rows L, P, S, U and W have only short,
flat, padded row-enders (like extra-wide arm-rests) in front. No extra
legroom, but no head to look over either.
Legroom:
The ends of rows B to E mostly have
noticeably less legroom than the centres of them - or compared to all rows
behind.
Row B30 and 31 and D4 usually have nothing in front. D5 has 9/10ths
nothing in front, B6 3/4ths, E33 1/2 and K33 1/4th nothing in front
across the seat width.
Legroom for row U seats 14 to 18 is around an inch or two
less than the row in front, where the sound desk eats into it.
Legroom is acceptable in all other rows, much better from row F to T unless you are exceptionally
tall. For those with access needs, it is also possible to have a standard chair
placed in the wheelchair area on row X if required, for maximum legroom.
Readers found O15 and 16 had nothing in front except a "spacer" for the
row.
Choosing Seats in General:
The quality of row A varies according to the height of the stage.
Normally, it's a way of being close to the action, and having a lot more
legroom than the upper circle at the same price. At full price, go further
back, it feels.
Often, the extreme ends of
row A are the last pick as you may be sharing your breathing space with
hefty stage lighting almost directly in front - and have a pretty acute
angle to look up at the stage too.
For musicals, an orchestra pit means
a conductor is be in view for some in central row A... it doesn't bother
the monkey, but purists may wish to avoid this area - though others may
find any ticket price reduction makes them worthwhile.
At top price, it's important not to get caught too far forward or back.
In the very centre, seats in central rows G to J are often designated "premium" seats - your call if you feel them worthwhile, feels the
monkey. There's plenty as good - and cheaper - around these, it thinks,
making them the first to try for.
Go for G first, then, when the stage is low, otherwise K, then F or J. Then L, M before
E and D (unless you are, like the monkey, a lover of being close to the
stage to 'see faces.'). Centre aisle seats from K back are more comfortable
for the tallest, with one leg stretching space.
Readers generally report that
central rows F to J are providing best views overall. Those wishing to see
most, or who are shorter, seem to find H and J preferable too, with K10 down
as "fantastic," according to one reader. Having sat in row K 18,
the monkey agrees the off-setting is excellent with a clear view between
folk in front if they are not over-tall.
Often the end pair of seats in rows A to F are "restricted view" and
thus cheaper. Monkey
thought is normally that those not worried about an extreme side view might well find the
innermost seat in each pair worth a glance. Take the one furthest back first - certainly
you'll be closer to the stage for less cash.
The monkey quite liked the thought of B30 at a restricted view price, but
notes they are not really a bargain - just a way to be closer to the stage
for less money. Same goes for D and E 5, D31 and E32, for that matter. Not for purists or first
timers, really, but the monkey would on a second visit at least normally. At
second price,
though, it would skip them as you may miss a bit more than you expect. D4 does have legroom, though.
Further back, skip rows S and T when they are at top price, as the
overhang starts to kick in. A row back yields the same view for less cash.
At second price, you'll find the overhang of the circle really limits
views at the back, but it's in direct proportion to what you miss, and
the advantage is that these rows have more legroom than equivalent
priced seats in the upper circle. The tall will have a far more
comfortable evening in rows U and V as a result.
The back rows, W and X, are often keenly priced and the same applies
regarding comfort and overhangs. The shallow rake is an issue for the
shorter - go upstairs then - but they are still pretty fair deals, feels the
monkey. Do remember if buying in the rear rows that the view is NOT the same
as the more expensive seating, and that prices are lower to account for
this. Row X, and the ends of row W at the same price are a decent budget
option, perhaps, if willing to accept any shortcomings - upper circle rows D
and E do edge these for view.
Two wheelchairs can suffer a rotten view in the rear stalls, but users can
transfer to any other seat. . How about making
some decent seats removable for wheelchairs or even... let users sit in the
centre aisle row K space. Think about it guys. Single chairs can replace these
spaces if not in use by a wheelchair.
General Hazard Notes:
The monkey notes that the seats are rather narrow, and on one visit E14 was
somewhat saggy in the centre from over use...
Neck ache is a possibility in rows A, B and C. If the stage is high, those even as far back as E
won't see feet at the back of the stage - aspiring ballerinas may wish to sit further
back.
The extreme ends of
row A are very avoidable as you are be sharing your breathing space with
hefty stage lighting almost directly in front - and have a pretty acute
angle to look up at the stage too. For musicals, an orchestra pit means
a conductor is be in view for some in central row A... it didn't bother
the monkey, but purists may wish to avoid this area - though others may
find any ticket price reduction makes them worthwhile.
A set of stairs leading to a door is on the right hand side of the theatre
(looking from the stage). For some reason, this annoys Theatremonkey, as it
seems distracting. Compensating for this, the bar is also on this side (as are
toilets).
Seats extend out beyond
the proscenium opening, meaning that outermost end four seats in rows B
to R may face a wall rather than the stage. This prevents those seated
here from seeing into the far corners of the stage.
Purists may still
wish to avoid seats U 14 to 18, and V to X 14, to ensure the
sound desk causes no disturbance.
Sound can be variable in central seats towards the back of the stalls
from row M. Those at the back also found the air-conditioning equally
unpredictable - too hot, mostly.
Changes for the current production:
Row A has been heavily discounted as "Day Seats." Be aware
that there are large flashing lights in front of seats here. SPOILER there's
also an extended finale stage SPOILER ENDS in front of A 18 and 19, making
it perhaps worth taking 10 to 16 or 21 to 26 (in number order moving from
centre outwards) first. Even the very end seats have a decent view without
the usual lights hung from the side stage arch to distract. Seats A 28 and
29 don't have as much legroom as 8 and 9 for some reason. Still, even here
as in the rest of the row you get far more leg space and are
closer to the stage than anywhere else for the price, a fair trade off
it feels. The stage is fairly low too, so you won't miss much.
End pair of seats in row B to F drop in price. When cheap, Monkey
thought is normally that those not worried about an extreme side view
might well find the innermost seat in each pair worth a glance at second
price. Take the one furthest back first - certainly you'll be closer to
the stage for less cash. The nearby speakers hung beside the stage are
loud, row C bears the brunt of these. Not for purists or first timers,
really, but the monkey would on a second visit at least normally. D4
does have extra legroom, though not much of a view. Still, a way to be
closer to the stage for less money and for this production the views
from those inner seats makes them worthwhile to the
monkey mind. Just be aware that at one point in the show you may not
fully see a scene for a few non-crucial moments.
Central rows E to J are at "Premium" prices. Monkey
advice is go further back or around them - view is equally good, legroom
better than E for a start... During previews there's bargains to be had,
though, as all best stalls seats are the same price.
Row T is cheaper than row S - for a similar view. Worth thinking about,
feels the monkey. Also, for those not worried about blocked views from
overhanging circles above, a pair of seats on the ends of rows U and V are
also cheaper - very fair value to be 4 rows further forward for less cash,
feels the monkey.
Around the sound desk, the corner of its wall has been removed. This
means it won't cut into the view, and the only distraction is the sound
man moving around. X14 is most affected, W14 not bad at third price as a
final choice, V14 just about OK for view but there are better seats
around, the monkey feels.
Do be aware that there are projected images - two fairly helpful to
the plot - that won't be visible from around row U back. The discount
allows for this, and it won't spoil your evening, but the monkey feels
it worth knowing.
Reader Comments:
"Row A: (Zena). thankfully my front row seat had lots of legroom and a nice view."
"Row A: " Evita (2006)." on the front row and it was fine as the orchestra is big. No neck
ache and PLENTY of leg room."
"Row A 9 to 12: were too low down – a lot of neck craning. Would recommend
from Row J and back. All round, well worth the ticket price"
"A13: (Daniel Vincze). My seat was A13 in the Stalls. Excellent view, enough legroom and feels like
being in the action. The intimate scenes are really
effective because you're not that far away as you'd be in the Dress Circle or
Upper Circle."
"A15 to A24: "Love Never Dies" (2010), (group organiser). ten people (including us) were sitting in the front row and these seats had a severely restricted view. A19 is directly
behind the conductor, so this additionally limits the view in A18 to
A20. You can seldom see a full view of the performers who are often cut
off from the waist down. The impact of the scenery and special effects
is also diminished from this row. The full price of £67.50 is
unreasonable and we feel purchasers should be advised that the view from
these seats is restricted.
I have read good reports of row A here, but I guess these were for other
shows. For 'Love Never Dies' the stage is built up to accommodate the
revolve and trap-door, and from Row A this results in neck-strain and
severe sight-line problems - in some scenes people at the back of the
stage could only been seen from the shoulders up, and the climax scene
with a character on the floor also causes difficulty. People sitting
behind us in row B were quite happy with their view."
"A16 and A17:
"Chicago" (2000).
were great - we felt part of the action
(certainly excellent value at £27 each). Legroom OK (we are both 6
foot). It was interesting to be able to look into the orchestra pit and
we were close enough to tap the Musical Director on the shoulder (we
didn't - thought it might put him off)."
"A26:
"Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street" (March 2012), (Uni student who loves musicals).
sat here for the first half, and then B26 for the second half. My
friends who were sitting at A29 and 30 were completely blocked by the
stupid table on stage right that does absolutely nothing except make A30
a terrible seat, which is why I gave him my A25. Discounted for a
reason, A25 gives a very good view of the stage, and the actors, and for
their price, I would definitely use these seats again. The stage itself
isn't raised that high, but Sweeney's barbershop is on a raised
platform, but you can still see the all important chair so its fine. At
one point the platform actually moves to the forefront of the stage, so
you actually have to be horizontal in order to keep Sweeney in view.
[SPOILER] One moment where the front row really came into their own was
during the asylum scene, when one of the inmates actually spat at my
friends in the front row while descending the stairs under the stage.
[END SPOILER]."
" A29 and A30: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street"
(March 2012). I had the misfortune of sitting in A29 and A30 in the
stalls (in the oddly allocated day seats). Yes, they were only £25 but I
could have just bought a CD and listened to it at home for much the same
experience! What isn't obscured by the pointlessly protruding staircase
is blocked by a [insert swear word] table and chair that sit at that
side of the stage the entire show. I'd avoid the entire left side of the
theatre if you want to e.g. see Mrs Lovett in her pie shop as more than
a torso.
We moved to 23 and 24 in the interval, which just highlighted how poorly
staged this show is for the venue. The majority (probably 80%+) of the
show takes place on the back half of the stage for no real reason. I'm
not bothered by not seeing feet, but there are several points with
people lying on the stage. If I didn't know the show I'm not sure I'd
have had a clue what happened as the entire climax was out of sight.
This easily replaces the neck strain from 'Jersey Boys' as worst front
row experience. I never say this, but avoid the stalls and go up to the
circle!"
"B10: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). Being fairly short, I could
only see the action from the waist up. At the interval I moved back to a
slightly better seat."
"B20: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). I paid £35 through the GILT ticket offer (runs January to March
each year). I'm 6ft tall and felt I had satisfactory leg room. Being so
close to the stage means you have to look up resulting in a bit of a
neck ache, plus you miss the the performers feet at times. When some of
the performers are on the ground or the video images are rolling you
have to strain yourself to get a full view. The conductor only once got
in my way, but otherwise wasn't an issue. Overall, it's an OK seat for
the price I'd say, but would sit further back if I went again."
"B 22 and 23: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010) (Darren). Fantastic seats giving superb views - almost putting us in
the show, especially during the breathtaking projections. The performers
feet were often missing though. The legroom was great too. I would
consider changing these to Green."
"B24 and 25: "Love Never Dies" (2010), (Karyn). Enjoyed an excellent view of the action, although
we did get a bit of neckache towards the end. No matter, what we lacked in neck
comfort was made up for in legroom...we had LOADS!! Why do people complain of
there not being any legroom from row B back? We had plenty and we're what you'd
call short. They must be made up of Peter Crouch proportions is all I can
think!"
"B24 and 25: (Tracey) almost felt like we were on the stage - right in the
action!"
"B25 to 28: Although when I sat in these seats it was to see "Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," I would avoid sitting in these seats
for 'Love Never Dies.' One of the main features of 'Love Never Dies' is
the visual presence of the show. In order to appreciated this I would
recommend sitting further back. Row B25 to 28, although allowing you to
feel part of the action, are just too close to the stage for a
production of this scale! You would without a doubt leave the show with
a sore neck from straining to take in the full view of the staging. The
leg room in Row B is also quite uncomfortable."
"Row C: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet
Street" (March 2012). The seats are being sold at top rate but the sight lines are terrible.
SPOILER ALERT A lot of the action takes place well back on the stage and
also on the floor of the stage. Sitting in row C last night I was unable
to see what was happening – particularly at the end and also the pivotal
scene where Sweeney discovers he has killed his wife. She is dead on the
floor and he goes to pick her up and cuddle her. Frankly he could have
been cuddling an old blanket for what the audience could see. SPOILER
ENDS. I am sure that rows A and B have an even worse view. It is totally
wrong that for this production these rows are top price.
I sat in row C for Evita and the view was good but then not much was
happening down below."
"Row
C: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street"
(March 2012). We sat in stalls row C and still found the stage high. I think
its dreadful that they can charge £67.50 for rows A, B and C as you do not
get a full view of the stage. I (also) found the sound a bit soft in the
first half."
"C10: was good
for Derren Brown (July 2009).
No cricked neck - from previous comments I imagined the stage
would be about 6 feet above us, it was actually on eye level, and
there was plenty of leg-room both between knee and seat in front, and
also to stretch out lower leg. Was surprised how intimate the venue
actually was and how close the dress circle was to the stage (maybe
I'm just used to huge music arenas). "
"C10: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010) Bad set design meant I had a very poor view of the Phantom and Christine in the final
scene."
"C9 to 12. A little to the side, but a great view. None of my group had any
problem with the stage height, and we felt almost part of the action. I found
the legroom to be adequate (remembering I am well above average height!). Maybe,
had the show been a long one, I might have had trouble, but for 'Joseph' I
didn't notice."
"C 15 to 18: The view was good - big heads in front
do obscure slightly but that is the luck of the draw. Leg-room was plentiful
too. No neck ache at all and you certainly feel in with the action - sweat and
spit can be clearly seen."
"C18: a great seat with great views but alas, the seat
looked like it was in need of a good steam clean it was filthy."
"C18 and 19: "Love Never Dies" (2010), purchased through the annual www.getintolondontheatre.com offer for the bargainous price of £25!
Legroom was actually very good, and the view of the stage was
excellent."
"C22: for "Love Never Dies" (March 2010), (Linda O'Reilly). Perfect!... Plenty of leg room, which surprised me. Most of us
were happy in our seats although a couple in Row B moved at the interval
to further back. Maybe they found it loud? Not sure. I think if you were
in Row A, you could be distracted by the handsome conductor. But then
again you may not notice him - but I would go for Row C or D."
"C26, C27: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street"
(March 2012). The stage is somewhat raised making it impossible to see the
floor from rows A to C. Sweeney Todd has several scenes that use a trap
door and some pivotal action on the floor that is impossible to see from
these rows. There are also several important scenes at the back of the
stage that can’t be seen; the view of the back of the stage from seats
22+ is obscured by a large spiral staircase on the stage. Occupiers of
these seats are also occasionally blinded by stage lights from the side.
Avoid."
"C30 and 31: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). The stage is very high and for the first time ever in the
theatre I had neck ache. The stage is very high and we generally saw
from the actors knees and above. It was close enough to see the actors
every expression but that's about it, so I would highly recommend
sitting further back or ideally in the circle."
"D 8 and 9: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street" (March
2012). Had a good view but as the stage is very deep could not
quite see the back. Seats further forward in my opinion would be too
close as the stage looks quite high. When I go again I will try for Row
E or F or even Dress Circle."
"D8 and 9: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street." I thought they were great. I have never, repeat never, been
in a London theatre with so much leg room! I'm 6' 1" but could stretch
my legs right out and didn't even need to stand to let people past.
Awesome. Seat was perfectly comfortable too. It is indeed steep for some
aspects of the staging, notably when Sweeney comes right out to the
front at dress circle height, but this is no problem, I like the
innovative staging and it meant that sightlines were no problem at all
from these front stalls. We could see every aspect of the staging except
the floor surface but this is irrelevant as it isn't a relevant part of
the show. I reckon you'd also get away with D7 but anything lower than
that is basically restricted view, in my opinion. I'm very happy to
consider D8 and 9 as top price tickets."
"D10 and 11: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010), (Ali). Very good seats for seeing details of
the makeup, costumes and expressions, however, the stage is
quite high, and I think we may have missed some movement and
action further towards the back of the stage. Loads of leg room in front of the seat, but the seat
itself is one of the narrowest I have ever sat on. Oh, and take
a cardigan along - the air conditioning is quite fierce!"
"D16:
Previously I was sitting in the Dress Circle, seat A14. Last night I
was in
the stalls, D16. What a difference a seat makes, which is the
main
reason I'm writing to you now! 'Love Never Dies' is one show where it
really
does pay to sit mid-way back in the stalls or towards the front of
the Dress
Circle. I've read yours and other reviewers comments about seating
at the
Adelphi and offer some further opinions.
Good points about D16. A relatively comfortable seat with excellent
legroom.
It doesn't matter that the rake is non existent here because you
have to
look up at the stage, over peoples heads. You are also close enough
to feel
part of the action and to see the expressions on the actors' faces
and all
their little mannerisms!
Bad points about D16. The stage is high and you can't see the
actors' feet,
even though this is not a dance musical. Several pieces of the set
are quite
low down and are hidden from view which was annoying. You are often
aware of
the conductor. David Charles Abell is very animated and stands quite
high up
and I really pitied the people in row A sitting right behind him. In
fact, I
wouldn't recommend row A at all, especially as the seats are sold at
full
price. I'll go back and see the show again - just not from row D."
"D 19 to 22: "Joseph," (Celia).
"We had terrific seats,2 stalls, almost dead centre and with a clear
view of the stage. No problem in getting a booster seat for my son and despite
some rather large heads in front of him he had a really good view of the
action."
"D24 and 25: "Evita," (Richard Bradbury). Great seats, superb view most of the
time. The only faults with these seats are that some of the action on the left
is obscured and the back wall of the set is difficult to see with
the heads in front of you (nobody in front of us was particularly tall but it
was a struggle to see)."
"E15: (Victoria). I found that I had plenty of leg room and felt the air conditioning - people
further back mentioned that they were roasting. However, the seat in front of me was not at
all staggered and so I struggled to see past the head right in front of me when someone was on the floor
- and did have to crane my neck a bit to see the
balcony scenes, although I'm only 5'1."
"E18: "Love Never Dies" (February 2010). This was a very good seat, a bit narrow, but with masses of
legroom. I’m only 5’8’’ tall but I could fully stretch my legs under
the seat in front! The seats aren’t as staggered as further back in
the theatre, though. Luckily the people in row D in front of us
weren’t particularly big and so the view of the stage was almost
unobstructed. And, monkey was absolutely right, I hardly noticed the
conductor, even though it was the animated David Charles Abell! Oh,
and the two seats to my right were empty so I could spread out a
bit!
One thing that did surprise me a little was that I could almost see
the whole of the stage floor from where I was sitting, so a plus
point there! Comparing rows E and O (where I've sat previously), I
do prefer E provided there’s no-one too big in front of you, purely
due to it’s closer proximity to the stage and actors, although to
fully appreciate the projections you do need to be a few rows
further back. You pays your money and takes your choice!"
"E22: "The Rat Pack" (September 2009). In the stalls for £15! Very good seat could see everything very
well."
"Row F: "Love Never Dies," (February 2010). Great seats as you could see the whole stage. Really super show
and lots to look at on stage."
"I sat in F4 in the stalls. The view was not bad, some of the action lost on the
right hand balcony and right at the back of the stage in the arches."
"F 9 and 10: Found the Adelphi to be a cosy theatre with very
comfortable seats, especially for the smaller person. We had a good view and there was of plenty of leg room."
"F 13 to 15: "Love Never Dies," (February 2010). The view of the stage was great, legroom adequate. This was
far enough back to get the full impact of the projections, but close
enough to get the nuances of the performances. That said, due to the
shallow rake, if someone with big hair, or a continual fidgeter or (dare
I say it!!) someone exceptionally tall sits in front of you, you may
have a few viewing problems. Obviously I had no such problem! For me at
6'5" these seats were excellent!"
"F20 in the stalls: "Love Never Dies," (February 2010). Great seat, plenty of legroom, and very close to the action.
Also being bang in the middle of the row meant that there was minimal disruption
from people leaving / returning to their seats, so I’d highly recommend a seat
in this area."
"F21: "Love Never Dies" (at it's last performance in 2011). Wasn’t bad in that there was plenty of legroom, although the rake
is pretty poor at that point in the theatre. Funnily enough, I
preferred stalls C22 which I sat in at another performance. Again,
there is plenty of legroom, and because you have to look up at the
stage, you are looking over peoples heads! The downside is that you
can’t see the actors’ feet! Oh well, I suppose you can’t have
everything, but like the monkey, I prefer to be closer to the stage than
further away."
"F27 and F28: (Paul). Purchased when they were "premium" seats for "Joseph" (2008).
Can't quite see what makes them
special except the price!!! The rake was poor and a young girl of average size
sat in front and obscured some of the view to left of stage."
"Row G: The view was superb. Not too close to crane your neck but close enough to feel
part of it".
"G seats 19, 20 and 21: I am 6ft 2ins and the
legroom was terrific and I had plenty of room to stretch out. My view
was also excellent but my wife and daughter (being somewhat shorter than
me) had there view slightly obstructed by heads in the row in front, the
rake at row G being very shallow. The lack of a centre aisle meant a bit
of a trek from the side aisle over bags / coats / refreshments and other
people despite us arriving early."
"G20: "Joseph" (James in Finchley): couldn't have had a better seat in
terms of being close to the action but
not too close that you have to move your head from side to side to see the whole
stage. I had to crane my neck a
little but the person in front was particularly tall so I don't reckon it would
usually be a problem. Given the
choice I'd have probably gone a couple of rows further back just to be safe."
"G27 and 28: (Tracey) great view (especially as the row was curved) and on our
preferred side of the theatre"
"G28: "Sweeney Todd" (March 2012). I found the legroom was adequate,
I have only ever had real problems towards the back of the Adelphi
stalls , but this seat was comfortable without being generous. The back
left corner of the stage was obscured, more so for this particular
production due to the stairs that were placed near the front. I would
keep them as white as in general the view was great, but I feel for full
price you should see the whole stage uninterrupted. However, definitely
worth considering."
"G28 and 29: "Love Never Dies" - great view."
"G seats 30 to 34: (Matthew Wright). I agree with your 'value' guide to these seats as
the view was good but just too off-centre I think for full price"
"H 3 and 4: "Love
Never Dies" (2010). (James). You do miss quite a
bit of the set being at the end of the row, but the sound is great from
here. Good at a discount."
"H12: "Love Never Dies" (2010). Had so much leg room, I could spread my legs out fully (I’m 6ft) –
shame a few inches couldn’t have been added to the width of the seat as
this was very narrow."
"H12, 13, 14 and 15: "Sweeney Todd" (February 2012). We had a fantastic view, could see every part of the
stage including the floor."
"H14: "Love Never Dies" (2010). Brilliant seat. I wouldn't have gone again had it not been a
decent place to see from! I'm one who likes to be as close to the action
as possible (without affecting the view) but thought it was a perfect
distance back with an excellent view."
"H14:"Love Never Dies" (2010). The Adelphi Theatre is quite small and the seat was fairly
comfortable with a good view."
"H 22: "Love Never Dies" (2010). The seat was great and provided a great view of the stage,
however the stage is very high so I would advise people to sit from row
F back if possible. I also think that the stalls is the best place for
this show.
A word of warning though, don't sit to far to the left of the stage
(high end numbers) due to the stupid end scene! For the £40 (access
rate) I thought the seat was excellent, even if this rate is one of the
most expensive in London."
"H29 and 30 (Nicki): seats were perfect - didn't have to look up or down, close
enough to see everything. A little off to the side, but not a restricted view."
"J11: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street" (March 2012). Imagine my surprise when I could hardly hear the words in the
opening chorus because of what sounded to me like a seriously
over-amplified orchestra and under-amplified singers. I thought: ‘Oh,
I’ll get used to it.’ But this effect continued as the show progressed
to the extent that I felt Anthony was a complete washout vocally, and
Michael Ball sounded seriously overparted most of the time. Imelda
seemed to be pushing her voice through ‘The worst pies in London’
although she was better in ‘Have a little priest’. Pirelli and the judge
were OK, but Joanna’s voice sounded horrible. I was at all times
bothered by the sound of traditional instruments in a sparse, lean
orchestration (cellos, flutes, etc) seriously too loud, not blending and
overwhelming the vocal lines."
"J 13, 14, 15: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street"
(March 2012). (Nadia Ansari). The view was excellent! I love being able to see the
characters faces and being close to the action. There is barely any
staggering to the seats here so you do find yourself looking up but from
this row it is was fine. The seats are very comfortable and I didn't
find myself fidgeting as I normally do."
"J 29 and 30: "Joseph." (Gill). Gave us a good view, only part of the
staircase where the children sat was partially obscured."
"K19 and 20: "Joseph". (James, regular reader). Having sat in row G last time
I preferred being a few rows back as I could see the whole stage without
turning my head from side to side. The view was perfect (especially as
there was no-one sitting in the row in front) and the sound is great
here too."
"L 11 to 16: We all enjoyed a fine view, as well we should at £55 a pop
(for "Evita in 2006)!"
"L15 and 16: "Love Never Dies" (February 2010). These seats were fantastic! You are far enough away from
the stage to enjoy all the visual effects which are happening in the
show but near enough to not have to strain to see the performance. The
seats also offer fantastic leg room! We saw the show on a Wednesday
matinee at the end of a stay in London and as a result both of us had a
rucksack each and still felt like we had ample leg room."
"M: (Rob). Great view for me; my parents are shorter and found even the 13 year
old in front it slightly obscured their view."
"M9 and 10: Love Never Dies (version 2). (James, regular
contributor). Great view and sound from
here but lucky not to have anyone tall in front as the rake is very
shallow."
"M13 and 14: Love Never Dies (version 2). (James, regular
contributor). Good view and sound as long as you don't have someone tall
in front as it's a poor rake."
"M23 and 24: weren't great because a
rather tall men sat in front of me, so I had to lean to the side every time
anyone moved. The rake is dreadful in the Adelphi."
"M23 and 24: "Love Never Dies". (James, regular
contributor). The view is great from here as long
as you don't have someone tall
in front of you as the rake is very poor. Sound good from here too."
"M32 and 33: Love Never Dies". (James, regular contributor). These end of row seats are a little too far round to
justify top price, but a good rake and great sounds makes them fair with
a discount. My comment about the end of row M with a good rake goes
against an earlier
comment to this site about a bad rake. Maybe it's the ends of the aisles
that make it feel better, or have I suddenly
grown?!"
Reader Mark adds for the same show,
"M32: Not bad considering it's right on the edge, but if better seats
towards the centre are available take those."
"Row N: We got three seats together in the
side stalls on row N (which are red on the theatremonkey plan but I didn't find
them a problem at all) - I think any further back and you do get a restricted
view at certain points in the show".
"N19 to N24: "Joseph". (James). The view was great and the sound is really
good here. I also found legroom pretty good compared to some theatres.
The only problem was the heat - it was absolutely boiling throughout the
show."
"N29 and 30: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street"
(March 2012). (Debbi). The legroom was great and the seats were pretty comfortable
with a great view, except if there was action taking place on either of
the two upper platforms - none of the main action took place here, but
the ensemble often congregated to join in with the songs or to react to
a certain scene. I was unlucky enough to have someone who was very tall
and had a rather large head in front of me, but that was remedied in the
second half as there were seats free further down the aisle which we
moved to after the interval. These seats were on the outer edge but we
also had a great view (still in Row N)."
"O15 and 16: "Love Never Dies" (2010). Bought under the excellent 'Get Into London Theatre' event
(January to March). The seats were £35 each reduced from the full price
of £67.50. They are situated three and four in from the aisle, on the
right hand side of the auditorium, and - due to the fact that the rows
are staggered - there is no-one directly in front of you blocking the
view, although if anyone tall is sitting in front, parts of the sides of
the stage may be obscured. The seats were pretty comfortable and one
good point is that there was plenty of legroom! The view was generally
fine, although I think I would have liked to have been a couple of rows
further forward. The projections and surround sound were brilliant,
though!"
"Row O 8 and 9: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street"
(March 2012). These were fine, the seating isn't hugely racked and so
if someone sits in front of you in the stalls with a big head, hair etc
you are always going to struggle. There is a bit of action stage left
which is obscured but this doesn't detract from being able to enjoy the
production."
"O13: "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street" (March
2012). Managed to get it on deal for £37. It proved to be an absolute
bargain. Nice and central with plenty of legroom and sound was superb
from this position. This is a production that absolutely uses the full
height of the stage, but despite the dress circle overhanging at row H,
this seat seat provided a perfect view of everything that happened."
"017 and 18. (Sara Levene). The overhang of the balcony did nothing to spoil the view.
The stagger let us see well despite the absence of a rake. There was plenty of
leg room"
"P17 and 18: "One Man, Two Guvnors" (November 2011). Sight lines even from centre aisle seats in the stalls
depend on the bulk of the people in front of you. The bloke two rows
down from me effectively blotted out the band’s lead singer from the
nipple line downwards in the opening number. On the upside the seats
themselves are not completely uncomfortable and the leg room not
unreasonable."
"P30: "Love Never Dies," (February 2011). Good seat, it's just in the red on the map as towards the edges
and naturally if you were paying full price you would try and get as
central as possible. However if you got a bargain like me (£25 on an
offer) then there is nothing wrong with the seats. Being towards the
edges makes no real difference to viewing 'Love Never Dies;' it doesn't
obstruct anything or cause you to miss anything. It is not a
particularly wide theatre, so if you get a seat towards the edges for a
bargain price... go for it. Leg room is excellent, I am 6ft 4 and can
tell you it is some of the best leg room you will ever get. Row P is
quite a good distance back to view the show, you can see the whole stage
easily without being too far away - and the rake is better to the middle
and rear of the stalls."
"Row S: (Michael). Yep the circle above does cut off the top of the stage
but you still didn't miss anything. I'm 6ft 3 and its the best legroom
I've had in a theatre."
"S 16: "Love Never Dies" (February 2010). (Mark). Got this seat from TKTS as part of the 30th Anniversary
Celebrations, and because I was one of the first 30 in the queue, I got
it for free! How they can charge top price is beyond me, it was a good
seat, but to see those up close facial expressions you would need to be
closer. Third row dress circle was better. Definitely go for further
forward in the stalls at top price. I'd also avoid the seats for £62.50
in the back couple of rows, it would be worth the extra £5 to sit closer
to the front."
"S25: "Love Never Dies" (February 2010). (Mark). Good seat, but would definitely want to be further forward at top
price."
"S26: "Love Never Dies" (February 2010). (Mark). Too far back, preferred row M, even though this was more central."
"Row T 21 to 24. (J.D.). The view was excellent...
(you can't
account for big heads though)."
Row U 17 and 18: "Joseph" (2006). The tallest member of my group at 6'4" had asked for an aisle seat
which was very unfortunate for him as I had to allocate him U17 and 18.
If only he hadn't asked, any other seat back to row T would have have
given him plenty of leg room. There is at least a foot difference in leg
room between row T and U, at least for those seats that are immediately
in front of the mixing desk. He literally could not sit with the seat
down and had to perch on it in the upright position. The row does widen
in the lower numbers past the mixing desk but it really is bad for those
6 to 8 seats that are immediately in front of the mixing desk. Even
fairly short members of my group sitting near him had their knees
crammed against the seat in front."
"V32 and 33: "Joseph." (Tracey). Might have been a problem if we had taller people in front, but we
were lucky and only down side is that you don't get to see the 'uplifting' part
of the encore"
"W 28 and 29: Sweeney Todd" (March 2012). It was basically OK - there was no-one in front of us -
but it wasn't till a few minutes in that I realised the chorus were
actually on the metal steps and scaffolding at the top... because we
couldn't see them! That didn't matter much but when the barber shop
staging came right forward at one stage, it completely cut off seeing
Michael Ball's head! Fortunately, that was for a very brief time but if
we had paid £55 each instead of £55 for two I think I should have been
most annoyed!"
DRESS CIRCLE
Layout:
The Upper Circle overhangs the Dress Circle at row C. Those in rows N
back may miss action at the front and top of the stage.
Central seats face the stage. The first and last ten in each row are
turned in toward the centre to enhance their view. This is disconcerting,
especially in the last seat; since the angle gives both a view of the stage and fellow
Dress Circle audience members equally! As a reader points out, this an
exaggeration - the angle isn't that severe, but the seats don't face the stage
"front on" as the rest do.
Rows E, H, K and L seats 12 and 13 and 24
and 25 have spaces between them to allow the row to "turn the corner."
The centre aisle seats in rows G, J, L and N have only short, flat,
padded row-enders (like extra-wide arm-rests) in front. No extra
legroom, but no head to look over either.
Row A seats 6 and 7 are tucked at an awkward angle into
a corner beside the boxes, so you lean around them to see the stage. Row A 33
also has a bit of a "peering" issue, and is cheaper because of it.
Row P has been grafted onto two plinths at the back of the Dress Circle,
in the curved gap between the row in front and the rail behind.
The circle rake is fairly shallow - the steps between rows are not that
high except in row P. Reader Gary feels it perfectly adequate though. On the other
hand, reader Siobhan feels,
"Do not pay full price for the dress circle (have noticed the monkey has
marked the whole seats RED there)
because the person's head in front of you blocks the view and you have to
lean either side of the head in front to see, despite being close to the
action."
Legroom:
Choose with care, tall folk! Legroom in the front rows of the circle is abysmal - worst in
central rows B and C, slightly
better from D back - 6ft persons found D and L tolerable, for example. Theatremonkey has his knees in his
ears in row C and evacuated its knees from K before damage was done. Legroom
declines the further towards the centre of each block you go - more in
the first 6 seats, then less as you reach the "turn" around seats 11,
12, 24 and 25, then a tad more again towards the centre aisle.
The "high numbers" side has a trifle more legroom at the ends of the row
than the "low numbers" - C28 to 25 and D 25 to 28 having more still. B5 has
nothing in front, C4 has nothing but an open rail, C35 is on the end of a
row which sweeps back to provide legroom and K4 and J4 have a tiny bit more
space for one leg.
Row G "high numbers" side may suit those under 5ft 5 or so in
particular.
P 3 and 4 have a tad more legroom (P3 in particular) and space the
other side to put stuff. Otherwise, tall people in particular - and
rally anyone over 5ft 5 or so should choose the Stalls instead or find a
great physiotherapist for afterwards. Choosing Seats in General:
Few seats are recommended here due to poor legroom wiping out the benefit of the
quite adequate views from the centre seats of rows B and C. Believe the monkey, you will
not notice the stage as you squirm for comfort even if only 5ft 7 or so and thus
many get a "red" rating due to comfort. Though
seats at the ends of rows have a little more legroom, many are rated "red" on
the basis of view. So, choosing is difficult.
Row A seats 6, 7 and 33 have "peering"
issues, and only A33 is usually cheaper because of it. If it had legroom, the monkey might be more
interested. The short might enjoy them, though.
Central rows B and C are often "premium" priced, notes the monkey. The view is fine, but legroom lovers
should always take stalls.
From some research on a visit in 2012, the monkey found that C28 to 35
and D 25 to 28 have legroom that a 6ft person might be able to cope with -
around 2 inches. The reason is because the row in front is bolted to the
floor in such a way as to leave an extra gap for those in the row behind.
C35 also is set back on a curve, giving even more space. Thus it would pick
these first.
At top price, those up to around 5ft 7 or so will also be fairly happy
with central row E 13 to 24 and the inner aisle seat from row F to M (G and
H 18 excluded) - not too bad either for view or comfort. After that, the
outermost 4 or 5 seats in rows E to O are acceptable for comfort if not view
(outermost seats often miss edge of stage action).
At second price, row M back are fairly priced. The outermost 7 seats in
rows M and O are particularly a decent trade off of comfort with view,
losing the top and front of the stage. Compared with rear stalls at the same
price, the monkey would take these for view - less risk of a lot of heads
blocking views severely, but stalls for comfort.
At "Love Never Dies," a reader said,
"We sat towards the back of the Dress Circle and the view from here was
superb! Even faces were clear to make out and the overall production was
stunning!"
At third price, row P plinths... well... P31 is cramped and you will see very little from this eyrie.
The
overhang of the circle above cuts the top of the stage, and the sweep of
the circle with seated folk in front cut the front of the stage off too.
P 3 and 4 offer "fair value"
for the most broadminded, it feels. Those wider seats, privacy, tad of
legroom and storage space, and the plinth
giving a real rise over other seats made them worth a nibble, it felt.
Be aware that with anyone tall / leaning forward in front you
will miss as good an amount as P31, though. NOT a wholehearted recommendation,
but as a fallback position for those not able to tolerate seats
elsewhere, it worked for the monkey when it moved itself into it from
the squash that is K10.
General Hazard Notes:
Legroom in most seats.
Narrow seats (except P3 and 4).
Shallow rake between seats.
One report notes the sound is better in
the rear corners of the circle than the front central area at some productions.
Changes for the current production:
Central rows B to E are "premium" seats. The view is fine, but legroom lovers
might prefer stalls. The aisle seats in row E have the most of the
little going.
Row N back is reasonably priced, take outermost seats for most legroom.
Do be aware that there are
projected images - two fairly important to the plot - that may not be
entirely visible from around row N back. The discount allows for this,
and it won't spoil your evening, but the monkey feels it worth knowing.
Reader Comments:
"A13: (Mark Lane). As
I'm only
5'6 this caused me no problem at all and the view was great."
"A13 and 14: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). The view
was
fantastic with no safety bars or lighting rigs to spoil the scene.
The seat
wasn’t very comfortable, though, and legroom was pretty poor even
for
someone of my average height."
"A 15: The view was spectacular and as the circle was very
close to the stage I felt very much a part of the show."
"A17 and 18: "Sweeney Todd" (March 2012), (Chris B). I would strongly suggest these are the best seats in the
house. Right in the centre of the front row of the dress circle, they
have good legroom and the view is outstanding. You really feel part of
the show and quite a bit is raised up on the stage so you are on eye
level with the actors. Having sat in the stalls and upper circle, I
would say these seats are by far the best."
"A33: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). A restricted view on the left but being in the front row rather
made up for that and, as there was nobody in any of the end seats behind
me all the way to the back of the Dress Circle, I could safely lean well
forward with no fear that I was blocking anybody's view. I also had
extra room either side of me - which helps with long legs - so I was
happy with the seat at the price." "Row B: "One Man, Two Guvnors"
(November 2011). (Gail). Premium centre seats. The
whole play was spoiled by the seating. My husband, who is 6ft 2ins,
could not sit with his knees together as there was not enough room, so
he spent the entire performance with his legs splayed, his right knee
forced against the binocular fitment. Even my daughter's knees - she is
5ft 7ins - touched the seat in front. I did not suffer particularly with
the lack of legroom, although I was conscious that it was a bit snug,
but the same cannot be said for my view of the stage. The seats in Row B
are directly behind their counterparts in Row A, with no discernible
rake, so the head of the lady in front of me completely obscured my view
at all times. We all had the same problem and spent the entire
performance moving from left to right in an attempt to see the action
through the gap between the heads in front. This is appalling, and how
they have the gall to charge a premium for such seats is beyond me. It's
a very funny play, but it's difficult to enjoy something when you are
physically uncomfortable and feel you have been ripped off to boot."
"B19 and 20: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). (Paul Nicholls). Excellent view. Rather cramped but not a
problem as I'm not very tall!"
"B33 and G34: "Joseph," (December 2008). (Tracey). restricted view seats which we thought great value for money (we
are both short and had a perfectly acceptable view - only missing the action
from the very far left of the stage which was mainly the interaction with the
children's choir)."
"Row C: (Stuart). I sat in the Dress Circle about 3 rows back. The seats were appalling - very cramped and uncomfortable. The theatre was stiflingly hot. I had decided to leave at the interval, but was persuaded to stay and managed to get an aisle seat which had a bit more room. Noticed that there were several empty seats which had previously been filled.
Complained by letter to the theatre - reply said ' Thanks for comment - shall pass them on..''
"C 26 to 31: (Claire Crome). These were good seats (a
little cramped, if you are taller than 5”6), but allowed you to see the whole
stage very well."
"C28: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). Bought at a £40 discount. I can't see why this would be red as I
didn't have any restriction and legroom was absolutely fine (I'm 6ft 2).
Sitting here was so much better than the upper circle. I could actually
see their faces!"
"C31, C32, C33: (Lizzie). Seats were absolutely fine. My
husband is well over 6 foot tall - and he didn't find the leg room a
problem for the duration of the show. And my daughter is quite little,
even with a booster seat - and she could see well." "D4 and 5:
(Rich). are excellent value for money. They are designated restricted
view but all that you miss is the children's choir on one side for
Joseph (December 2008). Otherwise the view is great - book them!"
"D11 and 12: Actually not as bad as expected due to the almost total
negative reviews about this section on the monkey's website. Yes the
rake is not brilliant but my view was fine and found the seat very
comfortable, I've certainly sat in a lot worse."
"D15 and 16: superb, albeit that it was a bit tight on my knees."
"D19 and D20 (Paul). Were good and comfortable for each half. I have had much, much worse seating in other
theatres".
"D26: "Evita" (Gary). I had been very nervous about it after
reading site comments as I am 6'2" tall, a fidget at the best of times and
generally opt for an aisle seat. When I arrived at my seat, I really couldn't
understand what the problem was, the leg room was very reasonable for a London
Theatre, I've sat in far worse over the years. My knees brushed the seat in
front slightly but certainly didn't press into it and the seat itself was well
padded so I didn't get "dead legs". My only criticism was the seat width, it did
feel a tad narrow but, again, I've sat in far worse in theatres and on planes.
It may be a squeeze for the obese, but most people would find it acceptable.
The view was excellent, I could see all the action on the stage perfectly."
"D 29 to 32: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). The seats were
slightly on the side but this didn't affect the view at all - all parts of the
stage were visible and legroom was fine."
"E13 and 14: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). Having read the comments on the site about the poor leg
room in the dress circle and being tall I was pleasantly surprised to
find there was no problem regarding that at all in these seats. There
did not appear to be any problem either in the seats in the immediate
vicinity."
"E27 to 32: "Love Never Dies" (March 2010). (Lizzie). Good view – little tight on the
leg room and a bit hot too but nonetheless great seats and probably just
as good a being in the stalls – especially at the end – not to give
anything away!" "F 7 and 8: I must say I was actually quite happy with these
seats. They are certainly not anything special but you get a very good
view of the whole stage, allowing for a good overview on the production.
And the leg room was much better than I experienced in the stalls at the
Aldwych Theatre." "F 18 and19: "Love Never Dies" (March
2010). (Ben Grower). These were perfect. Good view, enough leg room and
not too hot in theatre during show." "F23: (Mark). Nice for a good over-all view of the stage for 'Love Never Dies,'
but prefer the stalls for this show." "Row G 6, 7, 29 to 31: Sat
here twice now (for "Joseph" in July 2007), once in
seats 6 and 7, the second time seats 29 to 31. Both gave a great view of all the
stage. I notice lots of people complain about leg room but I found there was
plenty (I'm 5'6"). Have to agree with the grumble that if someone taller is in
front you need to lean to the side to see though." "G 23 to 26: (Sharon).
The view was fine. As we are all on
the short side the lack of leg-room didn't bother us, but I could see others in
our row squirming to get comfortable at times." "K31 and 32: "Love
Never Dies" (March 2010). (Mark Lane). Got at TKTS for £48 each instead of £67.50. As a rule I
generally go for stalls in the Adelphi, and have seen many shows from
there. I have only sat in the dress circle twice before, and always a
lot nearer the front and from a more central position as well, so I was
a bit apprehensive about the seats we had. All I will say is I would
have been happy if I'd paid full price for the same seats. The view was
fantastic especially of the projections, and the sound was fine. From
these seats you still feel surprisingly close to the stage. I agree with
the monkey that the rake is not great in this circle, it's certainly not
like being in the Prince of Wales circle where even row C is pretty
vertigo inducing. The only negative I could find is that the seats seem
pretty low down, and although the legroom appears good it can be a bit
uncomfortable - and I'm only 5ft 6." "L 25 to 29: (Gail). Plenty of leg room ( I am 6ft tall). Viewing only restricted when Evita and Peron sang sat on floor (once). Would recommend that the more
vertically challenged sat nearer the front." "N 6 and 7: "Love Never
Dies" (February 2010). (James, regular contributor). It sounds a long way back in the circle but I was very
impressed with the view and the sound from here. Admittedly I had no-one
directly in front of me and can see how with a shallow rake, even
someone short in front might have been a problem. At top price, a little
steep perhaps, but would definitely recommend if they're discounted at
all."
Dress Circle Boxes
Layout:
Two on each side of the theatre, about half way between the stage and
the Dress Circle.
Boxes seat 4 people.
Legroom:
Good, as all have movable chairs.
Choosing Seats in General:
The position of boxes C and D make viewing the rear of the stage
difficult. Box C has a slightly better view, but not much. If you are happy
to miss action at the side of the stage is missed, these are adequate,
otherwise have a look at same priced stalls.
General Hazard Notes:
Loudspeakers for the whole theatre can be placed in any box.
Changes for the current production:
Boxes A and D are not sold due to speaker installations.
B and C are
second price and may be worth a glance if willing to lose a bit of view, it
feels. Actually, not bad at all considering the other seats at the same
price elsewhere in the dress circle - you'll see more of the front of the
stage, and have a little comfort too. Do be aware that there are lights and
their supporting poles hung between the front of these boxes and the
stage to peer around. There are also TV sets hung below each box... you
will be looked at... and the brackets are present for those wanting to
lean on the wall.
The monkey observed somebody in box B standing to see the stage fully
at one point.
Reader Comments:
"Box C seat 1: (Daryl). I am a avid box user and find that many get "bad press", I have seen many shows
from them and few of them impair the enjoyment of a show and "cut off" much of
the stage as said. Recently I sat in Box C seat 1 for the final performance of Evita on the 26th May. Seeing the show previously I had to see it one final time
before it closed. This box provided a very good view at 3rd price and none of
the show was missed (yet if in Box B opposite - Peron's Mistress's song "another
suitcase in another hall" would have been quite difficult to see). Overall I was
highly pleased with the view the legroom (as well as having a box to myself :) )
and the sound quality. I think this will have some use in the those booking for
Joseph and I personally will be experiencing that show in the same seat."
"Box C: Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street" (March
2012). Very comfy, pretty good view of the stage too. There was just a
little of the gantry that we couldn't see, but excellent views for this
production."
UPPER CIRCLE
Layout:
Very high above the dress circle.
The circle is split into front and rear sections by an aisle in front of
row J.
The front section is a continuous block of seats.
In the rear section Row J seats 2 to 37 are on a gangway that divides
the front and rear sections.
Stairwells cut the section into 3 blocks. Row N seats
11 and 23 have stairs in front.
Row A seats 3, 4, 33 and 34 are restricted view seats at the edge of
the theatre, and are not often sold.
A reader elaborates,
"A3/4/33/34: they’re not there any more on
account of a followspot on both sides. One of the two seats does
survive on each side but the followspot operator was sitting in it
while “off duty”. Very unlikely they would be able to sell that seat
to anyone unless it comes with a hard hat for when the followspot
swings round!"
Legroom:
Cramped in almost all seats, best in row J, row N seats 9 to 11 and 23
to 25 and also row D3.
Choosing Seats in General:
Front Section:
Rows D to F seats 10 to 30 offer the best view and
value, combining a central position with the least disruption from the front
circle bar. These seats feel a medium distance from the stage and the open
theatre design makes them feel closer to it than the higher priced rear stalls.
Seats at the ends of rows A to E suffer a slight loss of the edge of the
stage, due to the angled nature of the theatre design. Row A used to be
discounted due to legroom and view... since they took out a rail, it isn't any
more.
Reader feedback has lead the monkey to raise the rating in A 12 to 25 to
"white" considering price and view - comfort for the tallest should be taken
into account, however. The monkey would skip A ends unless you are happy to take the
trade off, and also avoid row B 10 to 28 behind as, potentially,
those in row A choosing to lean forwards would block your view.
Besides these, the monkey felt that B 6, 7, 32 and 33, C 6 to 8, D 4 to 6, E 3 to 5 and
rows C to E 32 to 34 the most problematic. The angle to the stage / leaners won't spoil your enjoyment much,
but it just felt it worth noting there's better seats at the same price - hence the "red" rating.
On the plus side,
some other nearby seats are usually discounted to allow for the problems - fair value here,
thinks the monkey... When pricing has end pairs from B to F at a lower price -
fair value, feels the monkey, who might select these if it felt like being
closer to the front than usual. Row B seat 5 and 34 and row D seat 3 usually
place above the rest. People on a tight budget might consider
these over row J and K restricted view seats. Other restricted view seats in the
section - C to F seat 35 also otherwise prove good hunting for some willing to miss
about an eighth off the side of the stage. Take F then E, D, C, B, and the
seats closest to the full price ones first, if choosing and not requiring an
aisle seat.
Moving back, the rest of the central block offered just about fair value in
the monkey book - though horribly expensive in real money terms, of course.
Rear Section:
The centre of row K, seats 13 to 22, offer a little extra legroom and an
uninterrupted view of the stage without the back of a persons' head directly
in front - though there is a rail...
Row M seats 8, 9, 25, 26 and 27 are behind a wall of bars above a stairwell. Taller
people get the best view here, but poor legroom. Avoid unless long of body or
addicted to dropping things on the heads of stairwell users in the dark.
Of the rest of the rear section pick rows K to M seats 14 to 20 first for the
most central view. With all seats in the rear section at a single price (low, as
you will again miss a lot of front stage action), any further back isn't worth
it unless the legroom of N9 to 11 and 23 to 25 tempts you.
Among the very cheapest seats row N varies in price depending on whether
stairwell rails are in view. These cheapest seats are worth taking, despite
the rail, over the
seats in row O - with N9 at first pick for a bit of extra leg space.
Row O is a last resort, tucked at the rear of the theatre,
but it is among the cheapest seating in the venue.
Go for seats 4 to 7 first. Seats 37 to 39 could have offered an opportunity for a little back seat romance,
if they had restricted it to only two seats. Perhaps that is why they didn't.
General Hazard Notes:
There is a rail behind row H. Decide if you can tolerate this before buying
row J or K - side block seats in particular. The rail lines up with the stage about a fifth of the way back, and some
of the "uprights" holding it in place are also a nuisance for many.
A
further rail in front of row K seats 12 to 22.
Seats in the rear section are older and narrower than those in the front block.
Light leaking into the view from row K from an Exit sign and if curtains
are left open by the doors.
Row D seat 3: the floor slopes sideways here.
Warm in the front section, cold in the back rows, notes one reader.
Monkey would be interested to hear from
any passing physicist who can explain the heat phenomenon...
Changes for the current production:
Limited restricted view seats mean you sit further to the end of the row
for the money.
Row E drops a price over row D in front. Same, if not superior view for
less money.
Row M has extra seats in this row cheaper. M6
and 7 may be worth looking at if bars nearby aren't an issue for the fussy -
M6 has fewer of these to contend with.
Row N is fairly priced, with N9 having a bit of legroom too.
Reader Comments:
"A9: "Love Never Dies." Thought
the view was brilliant for the cheaper price. Pretty sure I did not
miss anything. Yeah legroom is tight on account of the wall in front
but I’ve sat in far far worse (I’m 6ft by the way), here I still had
about 6” in front of my knees. Worth a note to definitely avoid A10
and A11 (and I imagine the corresponding on the other side) because
these two angle awkwardly towards each other far more than is
normally acceptable (so one seat’s limited legroom basically
projects over the other one’s). All other seats in the front row
don’t have this problem, just the pair where the bend in the balcony
front wall is."
"A 11 to 15: "Love Never Dies." (Mike). View was fantastic. No obstruction or need to lean forward,
the action was always in the middle of the stage. I would definitely
recommend these seats for the price."
"A15 and 16: "Love Never Dies." What a great view, although we can see why the theatre
charges a lower price for row A. When sitting back in your seats you
can't see the front few feet of the stage. Some action does occur in
this area and often the actors' legs are "cut-off" by the front of the
balcony. Also, in the final scene you can't
see one actor for a time. Despite this, and the fact that personally I feel you are
just a
little too far away from the action, I would certainly recommend
these seats. Being some distance from the stage does allow you to take
in the
superb sets, special effects and video projections, many of which
are quite
awe inspiring. My immediate neighbours were pretty impressed judging
from
the oohs and aahs coming from them! At £37.50 they're a bargain and
I would
certainly sit in them again! Legroom was poor, but because I was
riveted by
the show I just forgot about my legs!
One interesting point to note about the Upper Circle is the
temperature
variance. Perhaps surprisingly it was warmer at the front of the
circle
than the rear. In fact, standing by the exit doors at the back wall,
it was
positively chilly! So much for the physics that teaches you that
heat
rises!"
"A 15 and 16: Moved from Row K to Row H in the Upper Circle. We were happy with this,
but when we saw that a few seats in the front row of the Upper circle
were empty, we decided to move during the interval. We were sat in Row A
seats 15 and 16 and the view was amazing. Only the very edge of the
stage was obscured and it didn't affect us in any way. We were
especially pleased during the finale that we had moved seats. The seats
were slightly cramped, as others have said, but it didn't affect either
me or my Mum as we are both under 5' 6"."
"A 16 and 17: "The Bodyguard" (December 2012), Matt & Win. Good seats
but overpriced for this mediocre show."
"Row B: "Joseph." Comfortable seats and a great view
(although very tight leg room for anyone like me at over 6 feet) and to be eye to
eye with Lee as he rose from the stage was just great"
"B15 to 18: (Rochelle). I had my doubts about being in the Upper Circle after
reading some reviews but we couldn't have asked for more for the amount
we paid! (Discount used).
You couldn't see the very front of the stage unless you leant forward
but you don't miss much of the action as most of it goes on further
back. Otherwise we had a great view - especially of Lewis at the end
when he rose up on a platform (much to my friend's delight!). The people
in front of us leant forward most of the time but a few minutes into the
show, we didn't notice them and they didn't really get in the way. I
didn't feel that there was bad legroom (and my legs are too long for my
own good!) but, to be honest, I was concentrating more on the show."
"B29 and 30: "Sweeney Todd" (March 2012). Upper Circle (why on earth there is such a high wall at The
Adelphi I’ll never know – ridiculous! You could put barbed wire along
the front and barricade yourself in up there!) View was excellent as
people in front didn’t lean forward – though I did use the binoculars to
see if I could figure out how they did the throat cutting!! Just
interested in the stage craft ‘tis all – I don’t run a pie shop… I felt
there was a good rake at the front, Row A seemed low enough to look over
heads in front. £36.50 didn’t seem too greedy for a seat compared with
other Upper Circle ticket prices I’ve previously paid… but perhaps just
the lower side of £35 might have been a fairer price.
Dress Circle probably best for this show – a lot happens upstairs,
centre stage, in the Barber Shop and I can imagine that neck-craning
might be an issue for sitting in the stalls..!"
"C12: (James). Felt very far away and people in front kept leaning forward
to see which obscured my view too. Didn’t seem great value for money."
"C36: "Joseph". I didn't feel too far from the
action at all, but my view of about a third of the stage on that side was
obscured, partly by people in front and those on the side leaning forward. This
seat is definitely worth avoiding if you want to see 'Close Every Door,' as I
was only able to see the last couple of lines, when the action moved closer to
the centre of the stage."
"Row D: "One Man, Two Guvnors" (November 2011). (Sophie W). £16 a ticket, and we had a perfect view of everything apart from
about 3 minutes when the action was around the first couple of rows of
the Stalls, but this didn’t detract from the show. In fact I think they
could have charged a lot more for these seats, and as such they are a
bargain."
"D18 and D19: Sweeney Todd" (February 2012). Offered a pretty reasonable view of the stage. Only the
very front of the stage wasn't visible but this didn't matter as none of
the action took place there so we didn't miss a single moment."
"D 22 and 23: "Love Never Dies" (February 2010). (Stephen). My friend was affected by the rake and had to hold the
rail tightly while walking very gingerly to his seat. At 5ft 8 and 5ft 6
we are not tall, neither are we overweight, but the seats were very
cramped. My friend's view was spoiled a bit by the leaners, but I was
fortunate in that my view wasn't too bad. At £47.50 each these seats
were not good value at all. At those prices, and very cramped seats, I
won't be returning."
"F33 and 34: Both my friend and I were happy with these seats
and we found them comfortable with plenty of leg room space, and I am
5ft 7 and my friend is taller than me. View is perfect. The price is
definitely worth it!"
"G16 and G17: "Love Never Dies" (February 2010). (Mrs Thomas). Priced at £47 each - which we found a bit on the high side
considering where they were. Our view was OK but not recommended if your
sight is a little weak, as you can't see the Phantom's makeup. Most
people kept still throughout the performance until the end scene when
most of the performers were at the very front of the stage and most
people lent forward."
"Row H: "Sweeney Todd" (February 2012). (Taljaard, regular
contributor). I bought a £20 ticket about 50 minutes before curtain up and was
given tickets with a face value of £38.50 in row H of the Upper Circle.
Apart from a few heads being cut off, excuse the pun, when actors are in
the gantry the view was fantastic."
"H5: "Love Never Dies" (February 2010). The view was great, there is
nothing that happens above the stage so the overhang for people downstairs
should have been no problem. The leg room was fine for me and I am over six
foot. There is nothing major that happens at either corner of the stage so
there should be little restriction in the Dress Circle "restricted view"
seats."
"H17 and 18: "Sweeney Todd" (February 2012). We paid £22.12 per ticket through an online promotion. At
6ft tall I thought the legroom was a bit tight but just about bearable.
The seats were perfectly staggered with the row in front and apart from
when those people leaned forward we had a fantastic view of the entire
floor of the stage. However, we couldn't see the top halves of actors
standing further back on the raised platforms but this wasn't really
much of an issue to be honest at this price."
"Row K: (Kyrsty Mewett). I was sitting high up - row K in the Upper Circle, and though I didn't miss much from that position, I felt as though I was outside the action, and the actors were all performing to the lower levels, which is in complete contrast to other shows such as
" Saturday Night Fever" and " Les Mis". Also, the fire exit sign was really bright, and the curtains leading out of the auditorium were left open."
"Row K: "Sweeney Todd" (February 2012). An uninterrupted view of the stage (apart from the very top and
very front) but I was glad there were binoculars available!"
"K 3 and 4: A distant but clear view of the stage. Row J sits directly
onto the aisle / corridor behind the front block of Upper Circle seats
and there is a rail which I would think restricts the view from these
seats. It didn't obscure our view in K even when we were sitting back."
"K7: End of row, with bar by left side - but only comfort intrusive rather than
view which was good."
"K18: Not a bad seat! Probably the best of the cheaper seats at the back
of the upper circle as there is nobody directly in front of you. The
only thing bad is that it is a distant view. Still with the binoculars
you can get a nice view of the facial expressions, which I used during
some of the more intimate moments."
"K21: I am 5ft 6" and the rail was in my eye line in row K seat 21, the only way to see properly
was to lean forward. The rail cuts through the legs of the performers. I would
totally agree with your readers comment ' felt I was outside the action".
"M23: "Joseph." Had to lean forward but that's only
because I had someone rather tall in front of me and I didn't want to miss a
moment of Lee!!"
"N18: (James). right at the back of the Upper Circle. For the money, the
seat was very good value. Worth noting that they also stick Lee (in
"Joseph") on a platform and raise him up near the end so the people
above the stalls get to see him closer up which is a nice touch seeing
as many people will go to see it for him only."
"N24 and 25: "Joseph." (Tracey). had a safety rail in front of us which did not impede our view -
we were far away from the stage but dead centre, so did not miss any action,
nothing to block your view but stairs are steep and probably not good if you
suffer from vertigo!"
"N25 and 26. (Pip). For a (almost) back row, the price is cheap and that is
good. You can still see everything and in great detail. Not like some
shows where the back row is dreadful. You can hear everything clearly
too. The stairwell is by these seats and legroom is good. Seats are
comfortable BUT do not have arms and I kept getting annoyed at that as I
like to rest them when I sit. The rail in front did not ruin either
seats view."
Row O: (Peter Kirby). We were in the back row of the Upper Circle for "Evita" (2006) and the only criticism is that
"Don't Cry For Me" started too far upstage. The bonus was that we could see all
the superb chorography patterns which you would not see from the stalls."
Row O (Christina Brooks):
"Make sure you do not sit in the circle at the back - very poor and not
worth compromising a good show."
"O 5 to 7. "Joseph." Until a tall big man sat in
front of us the seats were amazing value for money, however with a large person
in front of you they're not worth seeing the show for. We sat in seats 7 and 6
and stood at seat number 5 and swapped between us throughout the show to make it
fair. Would have been great value for money if it wasn't for the restriction
from the large person in front. The theatre did also not offer booster seats for
anyone in the Upper Circle at the time (does now - editor)."
"O 37 to 39: These tickets are so high and far from
the action as to be not worth doing, even when using opera glasses! The height
made 2 of us feel extremely queasy for most of the show as your eye has to keep
adjusting between looking at the ceiling (which we were perilously close to) and
the stage miles below. Everyone seemed to have a big head which blocked the
stage and we spent the whole performance craning our necks and moving from side
to side for better views. The actors never included us in their gaze and it all
became a bit boring... I am surprised the seating hasn't had a revamp as its not
worth sitting in the last half of the Upper Circle at all as views are
terrible."
Notes
Total 1500 seats.
Air-cooled auditorium. Not as effective as proper air conditioning, so be
prepared for a hot and uncomfortable time in the height of summer, alas. To
minimise the effects, seating in the front stalls is normally coolest as heat
rises - and is also trapped in Circle overhangs. Just a bit of advice from
someone in the theatre industry who has a grasp of physics...
Reader Victoria noticed that in June 2006 she was fine in Stalls E 15, and
could feel the cool air, but people further back "mentioned that they were
roasting." The better news is that by July, reader Gary
reports that,
"I found the bar area a bit stuffy, but that was in the middle of a heat wave
(the London papers actually reported it as a "5 day heat wave") and the theatre
had an almost full house. The auditorium (row D, Dress Circle) was at a
perfectly comfortable temperature and I think, perhaps, air conditioned."
Another reader says,
"It was so hot in this theatre last Thursday matinee (24 May 2007) that my
husband and I had to leave at interval - hugely disappointing but he was just
not feeling at all well in the atmosphere. My advice is to avoid this theatre
during summer matinees - perhaps all summer?"
The theatre is air-cooled still, but more effective in some parts of the theatre than
others, according to the venue.
Food: Ice Cream and confectionery available.
Four bars. Side and rear stalls, Dress Circle and Grand Circle. One reader
notes that if seated in Stalls row AA:
"The front row seats give you easy access to the bar at the front of the theatre on the left, which was little used at the interval, and much more civilised than getting crushed in the main
bars."
Infrared loop for the deaf. Headsets can be rented for this. Some signed and
audio described performances. Guide dogs can be dog-sat. Wheelchair spaces in
stalls with a restricted view. Wheelchairs also have their own slope up from the
street to the foyer, with automatic doors at the top to allow the user inside
easily - and a low box office counter for chair users is also available. Fuller details
0844 412 4648. www.theatre-access.co.uk.
or Artsline on 020 7388 2227, e-mail artsline@dircon.co.uk.
A "venue access guide" from the team who created book "Theatremonkey: A Guide to London's West End ," is available to download in PDF format
by clicking here.
10 toilets in all; Side Stalls bar 1 Gents cubicle 5 ladies cubicles, Rear
stalls bar 1 Gents cubicle. Ground floor foyer 3 Ladies cubicles and a disabled
unit, Dress Circle bar 1 Gents cubicle 6 Ladies cubicles, Grand Circle 1 Gents
cubicle 6 Ladies cubicles in 2 restrooms.
In January 2012 a reader noted, "Despite its paint job the Adelphi
has something down at heel about it. (And the loos are an aberration –
all two working cubicles of them.)" Another, in May 2012 felt,
"Only down side of the whole (theatregoing) experience was the Ladies
toilets, which left a lot to be desired."
This theatre is haunted by the ghost of Mr. William Terriss, an actor
tragically murdered in 1897. The gentleman also haunts Covent Garden underground
station.
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