STALLS
Layout:
A single block of seats faces the stage.
The Dress Circle overhangs the stalls at row K.
The rake
(sloped floor to help see over rows in front) is noticeable from around row D back to row O.
Legroom:
Good in rows AA (when used) to Q, except row BB (limited for those over
5ft 10 or so, unless the row
in front is removed notes Tim, a regular monkey reader). Other 6ft
readers were happy in the row, though.
Adequate in R and S. Row U has less - those over 5ft 11 or so may feel
cramped.
Best legroom in AA 1 to 10, B1, 12, C 1, 2, 3, 16, 17, D 1, 2, 19, E 1,
H1 and 21
all of which have no seats in front.
D19 is 50% clear.
C15 and Q2 have 9/10ths of the seat with nothing in front, T1 about
5/8ths clear, E21 around 20% and A1 about 1/10th for those who are happy to peer a bit.
Choosing seats in general:
The monkey has always enjoyed the atmosphere of rows AA to C for
proximity to the stage. The enclosing walls create a very intimate
atmosphere at the front of this theatre.
The good news is that, given a high stage, row AA is often sold cheaply
to those willing to accept neck ache.
Behind it, at top price, rows BB and A may be out for many whose health
cover does not run to physiotherapy.
The positions of the boxes at the front of this theatre mean that the
first and last two seats of rows C to F face walls rather than the
stage. These seats (plus occasionally extra ones behind them as far back
as row H) are usually a bargain when sold at restricted view prices for
those accepting a little wall with their play. The monkey prefers them
over “clear view” more expensive seats in row R back, anyway.
Take the seat one in from the aisle first in all cases - D2, 19, E2, 20,
F2 and H2 and 20 etc, and work forward from row H to D in that order.
The outermost seats lose around an eighth of the stage nearest to them,
the seat further in about a tenth.
If any of these seats are sold at top price, just enquire if the wall
has been demolished - the reply will be negative - and insist on central
seats.
The rest of the stalls to row O are comfortable with a good rake,
offering at least average value for money.
The monkey picks rows F to H as prime value, but would be wary of rows
J, K, M and N
– not sufficiently offset to see past the row in front, according to one
reader. The monkey would add row G to the list too. Fine if you are 5ft
7 or so, but shorter and with someone tall in front, you could be
weaving to see both sides of the stage.
Rows P to U feel like a large room tacked behind the main theatre. The
rake is not great here, but the lower prices in rows R to U usually
marks out these seats as pretty acceptable value for money. On the other
hand, row U is often the same price as row AA – the monkey prefers neck
ache to lost view, but accepts it is a personal choice. It's more
cramped too, and feels a little grey in its spot alone.
General Hazard Notes:
Neck ache in rows AA, BB, A and B.
Ends of rows C to H face a wall rather than the stage.
A reader reported that row N is not "staggered" sufficient to see around
people in row M ahead of you. These seats should possibly be avoided by
the shorter person as it could cause a problem, though none has been
reported to the box office at any point and the rake is good enough to
generally allow a clear view of the stage, in the monkey's opinion. The
cause is suspected to be a problem with flooring, allegedly...
Row P has thick pillars either end. This creates a detached environment
for rows P to U.
Views from row P back are slightly affected by circle overhang - the top
of the set / action happening at a higher level cannot be seen.
A sound desk can replace seats 1 to 6 in rows T and U.
Changes for the current production:
The front row is not confirmed but could be AA. Great value if they are
sold as "day seats"- the monkey will update as available.
Ends of rows C to F are also not on sale. Again, if discounted, decent
value, feels the monkey.
Premium seats run central D to J. Good stuff in front and behind them,
feels the monkey. Seats beside the premium ones are pretty acceptable, K
too, for this.
Top price goes right back to S. Take T over S for the same view,
cheaper. Still, just fair for this at second price.
Reader comments:
"Row AA: (Beth) The front row at The Duke Of York's is fine - it was a
perfect view and the only problem was getting soaked by water and hit by
debris during the production itself, which we were not expecting and
came as quite a shock. It was fine though - we didn't have to pay extra
for being involved actually in the production (and screaming at a tense
moment when being hit by water unexpectedly) - Crash helmets advised,
feels the monkey.”
"Row AA: "The Moderate Soprano" (April 2018). Warning: These day
seats are particularly uncomfortable for this production as the stage is
high and is built out toward the audience further than any other front
row seating I have encountered. It is problematic even getting to one’s
seat. I am always grateful for productions offering day seats, but in
this particular situation, perhaps they should have eliminated row AA
and assigned row BB for day seats."
"Row AA: "The Moderate Soprano" (April 2018). Got centre of front row
for £15. These day seats have been reported as very uncomfortable.
legroom is very good but stage lip juts out at eye level and is only a
couple of feet from your face. Not great if you are a bit
claustrophobic, and some of the action takes place at the edge of the
stage so you spend a fair bit of time craning your neck upwards. For me
it was fine, but a shorter person would struggle."
"Row AA: "Home, I'm Darling" (February 2019). This was a front row seat
and despite the high stage, the only bits of the play that were not
really visible, were when they were upstairs in the house. Leg room was
great and the seats comfortable. I would recommend this row to other
theatre goers."
"AA4: "Ink" (September 2017). Day seat for 15£. Good view of the
stage, good legroom - nice!"
"AA5 and AA6: the seats were really brilliant, although we did have to
look up but having the whole cast standing within touching distance
really is an unforgettable experience."
"AA 9 and 10: "Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense" (November
2013). SPOILER ALERT Anyone who wants to catch the helmet from Bertie
can choose AA10 or AA9, I got the helmet today! SPOILER ENDS. Very
restricted view."
"AA10: "Jumpy" (August 2012), (Taljaard). I asked if the stage was very
high and advised not so gave over my £10 and bought the ticket. Got to
my seat to find it very close to the stage but with a steep rake on the
stage no problem with having to arch my neck very far."
"A1: "Rosmersholm" (April 2019). Loved it, especially for £15, Stalls
row A seat 1. Low stage, my guess is slightly over 4’ (you do the math).
The first four seats are fabulous. The actors seem to favour that side,
at least in profile."
"A3 and 4: "Rosmersholm" (April 2019). Asked for day seats and got A3
and A4 for 15 pounds each. Spouse is five foot, but had no issues, other
than we missed the start of the coup de theatre at the end."
"A5: "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour" (May 2017). A5, front row
centre, day seat for £20. The stage is pretty low, I sat just about on
knee level. There’s slightly more legroom than in other rows, sadly not
enough to stretch."
"BB 1 and 2: "The Nether" (February 2015). Would recommend people
choose seats to the far right or far left if possible as a table centre
stage might get in the way otherwise. Still good value for £10 though
whichever seats you get."
"BB 5: "The Nether" (February 2015). Day seats, front row. At £10,
this strikes me as a seat with exceptional value for money. You have
what I would describe as an unrestricted view of all the action, with
the added bonus of enormous, luxurious legroom, and being astoundingly
close to the actors. There are things you cannot see: the top of the
table which is a sort of enormous iPad and used throughout, the
reflective floor of the virtual world, and the bed which is used in one
scene, though the actors remain in clear view throughout and only sit on
the front of it. However I must note that none of these things are
viewable from anywhere in the stalls. Yes, if you want the best view,
you definitely want the dress circle premium seats. But if you are
looking for a cheap ticket, this is the one to go for! I would
definitely recommend this above the £10 seats in the Upper Circle. At 85
minutes, no interval, and a cast of five, I'd say that £10 for day seats
is probably fair, although I personally would have happily paid more for
the same seat (if I had enjoyed the show...)"
"BB 5: "Passion Play" (May 2013). Purchased a day seat for just £10
for Passion Play. This seat was centre stage and had ample leg room, the
stage height means looking up but not to any real detriment - only
losing the actors' feet from view. The closeness of the stage front at
first felt intimidating until the curtain went up, This then freed you
from this feeling and you could happily watch the play."
"BB 6: "Jeeves and Wooster" (November 2013). There was ample legroom for
me (6 foot tall), not cramped at all."
"BB8: "King Lear" (July 2018). I got pretty wet in the end for being
in that seat."
"BB 8 and 9: "Jeeves and Wooster" (November 2013). We
bought seats for £20 seats (9 days in advance) in the stalls (AA 3 and
4) and were quite prepared to suffer neck-ache for the privilege of
being up close to Robert Webb and Mark Heap. Almost the whole row was
full before the performance, however the row behind was completely
empty, so the usher told us we could move back which we all did. My
daughter and I ended up in BB 8 and 9 and the view was pretty good
except for missing small details at floor level, plus SPOILER ALERT my
daughter was the chosen one to whom the 'object' was thrown; we normally
dread audience participation but this was minimal and she was thrilled.
SPOILER ENDS."
"BB 10: "The Dresser" (September 2016). I obtained a usually £65
ticket (BB10) for a tenner by calling at the box office 30 minutes
before the Saturday matinee. Very good value with clear view and great
legroom, and I didn't find the stage painfully high."
"A1 to A3: “Under The Blue Sky” (July 2008), (James – regular reader).
Ordinarily I wouldn’t book so far forward but the tickets were free so I
wasn’t complaining! I was pleasantly surprised though… I thought I’d
have to crane my neck a lot but it wasn’t really that bad although there
is quite a bit of action that takes place with people sat on the stage
rather than standing so perhaps it would be more of a problem if this
weren’t the case. Good seats overall, though, but if you’re paying full
price I’d go a few rows further back."
"A6: "Neville's Island" (October 2014), (Laurence T). (For this
production only) this is in the very centre of row A and has an
abundance of leg room as there are no seats in front, the same is true
for A5 and A7. I got this seat for only 15 pounds but they have since
moved the price up to 35 and 45 when the show opens next week. At a
reduced price it is definitely worth a look as nothing is missed apart
from the actors feet. You feel very close to the action which is great
because of the set and the quality of acting on display. Be warned
though, you will get wet if you sit in the first two rows! There are
also 15 pound day seats on row BB (the front row) which are definitely
worth a look."
"A9:(Mark) Excellent seat! Not too close to induce neck pain, but close
enough to feel involved with the performance. Some people may find it
too close, but I personally love to be this close to see all the actors
expressions."
"A11: "The Father" (March 2016) (thespyinthestalls.com)
Fair view of the stage from here, leg room was good. The two
(removable?) rows in front were in place for this production, but A11 is
slightly further out than the last seat of AA so no issues seeing past
people in front. I did get a slight feeling of having to look up
although the stage didn't seem that high so can't explain why...."
"A2: “Journey's End” (August 2011.) Sat here for £25 - what a bargain
loads of leg room. The stage does feel high but I think this is due to
the stage front projecting forward 12" from the actual stage making the
view seem higher than it really is, You have a great view of the entire
stage - only unable to see the actors feet ( for this production WWI
boots ) so no real loss! You have a great feeling of intimacy with the
actors as the stage walls are quite close to the end of the front rows.
I had no problem with neck ache. For this production the feeling of
being so close to the action only added to the experience of watching a
wonderful play. A great value seat."
"B5 and B6: (Rebecca) These are roughly in the centre of the row and we
didn't think that we were too close to the stage. I wasn't aware of any
neck-ache looking up at the stage. Leg room wasn't great (I'm 5ft 9) but
was by no means uncomfortable."
"B9: "Doctor Faustus" (April 2016). B9 Stalls (4th row from stage).
Stage is built up quite high - from the fourth row, there was a good
foot of stage visible above the heads of those in the front row. I'm
6'2", and the height of the stage didn't detract from the show from my
seat at all, but I wouldn't have wanted to sit any further forward.
There is an upper level to the set, but it is hardly used, so I didn't
get neck ache. *Potential Spoilers - don't wear your best clothes if you
sit in the front row of the stalls. If you love everything about
theatre, sit in the front half of the stalls - the set is all there is
on the stage - no wings, none of those hanging cloths that mask the top
of the set. At the start of Act II, you can see right up into the fly
tower and there are a couple of cast members up there - they don't do
anything, but it is great to see so much of the stuff that you can
normally only see on a backstage tour."
"C5: "The Father" (February 2016). Excellent seat. Far enough back to
have no neck ache from watching the performance (which can be an issue
further forward). Legroom is also very good."
"C 7 and 8: "How The Other Half Loves" (August 2016). This is four
rows back, so you're nice and close to the stage, which is great to
catch all the facial expressions. There's very little rake, so my view
was slightly marred by the person in front. Legroom is OK once seated,
but tight when moving along the row or re-crossing your legs."
“C8 and C9: (David). Good legroom and perfect to see all expressions and
hear the excellent dialogue. The front rows of the stalls look as though
they should be avoided and very likely to cause a 'crick in the neck',
as although the stage is sloped forwards it is also quite high. Row C is
about about 5 rows back as the theatre has A, AA, B, BB method of
identification and fellow theatre goers will have no problem where we
sat."
“C11: (Hannah M) … which was brilliant. Leg room is OK, fine for
averagely sized me at least, but isn’t hugely generous. This seat is
very central and far enough away from the stage so you don’t get a crick
in your neck, but close enough so that you see everything and feel
really in on the action. I would say it is worthy of a green rating, but
then I was paying a bargain £25 Studentmonkey price…"
"C12 and 13: "The Glass Menagerie" (February 2017). Excellent view,
acceptable legroom. BUT (and this is a HUGE but for this production): if
you’ve read the (universally great) reviews, all the critics mentioned
the set with the powerful reflections in the surrounding blue water. It
is indeed a clever set but – wait for it – if you’re sitting in the
Stalls, YOU DON’T SEE ANY OF THIS, NOT EVEN A SINGLE, TINY GLIMPSE! You
see the characters gazing into the orchestra pit (which is actually
filled with some deep blue viscous liquid which I went to see in the
interval) but who knows what ‘stunning’ effect was being produced as we
saw nothing. Like many theatre fans, I choose Dress Circle for musicals
and Front Stalls for plays. But, in this case, I would advise people to
buy Circle (even Upper Circle) seats to get the benefit of the set
(which I assume is ‘stunning’ even though I saw NONE OF IT!). Paying top
price for seats and not seeing everything (this was almost like having
restricted view, in my opinion) is a swizz."
"C16: "The Dresser" (October 2016). I felt like I was in the dressing
room with them. Wonderfully close, no seats in front. Reece Shearsmith's
tears were practically in wiping distance. Ken Stott directly in front
of me was encompassing!"
“Row D: We'd booked seats for row D of the stalls in the dead centre, I
really couldn't ask for seats any better than these. I didn't miss a
thing from these seats at all they were actually perfect. The leg room
was also really really good, being 5'11 I usually find some seats quite
restricting on my knees but I had plenty of room. The seats aren't the
most comfortable I've sat in at a theatre but were still very good."
“D3, 4 and 5: I would have preferred less amplification, which was even
more hard on the ears in the front stalls than in the front of the dress
circle (seat A5) where I sat last time."
"D17 and 18: "Twelfth Night" (December 2009). Had a good view and was
close to the stage without having to look up. I would avoid D19 and E20
and 21 as you will be facing a wall and have to turn left to see the
stage."
“D19 and 20: view not especially brilliant, but plenty of legroom."
“Row E centre: the view was great as it wasn't blocked by another member
of the audience."
"E5: "The Glass Menagerie" (February 201&). Rush ticket through
Todaytix. Excellent seat with a great clear view of all the action."
"E13 and 14: (James F). Delivered a view close to the action, but for
top price tickets my view was often obscured by the people in front of
me, who weren’t that tall, and also the actors. The legroom was great,
but for a near three hour production, your bum does get sore after a
while."
"F1: "Ink" (October 2017). At just £15 on day seat rate, F1 was
excellent value. Legroom was very generous, and although advised it was
restricted view, for Ink, I think I only missed a very thin slither of
stage right."
"H2: "The Glass Menagerie" (February 2017). The view was fine, but the
person in H1 told me she couldn't see one of the people at the table.
Had a nosey in the interval and from row F forwards you can't see the
table at all from seats 1 and 2 so would spend about half the play
looking at an empty sofa and an abstract and pointless fire escape."
"G1 and G2: No problem with the view as the play is set quite centrally,
but the dear old wall is still there."
"G8 and 9: "Ghost Stories" (July 2010). Thought these would be good...
until 3 x 6' guys sat in front of us and blocked the entire middle of
the stage, where what little action there was actually happened."
"G9 and G10: “Rent” (James – regular reader). Great seats to see the
show from, but even row G felt a little far forward, especially when
action takes place on a raised walkway, but I’m not the tallest of
people."
“G10 and 11: “Constellations,” (Chris B). Got these seats in a
premium seat upgrade offer, as these seats are designated premium. No
complaints whatsoever, they offered a wonderful view of the fairly small
stage, close enough to see all the facial expressions etc but far enough
back to feel comfortable. The rake is also high enough to easily see
over the heads in front. The legroom was quite plentiful too. Can't
recommend these seats highly enough.”
"H17: "Home, I'm Darling" (February 2019). I sat in stalls H17 and
had a perfect view of the back of someone's head that covered about a
third of the stage where a lot of the play takes place. The seats
weren't offset and there was little or any rake."
"Row J: Very good seats! I wouldn't have wanted to be any further back,
maybe a couple of rows further forward. Be advised that the floor of the
main set is about two feet above the stage and the front five or six
rows of the Stalls will have to look upward or slightly upward for most
of the play."
“Row J: Checked online before I went out and saw that there were lots
and lots of unsold seats. Went into the theatre and bought the cheapest
£10 ticket in the back row of the upper circle, and was immediately
upgraded to Row J stalls (in the premium seats!). Seat was very good,
although I really wouldn't think it is worth the extra money for
"premium" seats."
“J21: (end of the row). The person in front of me was not especially
tall. But at row J there is no elevation/rake from the row in front and
the angle of vision to the centre of the stage was blocked by the head
in front." Again not something the monkey (or the theatre) had heard
about before, but some visitors may find knowing about this issue
helpful."
"K1: "Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense" (November 2013), (John
from the USA). Decent view, adequate legroom."
"K3: "King Lear" (July 2018), (Taljaard). Great seat."
"N17 and 18: Great seats (on discount), would have liked to be a few
rows further forward but I could still see everything from where I was."
“Q1 and 2: "Backbeat" (October 2011). Great seats from Leicester Square
booth, great discount price £30 each."
"R 1 and 2: "Home, I'm Darling" (January 2019). We were back in R1
and 2 in the stalls, comfortable seats, with a good view of the stage,
but we could only see the feet of anyone upstairs. I don't feel that we
missed anything though."
"R13 and 14: "Mary Stuart" (January 2018), (Josepha). Had an
excellent view of stage and side screens. These seats were especially
exciting as we were on the end of a row and the actors passed by us from
a back door to the stage. My sister sat in the seats on the next tier
and complained of the heat on a different day. We were not hot as that
back door kept opening to let actors through. It made us feel more
involved in the play."
Stalls Boxes
Layout:
G and H at
Stalls level, at either side of the stage
Legroom:
Good, as movable chairs are used.
Choosing Seats in General:
Fair value
if sold at less than top price, skip it if more expensive, though.
General Hazard
Notes:
A
side-on viewing angle and the nearest rear corner of the
stage obscured.
Changes for the current production:
Not on sale.
Reader Comments:
None.
DRESS CIRCLE
Called the ROYAL CIRCLE in this theatre.
Layout:
The Upper Circle overhangs the Dress
Circle but does not affect the view from any seat.
A single block of seats in long rows. Row F is divided into three by
pillars half emerging from the wall behind. These create a gap between
seats F5 and 6 and 13 and 14.
Legroom:
Poor in all seats for those over 5ft 10
or so, notably row A where you don't gain any extra inches for feet to
use the spaces left by the curved backs of seats in front. The ends of
row E also have a little less. Oddly, readers feel it depends on "leg
length" a bit, with one 6ft reader happy in row A, another 5ft 7 feeling
cramped...
Seats F1 and 19 have nothing in front, worth a look if tall and not
minding the loss of view, perhaps.
Seats B1 and 22 have nothing in front of half of it, allowing a thin leg to
stretch a bit, perhaps.
Choosing Seats in General:
A fairly shallow rake makes the view average from row D back.
On the whole, this hairball prefers the stalls at the same price, but
will accept the circle if it has to. The box office manager though,
disagrees and prefers the Dress Circle... - as does a reader who rates
A5 outstanding - so everyone has an opinion here!
Central rows A and B are often sold at “premium” prices. There are seats
with the same view beside and behind them, and more legroom in the
stalls, notes the monkey.
The length of rows B and C cause B1, 2, 21, 22 and C1, 2, 23 and 24 to
be designated restricted view. Walls cut the edges of the stage off and
a strange viewing angle is created - it feels like peering round a
corner. You will need to sit on the edge of the seat and lean to see the
nearside fifth of the stage from the end of row B in particular. At low price these are at least fair to good value, but the
monkey would take same price stalls for "comfort over view" reasons.
Avoid at full price and take the inner seat first as the improvement in
view is noticeable - the outermost seats lose a third of the stage, the
next seat in less than an eighth, the monkey felt. Take row C before B,
but row F sees more of the stage, even if it is further away.
In the rear Dress Circle, row F seats 6 to 13 are expensive at top
price, feels the monkey as the front of the stage is often lost.
Seats at the extreme ends of row F are normally cheaper. At top price,
just about average, feels the monkey. If extra legroom is required, F 1
and 19 are possible, though. They miss the near front corner stage
action.
The monkey would take the cheaper
seats in rows B and C before these, to be honest, if wanting to be close
to the stage, but F will see more over all.
Two wheelchair spaces in restricted view sides of Dress Circle at around
row C.
Theatremonkey rates the left side better than the right, but all are
fair value. Still, a better view would have been nice if possible. See
notes.
General Hazard Notes:
Seats on the extreme ends of rows B and
C are affected by boxes intruding into view.
Seats on the ends of row F lose view to the curve of the circle cutting
off the stage front.
Lighting hung on the front of the circle may affect views for short folk
in row A.
Changes for the current production:
Premium seats are located in the
centre of rows A to C. Fine if you feel like it, but there are seats as
good around them to either side. Stalls premium seats will offer more
legroom too.
The restricted view seats at the ends of rows B and C, have been joined
by A17 and 18 and pairs on the ends of rows A to E as well. The
outermost one is each row is second pick and take those further back - D
or E first, for an improved view.
The end pairs in row F are also discounted to second price. The aisle
seat is good - if shorter, these seats mean you will probably see more
of the show than same priced stalls row S.
If taller, F1 and 19 have as much legroom as stalls, and are decent
enough for this one. The rest of the row is expensive for the cash -
usually this row is cheaper.
Reader Comments:
"Dress Circle: "Farinelli and
the King" (September 2015). I was annoyed by the production when
half-a-dozen candle chandeliers descended from the roof of the
auditorium to seriously interfere with the view of us poor souls sitting
in the middle of the dress circle in full price seats."
"A5: "Jumpy" (2013). Have seen
some reviews that suggest the seats are cramped. View of stage was excellent
as was leg room. Am 6 ft tall and had ample legroom."
"A10 and 11: "Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense" (November
2013). Minor problems for short people in A10 and A11 of the Royal
Circle. Two small spot-lamps positioned just in front of these seats
could protrude into your line of sight to the very edge of the stage."
"A11: "The Moderate Soprano" (April 2018). To my delight I was moved
from the Upper circle to the royal circle and given A11. This seat had
lots of leg room and an excellent view of the stage."
"A12 and 13: "The Dresser" (October 2016). Had a great view, good
legroom - and I am tall so always a bonus. Got them at a discount, so
felt very good value for money."
"A14: "Passion Play" (2013). View of stage was excellent as was leg room. Am
6 ft tall and had ample legroom. These seats are not premium price so for me
represented excellent value for money."
"B4 and 5: "Posh" (May 2012),
(Chris B). Excellent
view, could easily make out all the actors facial expressions and have a
good overview of the whole stage. Plenty of legroom."
"B16: "Home, I'm Darling" (January 2019). This seat gave
an excellent view of the stage and felt very close."
"Row C: "Backbeat" (October 2011), (Richard). We sat in the middle of row C,
which were good seats, but the Duke of York is such a small theatre that I
don't think there's a poor seat in the house."
"C11 and 12: "Summer and Smoke" (January 2019) Got these for £20 each
on the today tix rush. I'd been holding out for seats not in the front
few rows as I'm short and dislike looking up at a steep angle. For the
price I paid the seats were great, gave a beautiful view of the whole
stage, and the legroom was adequate. However, if paying premium price I
would recommend the centre stalls over the circle as we did feel a
little bit removed from the action."
"C22: "Ink" (October 2017). A bargain at £20 for Ink, glad that the
monkey is sporting a green rating for this seat. Missed maybe a few
entrances/exits equating to only seconds. Legroom fine in this seat also
as C23 is on a raised area, so no seat directly to the right of this
one."
“D6 and D5: The leg room was exceedingly poor and it was difficult to hear -
if someone opened a bottle of water it was louder than the people on stage.
Also as the leg room was so bad, people were restless and constantly
shifting around in their seats. The view was restricted by the people
sitting in front of us - who weren't even especially tall (5ft 4?). I think
only people in the centre of Row A of the Dress circle would have had a good
view from the Circle. A fat person in Row A stood up during the ovation in a
vain attempt to catch Orlando Bloom's eye and in so doing restricted the
view of every person in the Dress Circle."
"D6: "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour" (May 2017), (Mark). Good view
but felt pretty cramped. Not a lot of legroom and with people both sides
of me it got a bit uncomfortable."
"D10 and 11: "The Nether (February 2015) (Mary). The view was perfect
with the entire set visible. At around 5'5" (165cm) we were
comfortable."
“D12 and 13: The view was perfect (no heads in the way), the sound quality
fab, the leg room good, the chair size adequate."
"Row E: "Jeeves and Wooster In Perfect Nonsense" (November 2013),
(Brian & Diana). This is a small theatre, but we sat in the Dress Circle
in the centre of row E in comfort and with an excellent view."
“E13 and 14: Fine at £25 but I'm not sure I would pay full price for them.
The view is actually fine, but the Upper Circle makes you feel a little
claustrophobic!"
"F14: "Home I'm Darling" (January 2019), (Judy Harrison). Paying £40
through the theatre January sale deal. The row is against a solid wall,
the seat is central with a space between F14 and F13 which was handy for
putting coats and shopping. I had a good view of the whole of the stage,
even the top of the house so I didn’t miss anything, the seats are raked
so no heads in the way but being against a wall I could have stood up if
necessary and it wouldn’t have mattered."
Dress Circle Boxes
Layout:
Dress Circle
level, at either side of the stage, between the front of it and the
front of the circle.
Legroom:
Good, as seats are movable chairs.
Choosing Seats in General:
With a fair viewing angle, boxes
C and F then B and E (in that order) offer especially
attractive options for comfortable well-priced Dress Circle seating at
less than full price. At full price, they may be considered a little
average.
Box E at
second price might be attractive for comfort, perhaps, to some wanting
more legroom and a Dress Circle view.
Box B, sold cheap, is considered well worth it, even if action is
missed.
General Hazard Notes:
Side-on
viewing angle and the nearest rear corner of the stage obscured.
Changes for the current production:
Not yet on sale.
Reader Comments:
"Box F: "Goodnight Mister Tom" (February 2016). My daughter and I
sat in circle box F and, as it was my birthday, we had the 'Ambassadors
Experience' ..... Cost £54 each which was VERY expensive for me, but I
really enjoyed it. Just two moveable armchairs in the box so, even
though you're at right angles to the stage, you can manoeuvre yourself
into a position where you can see All but the very left side of the
stage. Was just nice to have plenty of room .... Nobody kicking the
chair from behind, and no tall or fidgety people in front to obscure the
view. Coat hooks meant we didn't have to screw our coats up under our
chair etc and plenty of room for bags etc.
The 'experience' bit meant there were two individual bottles of Frexinet
cava I and ice bucket, nuts and nibbles and two boxes of 4 Belgian
chokkies waiting for us in the box. Shame the champagne flutes were
plastic, but, hey ho. OK, so it was a total extravagance, and the view
would've been much better from a centre seat in the stalls or circle,
but we had a great time!!"
UPPER CIRCLE
Layout:
A disused balcony (housing a recording
studio!) overhangs all rows on the Upper Circle. This does not affect
the view from any seat.
A single block of seats curve towards the stage.
The back two short rows are benches rather than normal seats with arm
rests.
Legroom:
Poor in all seats in rows A to F, worst in row A.
The monkey estimates that those up to 5ft 6 without any leg issues
should be reasonably comfortable in B to F, and advises aisle seats if
possible (E 1 and 22 seemed a decent pick when it tried one time).
Row G is acceptable for those up to around 5ft 6, row H to around 5ft
8... H 1 and 8 though have no arm rests and 50% of each seat has nothing
in front - allowing stretching for one leg at least.
Choosing Seats in General:
Tickets are normally split into two, sometimes three prices.
Central row A may be sold more expensively than other seats. Really
not worth it unless very short, feels the monkey.
Around and behind row A, and back to row F, central seats are the next
price down.
In the front section, Monkey view is to take the seats beside the most expensive in row A
first, moving back from B to E before moving out to seats further
towards the sides of the auditorium.
All remaining seats are more reasonably priced, so for the monkey it
is just a case of picking the most central and avoiding the worst of the
restricted views by skipping the outermost seats if possible. Remember
that you won't see much from any of these end seats without leaning (and
thus blocking views for those behind) though.
Monkey would particularly skip B8, C to E 16, F 7, 8, 14 and 15. All
are overpriced, it feels, given both comfort and view.
The first and last two seats at least in rows B to F are normally sold
as restricted view, due to the same 'peering round corners' effect as in
the Dress Circle below. At bottom price take a box instead. There is no
real bargain to be had in sitting here - and plenty of discomfort. Note that seats B 1, 2, 23 and
24 and C 1, 2, 24 and 25 have been pressed into service again after not
being used for a while due to this issue. The seats next to these - two
or three in each row also used to be discounted, but are now merged into
the next price up.
Rows G and H are a long way from the stage and may or may not offer
poor value - pick a box or seats a row or two further forward (but not
on the absolute ends of the row) instead if there is action on more than
one level of the stage. If something is played "front and centre"
though, a possible choice.
They are benches - so arrive early to stake out your bit (and hope there
is nobody too vast sharing the row that night!). Row H only has a metal
bar to lean on, row G lean against a wall. The ends of row H are the
most comfortable seats in the upper circle, given that they have
stretching for one leg.
All other seats offer a clear view - though parts of the stage can be
missing - and fair value for money relative to the price and position of
the seats.
General Hazard Notes:
The curve of the circle cuts the view of the front and sides of the
stage.
Anybody leaning forward blocks the view for those behind.
Some more central “restricted view” seats are often re-priced as “clear
view” if producers feel the restriction isn’t sufficient.
Changes for the current production:
Central rows A and B are second price. Take B for legroom if
nothing else. There's not much choice at this price anywhere else either
(pairs in the dress circle for the same cash are a better bet for more
legroom if nothing else). Central row C is third price. Take it, but D drops
to fourth price, E to fifth and F behind are sixth price. It's up to you how
much to pay - each row gets cheaper for similar views. Monkey would probably
go for D then F then E.
Be aware that two seats beside the expensive ones in A to D drop to fifth
price. Well worth a look if you don't mind a restricted view, feels the
monkey, B to D in that order.
During previews, central C and D are are the same price - monkey would take
C then E then F or D.
Ends of rows A to E plus the whole of F to H are sixth price for this. Go as
close to the middle as you want, or the ends if you want most legroom.
Outermost seats in all rows are not terrible value if you can tolerate the
legroom and missed action, feels the monkey.
Benches G and H are also the same price. Take ends of H over G, first, but
not bad at all.
Reader Comments:
"A 1 to 3: "Jeeves and Wooster In Perfect Nonsense" (November 2013). My cheapskate brother-in-law bought
£20 tickets for the
Upper Circle. On the tickets (and website) it says
'Restricted View: patrons will lose 1/3 of the stage). This is SERIOUSLY
misleading. If you sit upright in your sit you lose ALL of the stage apart
from the very top! In other words, you cannot see ANY of the action
without leaning right forward. On the plus side, by leaning right forward
and resting your arms on the ledge in front, you can actually see all the
stage so, bizarrely, this turned out to be a good cheap option. BUT - and
here's an important warning - anyone with back problems is going to
struggle leaning forward for the full performance and, as soon as they sit
back, they will lose ALL sight of the show!"
"A12: "Summer and Smoke" (November 2018). A12 amazing view as in the
centre. Not much leg room and feels very high when you make your way to
your seat."
"B21: "Jeeves and Wooster In Perfect Nonsense" (November 2013). A word of caution. The show is a sell out in a theatre with its own
fair share of doubtful seats. So be careful. I paid £20 + £3 booking fee
10 days prior to the performance for B21 in the Upper Circle. It was
only 1 of 3 single seats remaining and it was not good. I was warned
when I booked and there is a warning in the ticket so I knew that it was
not going to be good. But could only see a third of the stage without
leaning far forward, luckily most of the action was centre stage."
"C7: "The Judas Kiss" (February 2013), (Marcus). Though a good area of
the stage is blocked from view, it's an area that's little used. The higher
seat numbers would have missed more of the action so worth noting if you're
booking these cheaper 'restricted view' seats."
“C17 and 18: We paid £30 each for these
seats. There is no leg room at all - I am 5' 8" and my knees just wouldn't
fit - my legs went to sleep and we just had to move elsewhere after the
interval. The Americans sitting next to us couldn't get over how bad the
seats were for the price charged. Be very careful where you sit in this
theatre. Surely something could be done to improve this."
"D 16 and 17: "Little Shop of Horrors" (March 2007), (Rob). Fairly good view.
I see no reason for people to lean forward in these seats but they still
did! Lad in front of me was very accommodating and sat back after I asked,
lad in front of my partner had no-one in front of him but still spent whole
show 'elbows on knees' leaning forward and spoiled it for next 3 rows behind
him."
"D19 and 20: "Home, I'm Darling" (February 2019). For this particular
production I would avoid as this cuts off the bottom right hand corner where
at least half of the performance plays out especially as all rows in front
are also leaning to the left to try and view. My next door neighbour in D18
didn't seem to have as much of an issue. Seat would be a bargain for plays
with central staging. I would imagine this is an issue for all seats to the
far right on any row - normally maybe not as much of an issue but this is
where major parts of this play happen."
"D21 and 22: "The Girl On The Train" (July 2019). You are close enough to
see expressions, which is good news from Grand Circle seats. There is no
issue caused by the ceiling. Leg room is poor (5'10" with just 29" inside
leg, I was cramped) and I estimate you lose between 1/3 and 1/2 the stage -
thankfully for 'Girl On The Train' this had little impact as most action was
centre stage. Overall to be avoided unless there is a good deal on price."
"E16 and E17: "Arcadia" (June 2009), (Marty). The view was fine. (once the
girls in front of us stopped leaning forward) Apart from a very tiny bit of
acting on the floor downstage at one point I could see everything. The
acoustics and the projection of the actors were perfect and I never got that
feeling of not being involved you sometimes get sitting in the gods. The
whole upper circle were laughing and part of the experience. Bring water if
it's a hot day as it was a bit muggy up there. There's a balcony in the
upper circle bar with limited room, so good to head there first during the
interval for some fresh air."
Upper Circle Boxes
Layout:
Upper Circle level, at either side of the stage, between the front of it
and the front of the circle.
Legroom:
Good, as
seats are movable chairs.
Choosing Seats in General:
A good choice when
sold, offering cheap restricted view seating with decent legroom - worth
considering. Take L and O, then N and K for the maximum angle available.
General Hazard Notes:
Side-on viewing angle
and the nearest rear corner of the stage obscured.
Changes for the current production:
K, L, N and O
on sale at third price and good value once same price dress circle seats
have gone.Reader Comments:
"Box O: "Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense" (November 2013).
One of the best bargains in terms of seats is Box O. It has two
seats (comfortable loose chairs) at £20 each, so the total price of £40
for the whole box is comparable with a single seat in the better parts
of the Upper Circle (£39.50 or £42.50, depending on when you go). Most
of the action takes places on the right hand side or centre of the
stage, so the fact that you can't see the bottom left hand side unless
you lean forwards doesn't much matter. Box O is a particularly desirable
location for anyone who plans to go on their own - and, of course, they
can then lean around as much as they please – it doesn't block the view
for anyone else. Theatremonkey, it was thanks to you that I knew about
Box O – and I think it's great!"
"Box O: "Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense" (November 2013). Not
sure I'd sit in this box again, as I had to lean out of it the entire
time which did my back in... £20 each though, so I'd better stop my
complaining pronto!!!"
Notes
Total 659 seats.
Air-conditioned.
Infrared loop in whole auditorium or MobileConnect. Occasional signed performances. Guide dog
sitter available. 2 wheelchair spaces in restricted view sides of Dress Circle.
Adapted toilet near seats, large but with inconveniently placed toilet roll
holder warn the box office. Call
Ambassador
Theatre Group, or 0844
8717 677;
Artsline 020 7388 2227 email artsline@dircon.co.uk
for further info. 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.
No food except Ice cream and confectionery.
Two Bars, at Stalls and Upper Circle level. Reader Marty notes,
"There's a balcony in the upper circle bar with limited room, so good to head
there first during the interval for some fresh air."
Five toilets in all. Stalls 1 gents, 1 cubicle; Dress Circle 1 ladies 4
cubicles, 1 unisex disabled; Upper Circle 1 gents 1 cubicle, 1 ladies 3
cubicles.
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