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FORTUNE THEATRE |
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THE WOMAN IN BLACK (thriller)
Two actors relate a story of love and loss, building an atmosphere of terror
in the audience. The Woman in Black may or may not be present in the stalls
during the performance....
NOTE: Doors close 5 minutes before the advertised starting time at each
performance.
The show stars Stuart Fox as ‘Arthur Kipps’ and Matthew
Spencer as ‘The Actor’.
Having previously played the role of ‘Arthur Kipps’ at the Fortune Theatre and
during the UK Tour, Stuart Fox returns to “The Woman in Black”. His other West
End credits include “Woman in Mind” at the Vaudeville theatre, “The Normal
Heart” at the Royal Court, and “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” at the Fortune
Theatre. His other theatre credits include “Ten Times Table”, “The Last of the
Red Hot Lovers” and “Educating Rita” all at the The Mill at Sonning, and
“Springs Eternal”, “The Man Who Pays the Piper”, “The Stepmother”, “Sauce for
the Goose”, “Three Farces” and “Winter” all at the Orange Tree Theatre and
“After the Ball” at Theatre Upstairs Highgate.
Matthew Spencer has played the role of ‘The Actor’ at The Fortune Theatre and
during the UK Tour of “The Woman in Black”. His other West End credits include
“Amadeus” at the National Theatre, “1984” and the Almeida and Playhouse Theatre,
and “War Horse” at the New London Theatre. His other theatre credits include
“The Busy Body” at the Southwark Playhouse, “Bent” at the Trafalgar Studios, and
“Sleuth” and “Tartuffe” at the Watermill Theatre and UK Tour.
In June 2019 the show will celebrate its 30th Anniversary in London’s West End.
Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of Susan Hill’s best-selling novel tells the
story of a lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over his
family by the spectre of a ‘Woman in Black’. He engages a young actor to help
him tell his story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul. It begins
innocently enough, but as they delve further into his darkest memories, they
find themselves caught up in a world of eerie marshes and moaning winds. The
borders between make-believe and reality begin to blur and the flesh begins
creep.
The show is directed by Robin Herford, with designs by Michael Holt and lighting
by Kevin Sleep.
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Theatremonkey Opinion: |
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If you have ever read a Stephen King novel, Seen 'Psycho', or visited a
fairground 'Haunted House', you may just be psychologically equipped to deal
with the first few minutes of this thriller. After those though, you embark on
an ever rising learning curve of fear, with dazzling writing and perfect timing
from the actors drawing you towards the coldest chill in London theatre.
There is a good reason this play has run so long with little publicity:
anyone who stumbles in HAS to go back, this time bringing a friend for moral
support. Theatremonkey takes his psychiatrist to be on the safe side. Anyone
surviving unscarred can boast about it - precious few. See it.
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Important: Some reviews below can contain "spoilers" - please don't read if this
bothers you!
Latest reviews:
For earlier reviews by contributors, click here
_____________________
Dress Circle Row G
seat 6 does have a seat in front of it and is just as cramped and
uncomfortable as all the others.
I sat there for the matinee performance on Saturday 14th January
2012 and as the seat was next to the entrance/exit curtain was
additionally entertained throughout by the chatter of staff
downstairs in the bar.
Drinks, like the seats, were overpriced.
The play is vastly over-rated.
But, my step-daughter, whose birthday treat this was, enjoyed the
afternoon, so that's alright then.
__________________________ Firstly, what a
lovely little theatre this is! I've never been before and was very
pleasantly surprised.
We were seated in the Dress Circle - G5 and G6. An excellent view of
the stage (very close, even for the back of the circle) but the
legroom again was minimal. Very comfortable seats but you really do
need to fold your legs up!
I LOVED this show. The two actors were totally amazing. The set is
so simple yet so effective and the lighting is used to such great
effect. Plus this is a very scary show! I have never been in a
theatre and heard so many people scream so many times (I managed not
to but I did jump out of my skin on more than one occasion!) I
cannot praise the two actors highly enough, they built the tension
so well and their acting ability was stupendous.
What made the afternoon for me was that one of the very nice Ushers
offered me and my Mum seats closer to the stage as there were some
empty seats. We declined as we were quite happy where we were and I
told him that we didn't want to go nearer the stage as we didn't
want to get any nearer to the scary Woman in Black. He looked at me
quizzically and with a twinkle in his eye, said "what Woman In
Black, Madam?"
__________________________ 30th November 2012
The biggest surprise of the evening was how small and old the
theatre was. The capacity is 432, so it's less remarkable that this
show regularly sells out. I note that the monkey
says "The Dress Circle overhangs the stalls at row H.", but despite
being in row H 15-17, the overhang was very noticeable, turning the
performance into letterbox format. The audience near the stage
seemed to "enjoy" the play more than those at the back, judging by
the screams, so if you don't want to be thinking "I'll have what
she's having!" I suggest a seat in A-F.
The play was good, but not great. I didn't like the
play-within-a-play format. It didn't add anything, except another 10
minutes of unnecessary repetition. There was some good acting from
all 3 players. Inviting the audience to use imagination was fine up
to a point, but the line was definitely crossed when Spider, the
dog, turned out to be invisible and inaudible.
A few creepy moments, and some slamming doors
elicited plenty of screams, but then all of a sudden it was over.
More horror, and death would have helped. I think the problem is
that I saw the film a few weeks ago, and this falls a long way short
of that. I'd recommend watching the film AFTERWARDS.
_____________________________ April 2013. I must
be in the minority here. Perhaps having seen the film I was
expecting too much, but I found it a bit boring. It certainly wasn't
scary. The only part that made me jump was the train going past...
and that is something that makes me jump when I'm actually on
trains. Found the mixture of acting and story telling strange, it
was as if they didn't have time to act it out, so had to fill in the
bits so that it made sense.
Stalls Row B 7, 8 and 9: When we sat down my
daughter was a bit scared to find we were in fact in the front row
having been expecting a "protective barrier" of people between her
and the action. As the extension to the stage sloped down towards us
I was more concerned that I could end up with a stumbling actor in
my lap. However, later I found the worst bit was the fog (dry ice)
that is pumped out from under the stage on the left hand side, which
left us unable to see the stage having engulfed seats A1-7, B1-11
and probably a lot of row C as well.
Although it passed fairly quickly it made quite
a few people cough and was quite unpleasant to sit in. I think
people with asthma or other respiratory conditions could find this a
problem. Other than that as already noted by other people you do
have to look up, but the view is excellent, my daughter said it was
like being part of the cast!
Lynn.
______________________________ Having seen the
film and heard great reviews from this production, I personally felt
the show was a complete let down! I was bored after 20 minutes (and
extremely uncomfortable), and wasn't the slightest bit frightened or
entertained.
Luckily we got a good deal - paid £50 for two
tickets and two 2 course meals at a local restaurant.
We dared not move from our seats in the
interval - as we couldn't have got out even if we tried - so we
missed buying a program, tried after the show but as the tills had
been put away we were not allowed (even though the program was there
- a free one would have been a nice gesture - we waited a good 15
minutes to be once again let down).
We sat in the upper circle row C. My seat was
'broken', well, I say broken but several nearby had the same
problem. It wouldn't sit flat, so I spent the entire time sat
crunched up. We are both around 5ft 4 and suffered due to the lack
of leg room, our knees were literally overhanging the seats in
front, hitting the head in front and were practically chest high.
The theatre was generally grim, and I certainly
would never return there.
_______________________________ July 2013. I saw
this show back in around 1992, but it was my wife's first time. We
sat in the stalls, seats F7 and F8; naturally felt very close to the
stage in such a small theatre. Our eye level was just above the
front of the stage and although the rake isn't great the view was
fine. Legroom perfectly acceptable for my height. Only minor issue
was that a trunk on stage mostly hid a key piece of the action, so a seat more towards the middle
would be preferable. The air conditioning was very welcome last
night too! We paid £25 per ticket on an offer, so the seats were
excellent value.
_______________________________ SPOILER
ALERT THROUGHOUT
There are a lot of good things to say about The Woman in Black. But
it is NOT terrifying.....or even really scary. 'A bit "tense" in
places would about sum it up.
What you get is an old fashioned, no-special-effects tour de force
in acting. The production consists of a stage, two actors, both
highly skilled.....and virtually nothing else. It's a pleasure to
see real actors plying their trade in a way that is virtually
unheard of in the West End these days. The story is interesting,
well performed (thanks again to the stellar acting skills of the two
gentlemen who comprise the entire cast (save the brief...and
silent.... appearance of an anonymous lady dressed in a witch-like
Halloween costume, representing the Woman in Black). Just to see
old-school actors at work makes it worth spending the afternoon or
evening watching this minor gem.
But as to "terrifying"....I can only think that those who write of
how utterly scary this production is....how they left the theatre
shaking in fear......are simply highly suggestible sorts who got
carried away with the hype. Each of the few "scary" moments has one
thing in common.....a thing that is perhaps unnoticed by the
majority of the audience. At the exact moments that the audience are
expected to scream in "terror", a VERY loud audio track of.........a
screaming woman........is suddenly played over the theatre's PA
system. This alone, without any sort of plot-based suspense build
up, would induce you to jump in your seat....much as having someone
sneak up behind you quietly and then yell "boo" in your ear might
do. That's about it as far as terror, really. A few contrived "BOOs",
where a loud scream is suddenly played over the sound system at a
tense, but not particularly terrifying moment.
But apart from the "cheap trick" of simply scaring the audience with
an unexpected loud noise a few times during the performance.....TWIB
is nonetheless well worth seeing. Just don't expect to leave quaking
in your boots.
SPOILERS END.
___________________________________
Having seen this play four times in previous years, we had some
American visitors over and decided three days beforehand to book it.
We could only get row K 16,17,18 and 19.
I was a bit concerned about the overhang of the balcony but it made
no difference. Before we would always have been sitting closer. But
these seats were terrific anyway. Plenty of leg room which was
surprising. Easy entry and exit as the door is just behind you to
the bar/hallway.
Gwynfor Jones is remarkable. His ever so slight mannerisms are a joy
to watch as he unravels the story, sentence by sentence....possibly
the best I have seen.....huge presence on the stage and you believed
every word.
The swirling fog is scary and the audience literally leapt out of
their seats many times.....this play is remarkable in that it plays
on your imagination. For instance 'Spider' the dog is unseen but you
can 'see' him as you truly believe what you are seeing. The rocking
of the chair is something that stays with you when you come out of
the theatre.
Drinks were actually not too expensive. We got a wonderful chilled
bottle of Prosecco for 22 pounds and you could order
cocktails/drinks for the interval and they were waiting for you when
you came out. Very well organised.
The production of this play still impresses me. It is very hard to
have a captive audience with just two actors but it just works. The
way they seamlessly change characters is just brilliant. The trap
and horses scenes are just captivating in their simplicity.
I would highly recommend this play. I fully intend to go back again
and again just to witness an old fashioned ghost story!!!
____________________________________
I would give this show four out of five stars. It is a must see show
for anybody, a real scare ride that takes the audience in its grasp
and doesn't let them go for two whole hours. A concise, thrilling
and superb play that attacks the senses and the nerves.
I have seen this twice, once on tour and another time in the West
End. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a great
piece of theatrical storytelling or more simply a good scare. Using
a limited set and versatile actors the play takes the audience on a
journey to Eel Marsh house and into a terrifying ghost story that
will frighten children and adults alike. It is quite remarkable how
successful and well this play has done but that stands as testament
to the enduring quality of the show and the effect it has on every
person who comes to watch it.
Seat Review: I sat in the centre of the stalls and I would
definitely recommend this. For this show, being part of the action
in the stalls, encourages a truly frightening experience. ATG
tickets very often do special offers so it's best to keep on
checking their website for new offers as you can sometimes get a
good seat in the stalls for under 20 pounds! In the circle you will
still feel frightened and part of the action but the stalls are the
best bet, in my opinion.
Laurence T.
____________________________________
I saw Woman in Black last night, 3rd March 2015. I saw it originally
ten years ago when I was about 14 on tour to Theatre Royal, Bath.
Anyway it was so much better than I remembered... Julian Forsyth was
AMAZING!! So well written!! It's almost like "a love letter to
theatre"? Thrilling. What a fab little theatre too.
We had C12 and C13 (centre section on the aisle). Thank you to the
monkey for his recommendations! The front of stalls centre section
really are the best in the house. I was worried about the stage
being too high... it wasn't, in fact you could still see the floor.
I also recommend the aisle seat for a particularly excellent,
immersive view. If you wanted to pay top dollar for the premium
seats further back I'd say go for it but I would still prefer to be
nearer the stage!!
I felt very comfortable but I should say that my friend got a slight
crick in his neck. I don't know why because he's tall and we could
both see the floor... might be relevant to some people.
I really would avoid the side section of the stalls.
We got these as SOLT did half price on these tickets as a winter
promo (Get Into London Theatre).
_____________________________________
I sat in H9, a good view of the raised stage, the Fortune is a small
theatre so most seats in the stalls provide a decent view.
The Woman in Black promises chills and thrills, but doesn't really
deliver (in my opinion).
I found the first hour fairly dull as they get work to get the
actual story going. The two actors are very good and they have very
limited props to work with. The imagination of the audience is
certainly nurtured and stretched during the performance, but I found
the appearance of the woman in black was not scary. I jumped at the
loud noises and screams, at various moments, usually unexpected. I
wasn't terrified or chilled, I slept well on my return home.
Maybe I'm just a bit braver than I thought!?
______________________________________
"Woman in Black" offers discounts for students if you go to the box
office and ask in person (found out by accident the first time I was
in London and the box office agent asked if I was a student when I
went to purchase tickets). It might require a student ID at the box
office agent’s discretion. I don’t know all of the details, but I’ve
taken advantage of this twice and gotten fantastic seats in the
stalls for £25 (never asked about the rates for the upper levels
because the stalls are the best way to experience the show, in my
opinion). The last time I purchased these tickets was on January 14,
2019 for the performance on January 15, 2019, so it might be
possible to do on the day as well so long as they have tickets left.
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The monkey advises checking performance times on your tickets and
that performances are happening as scheduled, before travelling.
Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm
Tuesday and Thursday at 3pm and 8pm
Saturday at 4pm and 8pm
NO MONDAY PERFORMANCES. Runs 1 hour 50 minutes approximately.
NOTE: Doors close 5 minutes before the advertised starting time
at each performance. |
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View this information in
diagram form
All performances EXCEPT Saturday Evenings:
Stalls rows A to K: £52 except
Stalls row E and F seats 12 to 15, G and H seats 11 to 14 "premium seats": £66
Stalls seats B 15 and 16; E 1 and 2: £37.50
Stalls row L: £37.50
Dress Circle:
Rows A to G: £52 except:
Row B seat 1 and G seats 1 and 2 at £37.50
Upper Circle:
Rows B to F (except rows B to F seats 1 and 2): £27.50
Rows A and G, plus rows B to F seats 1 and 2 : £21.50
Boxes:
Boxes A and B "VIP Package" £52.50
Boxes C and D
£21.50 per seat.
Saturday Evening performances ONLY:
Stalls rows A to K: £52 except
Stalls row E and F seats 12 to 15, G and H seats 11 to 14 "premium seats": £66
Stalls seats B 15 and 16; E 1 and 2: £39.50
Stalls row L: £39.50
Dress Circle:
Rows A to D: £52 except:
Row B seat 1: £39.50
Rows E to G: £39.50
Upper Circle:
Rows B to F (except rows B to F seats 1 and 2): £29.50
Rows A and G, plus rows B to F seats 1 and 2 : £21.50
Boxes:
Boxes A and B "VIP Package" £54.50
Boxes C and D £21.50 per seat.
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Theatre Box Office:
Ambassador
Theatre Group, the theatre group's own website
provide the service for this theatre.
This site allows you to choose your own tickets from those
available.Booking fees per transaction for online bookings:
£3 per transaction (not per ticket) fee is made - towards paying the
lady, thinks the monkey. Other Online Choices (with
S.T.A.R. genuine ticket
agencies):
Ticketmaster offer £52 seats with an £8.75 (£11 on £66, £6.25 on £37.50, £4.75 on £27.50, £3.75 on £21.50
seats / £11 on £66, £8.75 on £52, £6.75 on £39.50, £5 on £29.50, £3.75 on £21.50 Saturday Evening seats) booking fee per ticket. A £1 per
transaction booking fee is made for box office collection / £2.95 for postage
option if required and time allows. This system allows
you to choose your own seats from the selection the company has available.
When the theatre does not have the tickets you desire available,
it is well worth trying the
Theatremonkey
Ticketshop agency,
telephone
020 7420 9778 (0044 207 420 9778 if calling from outside the United Kingdom),
which offers £52 seats with a £9.40 (£11.90 on £66, £6.80
on £37.50, £5 on £27.50, £3.40 on £21.50 seats / £11.90 on £66, £19.40 on £52,
£7.10 on £39.50, £5.40 on £29.50, £3.40 on £21.50
Saturday Evening seats) -
booking fee per ticket - moderate by agency standards, though higher than box
office fees, worth trying as they often have an alternative choice of seats available!
Note
that this system will confirm exact seat numbers prior to purchase. A £1.95 per
booking, not per ticket, handling fee may apply on some transactions by
telephone. NO handling fee applies for online purchases. Another
alternative is
www.seetickets.com which offers £52 seats with a
£7.80 (£4.12 on £27.50 seats / £4.42 on £29.50 Saturday Evening seats) booking fee per ticket; and £2.75 per booking, not per ticket handling fee.
Encore
Tickets (telephone 0207 400 1253 /
0044 207 400 1253 if calling from outside the United Kingdom)
offer £52 seats with a £25 (£19 on £66, £10.50 on £37.50, £8.50 on £27.50, £6.50
on £21.50 seats / £19 on £66, £25 on £52, £10.50 on £39.50, £8.50 on £29.50,
£6.50 on £21.50 Saturday Evening seats) booking
fee per ticket.
A postage charge of £1.45 per booking, not per ticket may be applied to
bookings made from UK addresses more than 5 days before the performance.
Discounts and "Meal and Show" packages may also be available.
The "Flexiticket" Exchange Service, allowing FREE transfer / cancellation
(credit note up to 12 months) of your booking up to 3 days before the
performance is also available for £1.99 per ticket. Quality and Value
hotel / theatre ticket packages are also available.
Londontheatredirect.com
offer £52 seats with a £10.50 (£13.25 on £66, £7.50 on £37.50, £5.50 on £27.50,
£4.25 on £21.50 seats / £8 on £39.50, £6 on £29.50 Saturday Evening seats) booking fee per ticket.
There is a £1 per booking, not per ticket, transaction fee for
collecting tickets from the box office before your performance.
Alternatively, if time allows, there is a postage to your home option,
costing £2.95 (£4.95 to non-UK addresses) per booking, not per ticket. Optional Ticket Insurance is also available.
Discounts and
Meal and Show Packages may also be available.
ALSO SEE
Tickettree.com for great value "hotel and theatre ticket" packages.
Other Independent S.T.A.R. ticket agencies
may also offer an alternative choice of seats.
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Box Office Information: |
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Tickets offered differ between outlets. Outlets also may offer
different seats via their phone and online systems. Offers may be
available click here. |
Theatre Box Office:
Telephone: 0844
871 7637
Operated by the Ambassador Theatre group's
own phoneroom from 9am until 10pm (Sundays 10am until 8pm). Outside these hours the
Ticketmaster agency answer calls on their behalf.Booking fees per transaction for telephone bookings:
£3 per transaction (not per ticket) fee is made - towards paying the
lady, thinks the monkey. For personal callers or by
post: Russell Street, London. WC2B 5HH
No booking fee for personal callers.
Special Access Needs Customers:
Wheelchair users and other registered disabled theatregoers can book
their seats and enquire about concessionary prices that may be available to them
on a dedicated phone line.
See Notes.
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Theatre Seat Opinions: |
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Please remember that cheaper seats often do not offer the same view /
location quality as top price ones, and that ticket prices are designed to
reflect this difference. |
STALLS
Layout:
The Dress Circle overhangs the stalls at row H.
The stalls are divided into two unequal blocks by an aisle.
The main block is in front of the stage, the other... sort of trails off
to one side.
Two thick pillars at the ends of row D and K beside seat 1.
The rake
(sloped floor to help see over rows in front)
is about adequate to allow the rear 4 rows to see over those in front.
Legroom:
Acceptable throughout the stalls - best in part of row B where there are
no seats in front.
Choosing Seats in General:
In the main block, almost any seat except the first two or three in each
row are a safe bet.
Row D back are best, compensating for the high stage.
Seats close to the centre aisle are worthwhile for the current
production 'The Woman In Black'... and not for the reason most people
think...
Second price seats in the back row of this block offer good value.
Sitting in the small block to the left of the stage, this monkey feel it
is in a different theatre altogether as the actors have to work double
hard to include us in the action.
Take the centre aisle seat if you like (again, it enhances watching the
current production(, but avoid the rest of this block if possible. If
you can't, then take the farthest back seat you can to compensate for a
strange viewing angle.
General Hazard Notes:
The pillars in front of D1 and K1 irritate, rather than block views.
Seats are not offset to see around the row in front.
Outermost side block seats have a strange viewing angle.
Changes for the current production:
All performances except Saturday Evenings have rows E and F 12 to 15, and G and H 11 to
14 are "premium" seats. Saturday Evenings it's E and F 10 to
15, G 9 to 14. Your choice, feels the monkey, if you really want
to pay more for the same view as seats behind.
"Dry Ice" swirls around all seats in rows A to C. Those with
breathing difficulties should avoid the front stalls.
Row B 15 and 16, and E 1 and 2 are cheaper. The monkey would probably go for central
row L for a better view, it feels. B15 then E2, if you must sit close at a lower
price, but that pillar is there...
Reader Comments:
"Stalls: (Laurence T). I sat in the centre of the stalls and I
would definitely recommend this. For this show, being part of the action
in the stalls, encourages a truly frightening experience. ATG tickets
very often do special offers so it's best to keep on checking their
website for new offers as you can sometimes get a good seat in the
stalls for under 20 pounds! In the circle you will still feel frightened
and part of the action but the stalls are the best bet, in my opinion."
"B 7, 8 and 9: (Lynn). When we sat down my daughter was a bit scared to
find we were in fact in the front row having been expecting a
"protective barrier" of people between her and the action. As the
extension to the stage sloped down towards us I was more concerned that
I could end up with a stumbling actor in my lap. However, later I found
the worst bit was the fog (dry ice) that is pumped out from under the
stage on the left hand side, which left us unable to see the stage
having engulfed seats A1-7, B1-11 and probably a lot of row C as well.
Although it passed fairly quickly it made quite a few people cough and
was quite unpleasant to sit in. I think people with asthma or other
respiratory conditions could find this a problem. Other than that as
already noted by other people you do have to look up, but the view is
excellent, my daughter said it was like being part of the cast!"
"B11 and 12: (KJ Hailes). Nice seats and view. Plenty of leg room."
"C3 and C4: (Sam Reid). Fine with sufficient leg room. Three rows from
the front and to the side; only problem was that you are looking up so,
if you suffer from neck problems as I do, probably best to sit a bit
further back."
"C12 and 13: Centre section on the aisle. Thank you to the monkey for
his recommendations! The front of stalls centre section really are the
best in the house. I was worried about the stage being too high... it
wasn't, in fact you could still see the floor. I also recommend the
aisle seat for a particularly excellent, immersive view. If you wanted
to pay top dollar for the premium seats further back I'd say go for it
but I would still prefer to be nearer the stage!! I felt very
comfortable but I should say that my friend got a slight crick in his
neck. I don't know why because he's tall and we could both see the
floor... might be relevant to some people. I really would avoid the side
section of the stalls."
"C17: Great seat!"
“D13 and 14: Although we had considerably more leg room than in most, if
I must make a criticism it is that you do have to look up all the time -
so don't sit so close if you have neck problems."
"E16: I am a big guy, 6.3" and many
seats are usually pretty crappy for me, but this time around I was
fairly lucky. Got a student ticket for £23 and got E16. Legroom was
tolerable (knees touched the seat in front) but I was able to stretch
out to the aisle. The seats were quite uncomfortable after a while
though.
" F7 and F8: Naturally felt very
close to the stage in such a small theatre. Our eye level was just above
the front of the stage and although the rake isn't great the view was
fine. Legroom perfectly acceptable for my height. Only minor issue was
that a trunk on stage mostly hid a key piece of the action, so a seat more towards the middle would be preferable. The
air conditioning was very welcome last night too! We paid £25 per ticket
on an offer, so the seats were excellent value."
"F12 and 13: These seats gave an almost central view of the stage and
were close enough to experience some the ‘action’. At 5ft 8 I found the
seats gave me adequate legroom but anyone taller might have a problem
and although the rake of the seating is hardly noticeable, the stage is
high enough for even the shortest of people to see over heads in front
of them."
G9 to G11: My Dad's 50th Birthday. Neither of us were disappointed with
these seats at £39.00, a decent price. I had a very tall person sat in
front of me (and I am 5ft 7) - this worried me at first. However, the
stage is quite high up from the seating level, and all I missed was the
actors' feet, And to be honest, their shoes are quite common anyway!"
“G10: The view of the stage was very good. Also, there was plenty of leg
room in the seats so having to endure aching legs whilst watching the
play."
"G10 and G11: Offered a good view of the stage."
"G12 to G14: (James – regular reader). Legroom is good here and the view
is great but I was particularly lucky not to have anyone sitting in
front as the rake is not that steep."
"H9: A good view of the raised stage. The Fortune is a small theatre
so most seats in the stalls provide a decent view."
"H15 to 17: I note that the monkey says "The Dress Circle overhangs
the stalls at row H.", but despite being in row H 15-17, the overhang
was very noticeable, turning the performance into letterbox format. The
audience near the stage seemed to "enjoy" the play more than those at
the back, judging by the screams, so if you don't want to be thinking
"I'll have what she's having!" I suggest a seat in A-F."
"J7 and 8: Gave an excellent view of the stage and there's plenty of
legroom so comfort isn't a problem."
"K 16,17,18 and 19: I was a bit concerned about the overhang of the
balcony but it made no difference. Before we would always have been
sitting closer. But these seats were terrific anyway. Plenty of leg room
which was surprising. Easy entry and exit as the door is just behind you
to the bar/hallway."
DRESS CIRCLE
Layout:
The Upper Circle overhangs the stalls at row E, it does not affect the
view from any seat.
Seats are split into two unequal blocks, the aisle cutting the lowest
numbered five seats in the row off from the rest.
Legroom:
Barely tolerable in all seats, worst in row A.
Choosing Seats in General:
The larger block offers an adequate view from rows C to F, if the bars
can be tolerated.
Avoiding the outermost two seats in all rows is advisable for a comfortable
viewing angle. Choose the stalls first.
F17 is at the disposal of wheelchair users who can transfer. The view is
poor but the only option on offer, sadly.
In the side blocks only B1 is discounted - the monkey would take row L
stalls over these at the same price for comfort and view.
General Hazard Notes:
Thick metal bars across the front of the circle affect the view from
rows A and B noticeably, and are mildly off-putting from other seats.
G1 is crammed into the corner of the venue by a wall. Not great.
Changes for the current production:
All performances EXCEPT Saturday Evenings:
Row B seat 1 and G seats 1 and 2 are at
second price. Monkey advice is to take stalls row L then box B at the same
money first. Then, if you absolutely MUST see the show at that price, take
the one in B before G... BUT the monkey would take a cheaper upper circle
box before doing so - simply for comfort...
Saturday Evenings: Row B1 remains second price - still last choice,
as above. However, rows E to G all also drop to second price. If you are
short enough to be friends with Snow White, take E over D and save
bananas to get the same few more cheaply. Take G 1 and 2 last as they
are not a saving over weekday prices - and aren't great anyway...
Reader Comments:
"A7: (Paul) Bought for £22.50 via an online ticket offer in November
2011. The view from these seats is incredible – you are almost eyeballing
the actors!! The bar that the monkey notes in his review really didn’t
affect my view at all. Monkey is correct, however, about the legroom which
is truly awful. Sat down, wedged my size 11’s between the seat and the wall
and 5”11 frame into my chair and didn’t move! However, the seats have been
recently refurbished so my bum and back were OK! BUT I would most definitely
sit here to see it again – at half-price, of course ;-)"
"B14 and B15 (Benjamin): Found the view to be very good although not
excellent as you would expect. The metal bars are in actual fact very low
and it is only in a couple of points that they affect the view as the action
nears the audience. At some points though you are glad to be away from the
action - theatre goers with a heart condition should not sit in the aisle
seats in the stalls!"
"C4 and 5:
(Chris B).
Excellent view, dress circle feels very close to the stage in a
fairly small theatre, so feels quite intimate. Adequate legroom (fine for
me, being 5ft 8) with the bonus of C5 being on the aisle to allow extra
legroom if needed."
"D12 and 13: although the view was brilliant, there is no space to speak of.
At all. The poor woman in front of me was subject to my foot in her lower
back on several occasions, just as I was from the man behind me. After a
while, you get kind of used to it, but nothing can prepare you for the numb
bum!! I would not recommend the dress circle for anyone above 5'10 as my
boyfriend had some real problems cramping himself in."
" F11 and F12: We had bought half price tickets from Leicester Square. I
have never felt so much like a sardine in a theatre! At 6', things can be
difficult but this was outrageous, especially considering these are classed
as top price seats. I also had to contend with someone's head blocking the
middle of the stage and a Pringle-munching heathen next to me, but the worst
thing by far was the legroom. If the theatre really thinks that these seats
are comparable to being in the stalls, then it is seriously deluded. You
also miss out a bit on the scares - for example, I am still unsure as to why
aisle seats in
the stalls are so nerve-wracking. Therefore, I think some of the Dress
Circle should be marked in red as it really is substandard."
"G5 and 6: An excellent view of the stage (very close, even for the
back of the circle) but the legroom again was minimal. Very comfortable
seats but you really do need to fold your legs up!"
"G6: Does have a seat in front of it and is just as cramped and
uncomfortable as all the others. Also, as the seat was next to the
entrance/exit curtain was additionally entertained throughout by the chatter
of staff downstairs in the bar."
Dress Circle Boxes
Layout:
One either side of the dress circle.
Legroom:
Good as movable chairs are used.
Choosing Seats in General:
Clear but side-on viewing angle to the stage. Fair value.
General Hazard Notes:
One reader notes the speakers housed here make them noisy!
Supposedly haunted.
Changes for the current production:
Sold as a "package" for this one, with extras. Better views in the
stalls, but not badly priced for something a little different.
Reader Comments:
Box B: Though views to the sides were limited we had a much better view,
much closer to the stage, and plenty of room to stretch out."
UPPER CIRCLE
Layout:
High up and feels behind as well as above the Dress Circle.
Split into two blocks.
Legroom:
Poor, especially in row A. A reader felt you could stretch sideways in
A2, though.
Choosing Seats in General:
In the lowest numbered seats (the smaller block in this circle) avoid
numbers 1 to 3 unless discounted.
In the larger block avoid the last two seats in the row.
If you must pay third price, take row D first, then C, then B, then row A if
you have to. Alternatively, consider a cheaper box if only for comfort.
At lowest price, only a few single end seats in rows A to D, plus the whole
of row G are cheaper than other upper circle seats. Skip E and F at third
price and take G for just about fair value at fourth if boxes don't tempt.
Be aware that rows F and G feel far from the stage.
General Hazard Notes:
Ornate ironwork runs across the front of this circle affecting the view
in rows A and B particularly.
Tall rails at the end of each row. These don't affect views particularly
from any seat.
Changes for the current production:
The whole of row A is cheaper, as are seats 1
and 2 in rows B to F. If you can't get box seats at the same price, then
take the cheapest seats from B back to F first - but the monkey would
pay more for stalls or box tickets if possible, just for comfort alone.
Reader Comments:
“(Kathy Sutter): The seats are rather small with no leg room but
otherwise OK."
“Row A: In row A, the safety bar was a real hindrance to a good view".
“Row A: Just a quick note to say you are dead right about Upper Circle Row
A. We sat in A13 and A14, and I had to watch the first half through the gap
in the safety rail. Legroom was ok for me, but I'm 5 foot; it was cramped
for my taller friend.
We moved to the Dress Circle box at the interval, and though views to the
sides were limited we had a much better view, much closer to the stage, and
plenty of room to stretch out."
"A2: The safety rail is a real issue. You either have to lean over it
(obstructing the view of those sitting behind you) or slink down in your
seat to watch through the gap in the two rails, which isn’t especially
comfortable. At least it’s a small theatre so you don’t feel too far
away from the stage. Leg room in this particular seat is actually very
good, because there’s a walkway leading to Box D in front of the seat &
off to the left, so you can stretch your legs out that way. The legroom
in this row otherwise would be uncomfortable for me at 5’3”."
"Row C: We dared not move from our seats in the
interval - as we couldn't have got out even if we tried - so we missed
buying a programme. My seat was 'broken', well, I say broken but several
nearby had the same problem. It wouldn't sit flat, so I spent the entire
time sat crunched up. We are both around 5ft 4 and suffered due to the
lack of leg room, our knees were literally overhanging the seats in
front, hitting the head in front and were practically chest high."
“C7 and C8: Good view as the theatre is not that high, though there was a
couple of sequences that were at the very very front of the stage which we
could not see. Legroom was a bit cramped and I am not even that tall."
Upper Circle Boxes
Layout:
Either side of the upper circle.
Legroom:
Good as movable chairs are used.
Choosing Seats in General:
Clear but side-on viewing angle to the stage. Good value if you prefer a
little more legroom than the circle provides for the same money, and are
willing to compromise on view a little. The monkey is.
Also, being cheaper, they seem worthwhile at bottom price in the monkey
view, for comfort alone - even with a side view.
General Hazard Notes:
Side on view of stage.
Changes for the current production:
None.
Reader Comments:
None.
Notes
Total 440 seats (and who knows what on the sofas!)
Air-conditioned auditorium.
No disabled facilities except guide dog sitter, touch tours of set and
occasional signed performances. A member of staff knows sign language but is not
always on duty. Wheelchairs are not allowed in and users can transfer to Dress
Circle seat F17 if they can get up five stairs from a fire exit. Fuller details at Ambassador
Theatre Group
or 0844 8717 677,
Artsline 020 7388 2227, email 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.
No food except ice cream and confectionery.
Two bars. Stalls and Upper Circle.
5 toilets in all; Stalls 1 gents 1 cubicle, 1 ladies 2 cubicles; Dress Circle
1 gents 3 cubicles, 1 ladies 2 cubicles; Upper Circle 1 ladies 1 cubicle.
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Nearest Underground Station:
Covent Garden - Piccadilly Line (dark blue).An ILLUSTRATED PHOTOGRAPHIC version of this route is available by clicking
here.
For mobility impaired audience members, the Society of London
Theatre provide a "photo map" - illustrated walking route to this venue from a
near landmark and also Waterloo Station (the nearest fully accessible station)
on their website
www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk, via the theatre's listing page on that
site.
On leaving the station, turn right and walk into the large pedestrian plaza
that is Covent Garden. If you see a long road with cars in front of you, wrong
way.
On entering the plaza space, turn to your left and walk along the collonaded
area (cut across if it is not raining). If you see Tesco Metro Supermarket or a bank, Wrong way. Keep walking ahead
as far as the collonaded area will allow (it forms the outer part of the market
Square). Follow it to the right. At the end of the building is Russell Street.
Walk along Russell Street, crossing one road, until you
reach a street corner with the Fortune Theatre to the left and the Drury Lane
theatre ahead of you on the opposite side of the road.
______________________________ A photographic
illustrated version of an alternative route from Temple underground station is
available by clicking here.
Plan your tube journey to this station using the button below:
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Buses:
6, 11, 13, 15, all stop on the Aldwych. Walk towards the Strand Theatre and
walk up the street next to it, uphill, past the Duchess Theatre. Drury Lane
Theatre is on the right side of this street, at the end corner. The Fortune
Theatre is just past the Drury Lane Theatre, to the right of it on the
crossroads at the end of the street. If you see the Aldwych or Lyceum Theatres,
wrong way.
Taxi:
A rank for Black taxis is at Charing Cross Station - a long distance
from the theatre. Best chance of hailing one in the street is to walk
down Catherine Street to the Strand / Aldwych.
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Car Park:
Parker Street, under the New London Theatre. Exit the Car Park and stand with
your back to the main foyer of the theatre. Cross the
road ahead of you and turn to your right. The street corner is there ahead of
you. If not, wrong way. At the corner of the street, Turn left into Drury Lane
and walk along it. If you pass the New London Theatre, wrong way.Walk straight on, crossing Great Queen Street. Continue down Drury Lane.
Please cross to the other side of the street and continue, crossing over Broad
Court and Martlett Court until you come to a four way crossroads.
Turn to your right at these crossroads. Do not cross any street. Just walk
ahead down Russell Street. Cross Crown Court and continue straight on, the
Fortune Theatre is on your right on your side of the street. If you come to
Covent Garden Piazza, too far.
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