Cheap theatre tickets

Before hitting 'buy' on those cheap seats you've found, you probably want to make sure you can watch the entire show in comfort and won't be stuck behind a pillar or with your knees jammed into the seat in front.

If you're wondering whether a seat's worth its price tag, you can check what sort of view you'd have at many major theatres with SeatPlan (UK-wide) or Theatremonkey (London only). These are packed with detailed info on views, legroom and more – cheaper seats are often further from the stage, or have a restricted view, so these can be useful tools to check what sort of experience you might have before you buy.

And now SeatPlan has gone a step further and released a handy round-up of analysis entitled Restricted view seats – the West End’s best kept secret, which draws on its wealth of seat ratings to unearth the hidden gems. A good example is some of the rear stalls seat of Les Misérables – they're discounted due to the circle overhang, but are consistently rated 5 stars, because only a couple of moments on top of the barricade in Act Two are actually obstructed.

As mentioned above, some theatres offer 'pay what you can' performances, where the price is up to you to decide. They'll usually be on a specific date in a show's run, and will have limited availability so you may need to book quick.

Theatres we've seen doing this include:

• Nottingham Playhouse
• ARC in Stockton 
• Battersea Arts Centre in London 
• Harlow Playhouse
• Theatre Royal Stratford East
• Arcola Theatre in London

The misleadingly named Kids Week runs throughout the month of August every year. With every full-paying adult, a child can go completely free to about 45 top West End shows. In the past there have been 150,000+ tickets up for grabs, with 100,000 snapped up by midnight of day one.

With West End prices hardly the easiest on the wallet, Kids Week could save you anywhere between £15 and £90 depending on what you see.

Some might find the official Kids Week Facebook page useful. Here, theatre fans recommend shows and good value seats to one another the whole year round (not just during Kids Week).

Another cheaper option offered by many theatres is 'day seats'. These are tickets that theatres hold to be sold on the morning of the performance, which typically range from £5-£35 each.

Often seats are on the front row of the stalls or the best available, and you can usually get two tickets per person. You might have to pay in cash so it's best to phone the box office before you go to check – it'll also often have a good idea of the sort of times people start queueing from so you know when to get there.

Numbers are limited, with many shows having about 20 or fewer available. If it's a popular show you may have to start queuing as early as 7am (box offices often don't open till 10am Monday-Saturday and noon on Sundays, so wrap up warm).

For a decent list of current West End shows' day seat policies, see Theatremonkey's day seat finder.

Visit the TKTS booth for same-day ticket deals

If you're heading to the West End anyway, it's worth visiting the TKTS theatre ticket booth, which has stood in Leicester Square in one form or another since 1980. Run by Society of London Theatre, it's open every day of the week and offers a list of same-day London show deals.

As an added bonus, it's staffed by knowledgeable theatre buffs who can recommend shows and answer any other questions about your theatre trip. But if you can't go to the TKTS booth in person, deals are also available online these days.

Not able to queue? Check online for rush schemes

The TodayTix* app also runs a lot of West End theatre 'rush' schemes – these are like day seats but you don't have to queue in person at the theatre. Instead, tickets become available in the app at 10am for that day's performance(s).

Tickets for popular shows sell out in seconds, so you'll need speedy fingers to nab 'em – though a trick if you miss out at first is to wait 10 minutes in case people don't buy the tickets they add to their baskets (as you only have this long to buy them).

If you're heading to New York and want a theatre trip, top-price tickets can be $100s. But don't despair, there are plenty of ways to hunt out cheap tickets for Broadway shows, including lotteries and day seats.

For full info see our New York On A Budget guide.

Official London Theatre's New Year sale begins at 10am on Thursday 16 November for those with a Mastercard (and 10am on Tuesday 21 November for everyone else). More than 40 top West End shows are available for £10 to £50, with no booking fees.

We'll have more details once the sale launches. In the past we've seen 100,000 tickets available at the sale's start, spread across shows such as Les Misérables, Matilda and Swan Lake.

If you've a show in mind, can't find a discount but the venue's close by, the best plan of action is to go directly to the box office.

This will bypass most fees, including booking or postage, though be aware many tickets include a 'restoration levy' in the price which goes towards the upkeep of the theatre – this'll be charged regardless of how you book.

What's more, be nice to the ticket office staff and you could even bag an upgrade. It goes without saying that you should always be polite when buying tickets (or indeed anything), but turning on some extra charm could even get you a bargain. 

While box office staff can't give you freebies or massive discounts, they are sometimes able to pull some strings and give you a 'band A' seat at a 'band C' price, for example. Some ticket sellers have been known to throw in a couple of free drinks after having a good natter, so you never know what you could get by being nice.

Go to the kiosks and bars in venues themselves and you'll often find yourself paying through the nose for food and drink.

Prepare in advance to make sure you don't end up spending all the money you've saved booking tickets – pop to a supermarket on the way to the theatre and pick up some bargain sweets or soft drinks. Sadly we haven't found a way to keep ice cream from melting so if only that'll do for your interval treat, hope there's a newsagent nearby (or shell out at the venue on a fancy tub).

It's always worth checking on the theatre's website if they have rules about taking in snacks – while many theatres will let you, some of the bigger venues have stricter policies. For example, the Palace Theatre (currently showing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) conducts bag searches and says "food or drink purchased outside of the theatre will not be permitted inside the building".

London's Southbank Centre has a programme of free live-streamed plays and events which can be watched via Zoom. Look for the 'FREE' tag. You'll need to book a ticket to reserve your slot.

The Bush Theatre's Monday Monologues comprises plays written and recorded during lockdown, making them a real snapshot of recent history. They're available to watch for free.

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical has been playing in the West End for over 1,000 performances, and every single one has been different, thanks to its troupe of quick-witted improvisers. Faced with an empty auditorium one night, they live-streamed a new show on Facebook. That show is still available to watch today and it might just be the cheerer-upper you need.

Exciting things are happening via app – immersive shows that 'take place' in your own home and really push the boundaries of what theatre can be.

Pioneering theatre company Darkfield has a series of unique immersive audio shows, intended to be experienced from your home. The shows require earphones, a smartphone and, depending on the show, some simple household props. Last season, two tickets cost £10 plus a service fee. However, you can experience three of their audio shows completely free on BBC Sounds.