Where to get cheap theatre tickets in London

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Visit the Official London Theatre ticket booth

Seeing a West End production is high on the list of things to do in London for many first time visitors.

If you want to see a particular show on a particular date – and it’s a popular show – you’ll need to book well in advance.

But for most other shows, particularly ones that have been running for years, it’s generally possible to get last minute tickets for a fraction of the face value.

The best place to get these in person is from the Official London Theatre ticket booth (formerly TKTS London) in Leicester Square.

It’s touristy but it’s the real deal.

It’s run by the Society of London Theatre, which represents over 200 theatres in London, including the London Coliseum, Apollo Victoria Theatre, London Palladium and the Royal Opera House.

Tickets are usually sold at a discount of anywhere between 20% and 50% (sometimes more), and are usually for shows that evening or the next day.

You might have to queue if it’s busy, and there might be less availability if it’s the weekend.

The one good thing is that there are digital displays that show you availability and prices for popular shows so you can decide whether it’s worth queueing. 

Check ticketing websites

If you’re fairly tech savvy, using a ticketing website can save you the hassle of queueing and might even help you unearth cheaper tickets.

For really last minute tickets, try TodayTix*.

It usually releases tickets around 10am each day for shows that evening, and you can book them until right before the show starts – as long as there’s still availability of course.

Tickets start from £15 and seat assignment is at the discretion of the theatre.

If you’re booking ahead, you could also try London Theatre Direct*, Love Theatre* and ATG Tickets*.

All three run regular promotions for West End productions, which range from early booking discounts to seasonal discounts.

Most of the shows on ticketing websites are musicals, which I’m not a big fan of, but occasionally you’ll find other types of shows as well.

Consider restricted view and standing tickets

A few of the bigger venues in London offer seriously cheap tickets for their restricted-view and standing tickets.

The Royal Opera House offers both restricted-view and standing tickets from as little as £3 for most productions while Shakespeare’s Globe and the attached Sam Wanamaker Playhouse have £5 standing tickets throughout the year.

I’ve done it lots of times – sometimes even booking on the day of the performance – and had a great time.

Shakespeare’s Globe is actually one of the things I recommended in Lonely Planet’s Experience London* book, which I co-authored a while ago.

The standing tickets are a little tougher as you’re upright for a couple of hours, so it isn’t for everyone, while the restricted-view seats mean you might miss some of the action.

The venue will generally show you a preview of the seat so you can decide whether the view is too restricted for you.

It depends on the performance, too. For ballets you might end up missing a lot of the action but for plays you can usually still follow along.

Look out for festivals

There are arts festivals throughout the year that highlight smaller venues and lower budget productions in London.

A good example is Camden Fringe Festival, which was launched as an alternative to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Tickets are between £5 and £20 for these shows, and occasionally concession rates are available for children and the elderly.

Sometimes big theatres will get in on the action too, offering you the opportunity to see West End productions at a discount.

London Theatre Week is the event to look out for.

It actually takes place twice a year around February and August, and lasts for more than a week, but you can buy the tickets online from TodayTix*.

Occasionally there are also free performances around London.

The Scoop near Tower Bridge is one of my favourite places to see free theatre in London.

Be a seat filler

Lots of theatres and production companies in London will work with seat filler organisations to pack the audience for a new show or lesser-known venue.

There are a couple of reasons.

One is actor morale. Seeing a filled theatre is always going to be more positive than a half empty one.

There’s also the marketing push. Hopefully by bringing more people in, word of mouth will spread and bookings will improve on their own.

For the seat filler, it means being able to see shows at a huge discount.

Often tickets are less than £5 or even free.

The downside is that you have no choice when it comes to where you sit and you might end up seeing a dud.

I love being a seat filler though. 

Sometimes the show is rubbish, but often they’re surprisingly good and are in really interesting or historic venues.

Try The Audience Club or OTL. You’ll have to pay a small fee to be a member for these but the savings are certainly worth it if you plan to see at least a couple of shows.

There’s also Central Tickets. It’s free to join, but I find the discounts aren’t as good and the shows aren’t as interesting.

Check your credit or debit card

Lots of credit and debit cards offer rewards these days just for spending on the things you love.

Occasionally these rewards translate to discounts or cashback – and yes, it sometimes includes theatre too.

The trick is to look for a card that’s specifically promoted as a cashback or reward credit or debit card.

It’s worth noting that offers change all the time, which means there might not be one available when you want to see a show.

Book directly

If there’s a specific, popular show you want to see, you might be able to save by enquiring with the venue directly – especially if you can do it in person.

For one, you can avoid paying third-party booking fees. That said, some venues will add their own booking fee so it’s worth looking out for those.

But going in person means you may get access to tickets that are not advertised anywhere else, such as returns from people who have cancelled.

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