Where can you get cheap theatre tickets, I was asked the other day. Well, if you're canny there are lots of ways to find reduced-price shows, and I am hoping that readers might have some more suggestions to add to this not-very-complete list.
The old traditional method for London's West End is the Half-Price Ticket Booth. There's one in Leicester Square and one on the DLR platform in Canary Wharf. The snag here is that you have to turn up in person on the day and take your chance - but you can check today's offers online. There are some pretty good shows, including Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, with £45 tickets down to £25. Frequent users say if you can get to the Canary Wharf booth, use it - no queues, apparently.
Lastminute.com is another useful source. Hamlet with Anita Dobson and Anything Goes with Angela Rippon may not be especially appealing as nights out, but you can see Jerry Springer: the Opera in Cambridge, with the best seats at £20, and the RSC's The Crucible in the West End is being offered with £21.50 off tickets, from £12.50. If you're aged between 16 and 25 you might be able to get your hands on limited £5 tickets for that show, too, under the RSC's own scheme.
The National Theatre has its much-publicised Travelex £10 tickets currently available for The Royal Hunt of the Sun, but there are also £10 day seats and student standbys for other shows, too, if you are willing to queue and take your chance. Last night when I was at the National for Mike Leigh's 2000 Years they were also offering a special limited £10 deal for the first 10 performances of The Voysey Inheritance (from April 18). Quote "10 at 10" when you call the box office - 020 7542 3000.
Travelex also sponsors some cheap tickets at the Royal Opera House. You can apply by ballot for tickets for the £10 Mondays. The successful few get the best seats in the house, which can be over £100 under normal circumstances. There is also a £10 student standby scheme.
And it's worth turning up to English National Opera at the London Coliseum for heavily reduced standbys on the day - £79 tickets for Sir John in Love the other week were going just before the performance for £30, and there were plenty to spare in the half-empty dress circle.
Any other pearls to pass on?
