TodayTix
This app allows you to book tickets for up to 30 days in advance. The thing we love about this app are the promotions they run; online lotteries for Dreamgirls, Don Juan in Soho and Kinky Boots run every day as well as being able to unlock Rush tickets for shows such as An American in Paris, 42nd Street and Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour. At 10am a limited amount of tickets get released for discount prices for that same day, a must if your budget is bellow £25!
The general deals on this ticketing app are also really good, especially after winning the Society of Box Office Managers ticketing agency of the year award this year, it is hotter than ever. A must have download for any theatre fan.
Use this code to get £10 off your first order: IHIOQ
Day seats
A number of shows have day seats that are available at the box office on the day of performances; Wicked is most famed for this system, with fans known to camp overnight to get a hold of these tickets on cast change days. Others shows that run these are The Lion King, School of Rock, Half a Sixpence and Annie. If you're looking for day seats whilst in London, best thing to do is check the official website for the most updated explanation on how the deal with day seats.
Lotteries
The TodayTix Lotteries are fantastic because you don't have to leave the comfort of your own home to enter them. Aladdin now have moved their lottery online so you can now join this one whilst sipping a cup of tea in your kitchen. The ones you'll have to actually leave the house for are the Book of Mormon and Hamilton Lotteries. But they are a fab way to get the best seats for the lowest prices.
Theatre Café
The most stagey place to visit in London also do discount theatre tickets; connected to the discount agency London Theatre Bookings, this Café is a must for all theatre regulars. You can put on your favourite cast recording whilst sipping your musical themed drink of your choice and checking out the walls full of theatre memorabilia. If you fancy checking out the latest deals then just ask a member of staff and you might be able to bag yourself a nice bargain!
Pocket Sized Deals!
If you didn't know, Pocket Size Theatre sell theatre tickets! Tickets for major shows like Wicked and Kinky Boots as low as £19.50 and the other deals just keep getting better. If you're looking for a ticket for the same week or for a few months in advance, this is the place to visit and check out our deals. Take a look here!
Another trick of the trade, Seat Plan is a must for all theatre goers. Unless you know the theatre like the back of your hand sometimes its a little bit of a gamble to buy seats that you're not so sure what the view will be like. Seat Plan have created a system where people can upload pictures of what the view is like from their seat. Their own theatre deals aren't the best but if you're second guessing purchasing that ticket, log onto this site and double check whether the price you're paying is worth it!
1. Use your common sense
3. Buying Full price tickets
TKTS are not the cheapest. There are a few different companies around London (You'll find them all in Leicester Square) and if you look closely you'll be able to identify the different companies. For some shows TKTS might have good deals but joining the huge queue at 10am to grab a hot ticket might not be the best use of your morning.
8. They are never half price
Signs outside saying 'Half Price tickets' are just a lie. Think you're going to get a half price ticket for The Lion King? Think again. This is something that does happen in New York but in London its just not a thing.
Seat Plan
Common misconceptions about 'half price booths'
So it has come to my attention that most people don't really understand how the ticket booths in London work. Yes, they tend to have some great deals but these are not guaranteed. I thought I'd put together a list of tips specifically for these booths and how to use them to their advantage.
1. Use your common sense
Shows that sell out on a night to night bases are not going to be doing half price tickets; The Lion King, The Book of Mormon, Les Miserables and Aladdin are not going to discount their tickets. Unless its a very quiet period or you get lucky, they don't tend to discount very much.
2. Consider the time of year you are going
2. Consider the time of year you are going
If you're going in school holidays shows that are aimed at children are not going to be discounted, so trying to get cheap tickets to Matilda, The Lion King or School of Rock in the middle of August are just not going to happen. However going for shows that are not suitable for children during the school holidays could work in your favour. Maybe seeing Kinky Boots, Dreamgirls, Motown or Beautiful during the children aimed periods could be a good option!
Sometimes ticket companies buy their tickets from the theatres at full price, meaning they then sell on the tickets with extra fees on top to make a profit. When they get discounts tickets it means they have already bought them at a lower rate or have an agreement with the box office. If the only thing they have available is the full price tickets, maybe check with the official box office because you might be able to avoid unwanted fees!
4. Last Minute tickets
In New York the 'last minute discounts' are part of the ticketing culture but in London, this is not the case. Whether you book on the day or 5 days before, the deal/discount will most likely be the same. The discounts generally go live at the beginning of the week/a few days before.
5. Do not buy tickets from the man on the street.
The men on the street looking to flog you tickets are not the ones to go to, always look out for a shop with an official STAR logo (Secure Tickets from Authorised Retailers).
The men on the street looking to flog you tickets are not the ones to go to, always look out for a shop with an official STAR logo (Secure Tickets from Authorised Retailers).
6. Discounts are not on the cheaper seats
The £15 tickets at the back of the upper circle are not going to be discounted, the top priced seats will be the ones that have the pounds shed off. So if your budget is £20, you might get nowhere. But if you're willing to part with a little more, you'll get so much more for your money.
7. TKTS
8. They are never half price
Signs outside saying 'Half Price tickets' are just a lie. Think you're going to get a half price ticket for The Lion King? Think again. This is something that does happen in New York but in London its just not a thing.
