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Hints and Tips
YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHY YOU NEED A SITE LIKE THIS…
When looking for theatre tickets on the internet, you might assume that it is a sensible approach to visit one of the leading search engines to find agents with availability. This is not always the case, and here’s why:
We search the biggest and best ticket agents in the land to provide you with a definitive list of what’s available and at what price. We’ll also give you links to where the best deals and offers can be found.
Below we provide some basic information, we also provide details on the suppliers we use.
TYPES OF TICKET SUPPLIER
There are loads of different types of ticket supplier and loads of different reasons why you may select one over another. Some, have better seats than others, some have better prices than others and some actually have seats when everyone elses is sold out.Below we have explained tha main types of ticket supplier that appear on this site.
More >>>TICKET BUYING TERMINOLOGY
- FACE VALUE
- This the price quoted by the box office for a ticket prior to any booking fee of handling charge.
- BOOKING FEES
- These are charges quoted by the seller on top of the face value. Officially appointed agents do not charge more than 25% per ticket and many charge less than that.
- HANDLING CHARGE
- This is fee typically charged as set amount on the whole booking not on a per ticket basis.
- BEST AVAILABLE
This means that the client will be given a seat that could be anywhere in the theatre at the discretion of the seller.
HOW SEATING IN A TYPICAL THEATRE WORKS
For the uninitiated, theatre seating can be confusing so we thought we’d try and explain. Above is a generic example of a theatre and how it works.
Stalls: These seats are often the best and most expensive in the theatre (in the USA this is called the Orchestra). It is not unusual for all Stalls seats to be top price but it does vary from theatre to theatre.
Dress Circle: The first few rows of the dress circle, one level up from the stalls are also usually top price seats. As you move back in the Dress Circle prices should drop.
Upper Circle: Just to confuse you, some theatre have more than one circle.
Balcony: These seats are up again from the Dress Circle and can be quite high up giving you a view of the top of actor’s heads. They are usually quite inexpensive.
Box: Boxes are a mixed blessing, they can be quite special and have an air of exclusivity about them but, equally, they do not always give you the best view of the stage. It very much depends on the theatre.
Restricted View: Occasionally you will be offered a ticket that has a restricted view. This usually means that your view of the stage may be partially obscured by a pillar of overhang. The price will reflect this.
Super Seats: Some theatres are offering “super seats”, the best views and comfortable too – the price reflects this
<<< LessLOOKING FOR A DISCOUNT AND FINDING THAT TICKET – HINTS
FINDING DISCOUNTS
Avoid weekends and school holidays – Theatre producers aren’t stupid, they know when you want to go and these periods book up fast and rarely are discounts available.
Try earlier in the week – Most shows discount earlier in the week when sales are harder to find. Even for a hot show, it is worth searching on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Be flexible – Sometimes discounts are offered on a “best available” basis. This means you may not know your seat numbers before you arrive at the theatre but the staff will seat you in the best seats that are not sold at full price. They are often pretty good.
View from on high – Try the balcony and upper circle. Most people who want to see a show want the best seat they can get. This often means that theatres struggle to sell the cheapers seats. If you are really on a budget, give it a try.
<<< LessSeatChoice
SeatChoice.com, the online resource for locating the best theatre tickets at the best prices for shows, concerts and events both in London and the UK. SeatChoice lets you compare and buy the tickets of your choice with the comfort that you’re getting the best deals currently available for theatre tickets.
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