How To Get Cheap Tickets in London's West End?

Anytime my friends are heading to London, I always get asked; "Richard, how do I get the cheapest tickets for a West End Show?" In this article, I'm going to give you my top tips on how to get cheap tickets, and even share with you a tip I learnt a couple of hours ago!

Tip 1: Pick the Perfect West End Show for Your Budget and Taste

Want to see the Summer's hottest new show? Or maybe you want to see an Academy Award winner on stage? I hate to break it to you, but some of these shows are really hard to get tickets for or may burn a hole in your wallet!

With this tip, I would recommend doing the following steps: Step 1: Who is going with you, and what does the group want to see? If I'm heading to the theatre with my Mother (who hates sad musicals), I will not be taking her to see Les Miserables! Deciding what everyone wants (and does not want) from the show will really save you all the hassle later!

Step 2: Using this information, I would always suggest choosing a genre of show (Comedy, Tragedy, Jukebox etc.) and then choosing a long running show to see if you can get cheaper tickets.

For example, Wicked has been running on London's West End since 2006 and is a crowd pleaser. It has everything; special effects, comedy, drama, dancing, spectacular costumes! Tickets for this show rarely sell out given the size of the Apollo Victoria, so you could score lucky and get some discounted tickets!

Here's my suggestions for Long Running West End Shows based on Genre:

Happy: Book of Mormon is hilarious and is a great crowd pleaser, if your party does not have a sensitive disposition. The Play That Goes Wrong also falls into this category, as does The Lion King.

Dramatic: Shows like Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera pack a punch with the feels, while still being spectacular!

Jukebox: Mamma Mia is always a great hit and usually has tickets available up to show time.

Tip 2: Score Cheap Last-Minute Tickets with Day Seat Deals

In London and want to see a show that day? Last-Minute Day Seats is a great way to score a cheap seat! When I was in college (many many years ago!), we used to queue in the morning outside the theatre until the Box Office opened, and then there would be a certain number of tickets available. Since COVID, Day seats are now being sold online. Here's a great website that outline which shows are offering Day Seats and how to obtain them. A word of warning though, sometimes the seats can be in the front row and if the stage is high, your view will be obstructed!

Tip 3: Use TodayTix for Exclusive Discounts and Flash Sales

Not sponsored (but if there is someone reading this from TodayTix, hit me up!), but I love TodayTix. It's great to see what shows are playing, very easy to use and also have some amazing flash sales! I've got some amazing tickets on the day from Today Tix. Just download the app and get searching!

You can access Today Tix here: https://www.todaytix.com

Tip 4: Check Seat Views and Book Smart with SeatPlan

This is my secret weapon! SeatPlan has some great deals (also not sponsored!) but has a great feature where people can share a picture from their seat. This way you know if you'll be sitting behind a pillar or not (trust me, we've all been there!).

You can access SeatPlan here: https://seatplan.com

Tip 5: Speak to Theatre Staff for Insider Ticket Tips

No one knows the theatre better than the amazing Front of House staff working in London's West End. Being Theatre lovers just like me and you, they will always try their best to get you the best deal, and I always trust the staff on where to sit. We used this tip today for our upcoming challenge, check back for a video of this coming very soon!

That's all I have folks! Let me know if I missed anything or if you have any tips you'd recommend.