A friend and I would like to see Les Miserables at some point. If we're gonna see it though, we want really good seats (dress circle, with the stage dead centre, for example. I understand that this is usually everybody's preference). However, to get good seats we would be unable to see the show this year. How far in advance do people book?! I was looking at dates in October and there are barely any seats available.
I understand that there are theatre deals but I'm not sure how they work.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Middle of the stalls is fine for Les Mis, doesn't have to be the dress circle and certainly doesn't have to be the middle of a row. I've seen Les Mis from a side aisle seat in the middle of the stalls and abou 5 seats from the aisle in the middle of the dress circle. Perfect views both times and nowhere near centre.
If it's a show I really want to see on a particular date from good seats, I book a few months in advance. Pretty much every show sells from more than one ticket agency, so if you're just looking at Ticketmaster or See Tickets then you'll get the wrong impression about how sold out the show is. You should check them both, and Delfont Mackintosh as well as that's the company which owns the Queens Theatre.
I've just searched for the evening show on the 12th October and got Dress Circle row G on See Tickets, row C or F and plenty in the stalls on Delfont Mackintosh and row G Dress Circle or row Q stalls on Ticketmaster.
Plenty of good seats available, I think your mistake is thinking that the only good seats are dead centre, which you're only ever going to get if you book as soon as a date is put onsale. Theatre deals won't necessarily have centre seats either.
What it does boil down to though is that you have to decide whether you want to see the show more than you want to have the absolute best seats in the house (which isn't necessary at all for any show in my opinion). And remember all the middle of a row in the prime spots in the dress circle and stalls will be premium pricing as well - £97 a ticket. You can get practically as good views for much less elsewhere in the theatre by being a bit less fussy.
I have a tradition in which I go to the theatre on my birthday with my mum. We've chosen a show now for this year (my 30th!)....Phantom of the Opera. Have always wanted to see it but just not made it, until now. So very excited and I hope it lives up to the hype.
My favourite musical of all time is Les Miserables.
I have a tradition in which I go to the theatre on my birthday with my mum. We've chosen a show now for this year (my 30th!)....Phantom of the Opera. Have always wanted to see it but just not made it, until now. So very excited and I hope it lives up to the hype.
My favourite musical of all time is Les Miserables.
Phantom of the Opera is my favourite musical of all time!
Happy Birthday when that day reaches, I'm sure you'll enjoy the show. It honestly is a must-see, I think it deserves all the hype.
I'm gonna see Book of Mormon later this month, I keep putting it off. That better live up to all the ballyhoo surrounding it.
Phantom of the Opera is my favourite musical of all time!
Happy Birthday when that day reaches, I'm sure you'll enjoy the show. It honestly is a must-see, I think it deserves all the hype.
Thanks, and I really do hope I'll love it. I enjoy listening to the original London cast recording a lot and I can't wait to see the visuals so I can picture them in my head when I listen to the album in the future. I have purposely avoided the film version as it got panned by those who love the stage show, so I'm going in fresh. Cannot wait!
Well I had my annual trip to London and saw Matilda again and The Book Of Mormon, both brilliant although the performances/show and music of Mormon appealed more than the south park humour.
IRO my own performances I've had an amazing 2013 so far. I was lucky enough to be introduced last minute and take on the role of Agnes in John Pielmeier's "Agnes of God" at The Woodford Players in July, just three of us girls in it, I had to tackle singing latin plainchants, medieval french, glorias and ave marias and going through stigmata/insanity but it's the best thing I've ever done, it's still with me now.
Sweeney Todd at The Lowry was just amazing.
I also played Mary in Be My Baby by Amanda Whittington in March for the third time which was just a blessing, it was heartbreaking to read the lines for the last time.
My next role is Chrissie in "If I Were You" by my absolute favourite Alan Ayckbourn at Stockport Garrick in September, everyone's so talented, cannot wait! x
Anyone seen anything recently? I've been quite good this year and kept up with all the new shows..
Charlie and the Chocolate factory - enjoyed this as it's such a good story. Douglas Hodge was excellent. Only thing that let it down was I didn't come out humming any of the songs!
The Commitments - more of a play with music than a musical. Loved it but then I have always been a big fan of the book/film. Great cast.
From Here to Eternity - Saw this in previews and instantly loved it. I feel I am alone on this from what I have read on musical theatre websites! So many songs got stuck in my head!
The Light Princess - looks beautiful but again didn't come out humming the songs so not 100% sure on this. Found it a bit bland.
Lots to look forward to next year with Stephen Ward, Urinetown, I can't sing, Miss Saigon, Candide, and American Pyscho
Charlie and the Chocolate factory - enjoyed this as it's such a good story. Douglas Hodge was excellent. Only thing that let it down was I didn't come out humming any of the songs!
I went to see that - and, on the train home, my iPhone decided to play Pure Imagination (which I had on there because of it being used in the Closing Ceremony of the Olympics).
OH and I off to 'The Smoke' next month - we're going to see the 39 Steps (again) - we couldn't get tickets (at face value :mad:) for The Book of Mormon, we're also going to see The Duck House as well as our favourite - Improv night at the Comedy Store - the best (and best value) show in London.
Saw Matilda recently and loved it, great performances (especially from the girl playing Matilda!), very funny and the lyrics are very clever.
Also made a return visit to Once, which is still one of my favourite shows in town, it's practically flawless. Had front row seats this time and it was brilliant to be that close and see all the emotion the actors put in their performances.
Also saw the Sheridan Smith/David Walliams A Midsummer Night's Dream a few weeks ago. It's my favourite Shakespeare so I always enjoy it, and thought it was an interesting production - Smith was great though Walliams really only can play one character... Katherine Kingsley stole the show as Helena, but apart from Puck I thought the majority of the cast were strong, and it was entertaining overall.
Just on the off chance that anyone here is interested in plays as opposed to musicals - I saw Richard II last night at the RSC (the one with David Tennant) and it was superb, really good. Especially considering it's a play I don't know, a historical period I don't know, and that Shakespearean histories are often a bit dense, the story was very clear. The set was fantastic, and the acting excellent from the whole cast. They're busy getting camera crews installed as it's being broadcast live in lots of cinemas next Wednesday night, if anyone is interested - I'm going to see it again!
Just on the off chance that anyone here is interested in plays as opposed to musicals - I saw Richard II last night at the RSC (the one with David Tennant) and it was superb, really good. Especially considering it's a play I don't know, a historical period I don't know, and that Shakespearean histories are often a bit dense, the story was very clear. The set was fantastic, and the acting excellent from the whole cast. They're busy getting camera crews installed as it's being broadcast live in lots of cinemas next Wednesday night, if anyone is interested - I'm going to see it again!
Sounds brilliant.
I saw it ages ago with Derek Jacobi (he was still really too old for the part then but was excellent). I did study it for A-level so had a head start on it! There are some great lines in it.
I should be going to see Felicity Kendal and Simon Callow in Chin Chin soon. I've seen her before (in Heartbreak House with Paul Scofield) but not him.
I'm off to see Charlie and The Chocolate Factory today, really looking forward to it, am a fan of the film but have heard that only one song from the film is in the show.
It's my birthday week :cool: and I went to see The Ladykillers last Sat, which was excellent, and I got a front row seat for £20, which was a blooming bargain.
Found some theatre vouchers stuck down the back of a draw at home so have booked tickets to Miss Saigon next year - also have tickets to see American Psycho the Musical over Christmas
Found some theatre vouchers stuck down the back of a draw at home so have booked tickets to Miss Saigon next year - also have tickets to see American Psycho the Musical over Christmas
Off to look whether American Psycho have any tickets left (they don't )
Am thinking of booking Oliver at the Hawthorne Theatre though, have you ever been there?
We've just booked for the RSC Henry IVs (both parts) next March. I'm really looking forward to them - they follow on directly from Richard II and that was wonderful. And the revamped RSC main theatre is beautiful.
I saw Priscilla again in November, totally fab and OTT as usual then a couple of weeks later I saw Cabaret wow, the final scene silenced the audience. It was the most powerful thing I have seen at the the theatre. Ever.
Will Young and the cast were amazing and it really did take me a couple of weeks to get the shivers out of my spine every time I thought of the show.
I have never experienced something so powerful at the end of a show that the audience doesn't laugh or clap. Everyone sat in stunned silence and it wasn't until the actors ( who were totally naked) left the stage then came beck on with dressing gowns on. Then the place erupted.
I was given tickets for Twelve Angry Men for Christmas (or “Eleven Angry Men and One Great Big Magnificent Hollywood Legend” as the Telegraph suggested:D) Really looking forward to it.
Bit late I know but if anyone has Iplayer there were two good programmes on BBC4 tonight. Michael Grade was on doing a documentary on musicals and this was followed by a programme about the secret voices of musicals. It's still on now and is about the ghost singers in the famous films such as Debbie Reynolds, Deborah Kerr, Natalie Wood. Rita Heywood , Maralyn Monroe, Christopher Plummer to name but a few. it's quite interesting because they are talking to producers, actors, actresses and the ghosting singers. It's is really interesting and talks about how singing for some nearly blew vocal chords, how the ghosts had to be able to read the actresses to get the singing right.
Deborah Kerr was the only person to blow the secret of her ghost singer Marni Nixon.
She sang for most musical directors / producers and didn't get credits so she had to fight to get royalties and to get that someone had to give up there's to get something like half a percent.
Really interesting programme and well worth catching if you like musicals
I'm going to see The A To Z Of Mrs P the Saturday after next and I wondered if anyone else has seen it? It's had quite good reviews and stars Frances Ruffelle, who I'm a huge fan of. I've heard a bit of music from it and it sounds like it will be a charming show. I hope so, as I've found theatre to be very disappointing these last several years in terms of creative new musicals. All those God-awful jukebox/movie inspired ones, sigh...
I saw Of Mice And Men at a local theatre last night, and was lucky enough to be taken to see Wicked at Cardiff's Millennium Centre the night before that.
Very different productions in nearly all ways, but both very impressive.
Comments
Middle of the stalls is fine for Les Mis, doesn't have to be the dress circle and certainly doesn't have to be the middle of a row. I've seen Les Mis from a side aisle seat in the middle of the stalls and abou 5 seats from the aisle in the middle of the dress circle. Perfect views both times and nowhere near centre.
If it's a show I really want to see on a particular date from good seats, I book a few months in advance. Pretty much every show sells from more than one ticket agency, so if you're just looking at Ticketmaster or See Tickets then you'll get the wrong impression about how sold out the show is. You should check them both, and Delfont Mackintosh as well as that's the company which owns the Queens Theatre.
I've just searched for the evening show on the 12th October and got Dress Circle row G on See Tickets, row C or F and plenty in the stalls on Delfont Mackintosh and row G Dress Circle or row Q stalls on Ticketmaster.
Plenty of good seats available, I think your mistake is thinking that the only good seats are dead centre, which you're only ever going to get if you book as soon as a date is put onsale. Theatre deals won't necessarily have centre seats either.
Use www.theatremonkey.co.uk for opinions on seats, it's usually pretty accurate.
What it does boil down to though is that you have to decide whether you want to see the show more than you want to have the absolute best seats in the house (which isn't necessary at all for any show in my opinion). And remember all the middle of a row in the prime spots in the dress circle and stalls will be premium pricing as well - £97 a ticket. You can get practically as good views for much less elsewhere in the theatre by being a bit less fussy.
My favourite musical of all time is Les Miserables.
Phantom of the Opera is my favourite musical of all time!
Happy Birthday when that day reaches, I'm sure you'll enjoy the show. It honestly is a must-see, I think it deserves all the hype.
I'm gonna see Book of Mormon later this month, I keep putting it off. That better live up to all the ballyhoo surrounding it.
Thanks, and I really do hope I'll love it. I enjoy listening to the original London cast recording a lot and I can't wait to see the visuals so I can picture them in my head when I listen to the album in the future. I have purposely avoided the film version as it got panned by those who love the stage show, so I'm going in fresh. Cannot wait!
IRO my own performances I've had an amazing 2013 so far. I was lucky enough to be introduced last minute and take on the role of Agnes in John Pielmeier's "Agnes of God" at The Woodford Players in July, just three of us girls in it, I had to tackle singing latin plainchants, medieval french, glorias and ave marias and going through stigmata/insanity but it's the best thing I've ever done, it's still with me now.
Sweeney Todd at The Lowry was just amazing.
I also played Mary in Be My Baby by Amanda Whittington in March for the third time which was just a blessing, it was heartbreaking to read the lines for the last time.
My next role is Chrissie in "If I Were You" by my absolute favourite Alan Ayckbourn at Stockport Garrick in September, everyone's so talented, cannot wait!
Anyone seen anything recently? I've been quite good this year and kept up with all the new shows..
Charlie and the Chocolate factory - enjoyed this as it's such a good story. Douglas Hodge was excellent. Only thing that let it down was I didn't come out humming any of the songs!
The Commitments - more of a play with music than a musical. Loved it but then I have always been a big fan of the book/film. Great cast.
From Here to Eternity - Saw this in previews and instantly loved it. I feel I am alone on this from what I have read on musical theatre websites! So many songs got stuck in my head!
The Light Princess - looks beautiful but again didn't come out humming the songs so not 100% sure on this. Found it a bit bland.
Lots to look forward to next year with Stephen Ward, Urinetown, I can't sing, Miss Saigon, Candide, and American Pyscho
I went to see that - and, on the train home, my iPhone decided to play Pure Imagination (which I had on there because of it being used in the Closing Ceremony of the Olympics).
I have, but I haven't bothered to post about them - by the looks of it, nobody else is interested in the sort of stuff I tend to go and see.
Also made a return visit to Once, which is still one of my favourite shows in town, it's practically flawless. Had front row seats this time and it was brilliant to be that close and see all the emotion the actors put in their performances.
Also saw the Sheridan Smith/David Walliams A Midsummer Night's Dream a few weeks ago. It's my favourite Shakespeare so I always enjoy it, and thought it was an interesting production - Smith was great though Walliams really only can play one character... Katherine Kingsley stole the show as Helena, but apart from Puck I thought the majority of the cast were strong, and it was entertaining overall.
Oliver
Les Misérables
West Side Story
Blood Brothers
Grease
Mamma Mia
Saturday Night Fever
Starlight Express
... I did see another one but I've forgotten the name.
I saw it ages ago with Derek Jacobi (he was still really too old for the part then but was excellent). I did study it for A-level so had a head start on it! There are some great lines in it.
I should be going to see Felicity Kendal and Simon Callow in Chin Chin soon. I've seen her before (in Heartbreak House with Paul Scofield) but not him.
It's my birthday week :cool: and I went to see The Ladykillers last Sat, which was excellent, and I got a front row seat for £20, which was a blooming bargain.
Off to look whether American Psycho have any tickets left (they don't )
Am thinking of booking Oliver at the Hawthorne Theatre though, have you ever been there?
Tickets were already selling well - then they announced Matt Smith was playing the lead I think they sold out that day
Will Young and the cast were amazing and it really did take me a couple of weeks to get the shivers out of my spine every time I thought of the show.
I have never experienced something so powerful at the end of a show that the audience doesn't laugh or clap. Everyone sat in stunned silence and it wasn't until the actors ( who were totally naked) left the stage then came beck on with dressing gowns on. Then the place erupted.
Deborah Kerr was the only person to blow the secret of her ghost singer Marni Nixon.
She sang for most musical directors / producers and didn't get credits so she had to fight to get royalties and to get that someone had to give up there's to get something like half a percent.
Really interesting programme and well worth catching if you like musicals
Very different productions in nearly all ways, but both very impressive.