Page 341 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

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Booking Tickets
Some of the more popular
shows and plays in London’s
West End – starring big-name
actors, for instance – can be
totally booked out weeks and
even months ahead. Though
this isn’t the norm for every
show – and tickets are often
available on the day – it is
always best to book tickets in
advance, especially if you are
keen to see a particular show.
Tickets can be bought from Line-up from the Royal Ballet, on stage at Covent Garden
the theatre box office in person,
by telephone or online. Box change, and do not be tempted reserves 700 standing tickets
offices are usually open from to buy from ticket touts or for every performance for
10am to 8pm and accept unofficial Internet sources. £5 only.
payment by cash and credit Many venues sell unclaimed or Get Into London Theatre runs
card. Theatre websites will returned tickets on the day of an annual ticket promotion
usually show the seating plan the performances; ask at the box during January and February,
with available seats and prices office for queuing times. where tickets are available for a
highlighted. To reserve seats by plethora of shows for £10–£40.
telephone, call the box office Discounted Tickets
and have your debit or
credit card ready. The TKTs booth in Disabled Visitors
Some venues have Leicester Square has Many London venues are
separate phone been in operation old buildings and were not
numbers for your since 1980 and is a originally designed with
credit card great place to find disabled visitors in mind, but
bookings and discounted tickets a lot of facilities have been
some don’t accept for big West End updated, particularly to give
credit cards at all, so shows, plays, operas access to those using
always check. Pre- and ballets. It sells wheelchairs, or for those
booked tickets can be on-the-day tickets, with hearing difficulties.
collected at the theatre Palace Theatre plaque sometimes for half the Telephone the box office
or posted to you – price. It opens Monday prior to your visit to reserve
tickets are often not to Saturday 10am–7pm the special seating places or
posted until nearer the show and 11am–4:30pm on Sundays. equipment, which are often
run. Remember to take your Many theatres release a set limited. Special discounts may
payment card with you if you amount of tickets for as little as be available; for details and
are collecting from the theatre. £10, so it is worth signing up to information on facilities, visit
Tickets are also available from theatre mailing lists. A number Artsline’s website.
agencies, such as Ticketmaster. of reduced-price tickets are
Always compare prices, try to usually available to those DIRECTORY
avoid agencies in bureaux de under 25. The Globe (see p181)
Listings and Booking
Artsline
∑ artsline.org.uk
Get Into London Theatre
∑ getintolondontheatre.co.uk
London Theatre
∑ londontheatre.co.uk
Society of London Theatre
(SOLT)
∑ officiallondontheatre.co.uk
Time Out London
∑ timeout.com/london
TKTs Leicester Square
∑ tkts.co.uk
The TKTs booth in Leicester Square

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