Page 344 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

342  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

Fringe Theatre Budget Tickets balcony offer the cheapest seats
London’s fringe theatre acts as There is a wide range of prices but you will have to climb
an outlet for new, adventurous for seats in London theatres. several flights of stairs; the slips
plays produced by a variety of The cheaper West End tickets, are seats that run along the
writers from different cultures for example, can cost under edges of the theatre; boxes are
and backgrounds – works by £10, whereas the best seats the most expensive option.
Irish writers appear regularly, as for musicals hover around It is also wise to bear in mind
do plays by Caribbean and Latin £35–50. However, it is usually that some of the cheap seats
American authors and feminist quite possible to obtain have a restricted view.
and gay writers. cheaper tickets.
The plays are usually staged “tkts” (see p339) is the only
in tiny theatres based in pubs, official discount theatre ticket Theatre Tours
such as the Gate Theatre above shop in London, and sells tickets Those intrigued by what goes
the Prince Albert pub in Notting on the day of the performance on behind the scenes should try
Hill, the King’s Head in Islington for a wide range of mainstream a backstage tour. The National
and the Latchmere pub in shows. Located on the south Theatre (see p340) organizes
Battersea, or in warehouses and side of Leicester Square, the tours of its three stages –
spare space in larger theatres, booth is open Monday to Lyttleton, Olivier and Cottesloe
such as the Donmar Warehouse Saturday 10am– 7pm for matinee – as well as the workshops
and the Lyric. and evening shows, and Sunday and dressing rooms. The
Venues like the Bush Theatre, 11am– 4:30pm for matinees London Palladium also offers
the Almeida and the Jerwood only. Payment is by cash or a backstage guided tour
Theatre Upstairs at the Royal credit card, and there is a strict complete with an account
Court have earned their limit of four tickets per purch ase, of the theatre's history.
reputations for discovering and a small service charge.
outstanding new works, some You can sometimes get Haunted Theatres
of which have subsequently reduced-price seats for matinee
transferred successfully to the performances, press and Many of London's oldest
West End. preview nights – it is always theatres are reputed to
Foreign-language plays are worth checking with the box be haunted; however, the
sometimes performed at office to see what they currently two most famous spectres
national cultural institutes; for have on offer. haunt the Garrick and the
example, you might be able to Duke of York’s (see p341).
catch Molière at the Institut Choosing Seats The Garrick is heavily
Français or Brecht at the atmos pheric and the ghost
Goethe Institute; check the If you go to the theatre in of Arthur Bourchier, a manager
at the turn of the 20th
listings magazines. person or book online, you will century, is reputed to make
For alternative stand-up be able to see the theatre's fairly regular appear ances.
comedy and cabaret, where you seating plan and note where He hated critics and many
can encounter the sharp edge you can get a good view at an believe he is still trying to
of satire with its brash, newsy affordable price. If you book by frighten them away. The
style, try the Comedy Store, telephone, you should note the Duke of York’s theatre is
the birthplace of so-called “alter- following: stalls are in front of said to be haunted by
native” comedy, or the Hackney the stage and expensive. The Violet Melnotte, an actress
Empire, a former Victorian back stalls are slightly cheaper; manager during the 1890s,
music hall that show cases local dress, grand or royal circles are who was famed for her
talent and hosts theatre, music above the stalls and cheaper extremely fiery temper.
and comedy events. again; the upper circle or
Fringe Theatre Donmar Warehouse Hackney Empire Theatre 503
41 Earlham St WC2. 291 Mare St E8. The Latchmere Pub, 503
Almeida Map 13 B2. Tel 020 8985 2424. Battersea Park Rd SW11.
Almeida St N1. Tel 0844 871 7624. Tel 020 7978 7040.
Tel 020 7359 4404. Institut Français
Gate Theatre 17 Queensberry Pl SW7. Royal Court
Bush Theatre The Prince Albert Pub, Map 18 F2. Sloane Sq SW1.
Shepherds Bush Green 11 Pembridge Rd W11. Tel 020 7871 3515. Map 19 C2.
W12. Map 9 C3. King’s Head Tel 020 7565 5000.
Tel 020 8743 5050. Tel 020 7229 0706. 115 Upper St N1. Map 6
Goethe Institut
Comedy Store 50 Prince’s Gate, F1. Tel 020 7478 0160.
1a Oxendon St WC2. Exhibition Rd SW7. Lyric
Map 13 B3. Map 11 A5. King St, Hammersmith
Tel 0844 871 7699. Tel 020 7596 4000. W6. Tel 020 8741 6850.

342-343_EW_London.indd 342 21/03/17 2:22 pm