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Post by timmiechaw on Mar 17, 2018 17:11:52 GMT
Hi there! First time poster here~
I will be visiting London from NYC in May for the first time in my life, and am planning to make the whole trip all about theatre! (Fun fact: I managed to get tickets for West End Hamilton, and I realized that the price of a Broadway Hamilton ticket equals a West End Hamilton ticket + my round-trip flight.) I’m constantly impressed by so many great theatres you guys have (and the price is way cheaper!) and I don't think 10-day is enough. So really need suggestions and recommendations from you experts so that I can make the best use of my time there and watch some good shows. This season of Broadway has been mediocre for me, so really need to be "rescued" by London theatres.
So far I've booked tickets for The Ferryman and Harry Potter. I am definitely intrigued by Jamie, Bat Out of Hell, and also UK Les Miz. But not sure if I should try for day tickets or TKTS for them? I'm also hesitating if I should get a ticket for shows like The Inheritance, Chess, Young Frankenstein, Witness for Prosecution, Brief Encounter, etc. Really open to any suggestion that I did not mention above though!
Thank you in advance for your replies. I am just so excited for this trip that I feel like I barely understand my own words...
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Post by Elle on Mar 17, 2018 19:20:08 GMT
Welcome to the board timmiechaw ! Isn't it amazing the first time you look up London shows and see you can get good tickets in advance for less than what you would pay for at TKTS NYC? The great thing about the London TKTS is that they sell tickets for the next 2 days too, unlike the NYC one. I would also recommend looking at TodayTix, I got a few great deals there for my last trip and they do some rush tickets too. I like big musicals myself but that might not be your cup of tea, as they say in the UK. 😉 I really enjoyed 42nd Street and Dreamgirls. In November I started a similar tread and it's filled with great advice on fun things to do in London. The people here are really helpful. Also there is a thread discussing theatre tours, which is useful if you're interested in that. I can highly recommend the National Theatre tour. Whatever you see or do I'm sure you will have a great time in London. 😊 |
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Post by ellie1981 on Mar 17, 2018 19:29:35 GMT
Rush seats on TodayTix for 42nd Street is a great bet. Just a fantastic night out for everyone.
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Post by Mark on Mar 17, 2018 19:37:08 GMT
You don't want to miss Jamie! Dayseats are £25 at box office
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Post by basi1faw1ty on Mar 17, 2018 21:07:22 GMT
Hi de hi!
Production recs... Urm... Well I mean, I'm a bit rubbish at rec-ing people, plus I've never seen any of the big musicals in Theatreland (not a big musical person tbh *le gasp*) so I can't say anything there, but I can suggest The Globe for £5 (if you're into The Bard and enjoy standing up at the mercy of the weather), some National Theatre plays perhaps, or as Elle already mentioned, an NT tour, and/or The Play That Goes Wrong (and/or its cousin, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, though as of posting this, I have yet to view it); cheap as chips (in general not just thru TKTS) and a great antidepressant.
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Post by NeilVHughes on Mar 17, 2018 23:01:46 GMT
Maybe consider some ‘Off West End Theatres’, read reviews for shows playing at these Theatres that appeal
Royal Court
Park Theatre
Almeida
Orange Court Theatre
Donmar Warehouse
Southwark Playhouse
Hampstead Theatre (Downstairs for £12 is a steal)
Plus many others (apologies to the ones I have missed)
If anything they will give you an opportunity to escape the West End and see more of London.
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Post by timmiechaw on Mar 18, 2018 3:48:41 GMT
Welcome to the board timmiechaw ! Isn't it amazing the first time you look up London shows and see you can get good tickets in advance for less than what you would pay for at TKTS NYC? The great thing about the London TKTS is that they sell tickets for the next 2 days too, unlike the NYC one. I would also recommend looking at TodayTix, I got a few great deals there for my last trip and they do some rush tickets too. I like big musicals myself but that might not be your cup of tea, as they say in the UK. 😉 I really enjoyed 42nd Street and Dreamgirls. In November I started a similar tread and it's filled with great advice on fun things to do in London. The people here are really helpful. Also there is a thread discussing theatre tours, which is useful if you're interested in that. I can highly recommend the National Theatre tour. Whatever you see or do I'm sure you will have a great time in London. 😊Than Thank you very much for your input, Elle!! These are really helpful suggestions, and yes, for theatre expenditure I should move to London (LOL Definitely go check these two shows and theatre tours look absolutely interesting--just put some theatre tours into my schedule! |
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Post by timmiechaw on Mar 18, 2018 3:50:37 GMT
Rush seats on TodayTix for 42nd Street is a great bet. Just a fantastic night out for everyone. Thanks for the rec! Definitely put 42nd street into my plan now since two people have suggested it! |
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Post by timmiechaw on Mar 18, 2018 3:55:54 GMT
You don't want to miss Jamie! Dayseats are £25 at box office Thank you for your reply! How is the day seat for Jamie? Do you have any suggestion that when should I arrive at the box office? I'm also considering buying tickets two days in advance in TKTS. It seems that they always have discount tickets for Jamie. |
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Post by timmiechaw on Mar 18, 2018 4:02:05 GMT
Hi de hi! Production recs... Urm... Well I mean, I'm a bit rubbish at rec-ing people, plus I've never seen any of the big musicals in Theatreland (not a big musical person tbh *le gasp*) so I can't say anything there, but I can suggest The Globe for £5 (if you're into The Bard and enjoy standing up at the mercy of the weather), some National Theatre plays perhaps, or as Elle already mentioned, an NT tour, and/or The Play That Goes Wrong (and/or its cousin, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, though as of posting this, I have yet to view it); cheap as chips (in general not just thru TKTS) and a great antidepressant. Thanks for the suggestions! I've watched The Play and it is so much fun! Def would like to give a try to its cousin (LOL |
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Post by timmiechaw on Mar 18, 2018 4:06:29 GMT
Maybe consider some ‘Off West End Theatres’, read reviews for shows playing at these Theatres that appeal Royal Court Park Theatre Almeida Orange Court Theatre Donmar Warehouse Southwark Playhouse Hampstead Theatre (Downstairs for £12 is a steal) Plus many others (apologies to the ones I have missed) If anything they will give you an opportunity to escape the West End and see more of London. Thanks for your suggestion! Royal Court, Park Theatre, Almeida, Southwark...they are all amazing theatres! The only concern is just that the shows they schedule for May are still yet to open (and frustrated I'm gonna miss so many good shows like Mary Stuart, Julius Caeser and Kiss of the Spider Woman!). Sorta annoying when one tries to plan ahead, but definitely will keep an eye on them! |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2018 7:00:05 GMT
Some good tips here! I'd definitely second the recommendation of The Globe, a unique experience and also it's one of the few theatres with Sunday performances which may help you fill your trip! London listings for May can be found here - www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/calendar/may?page=1Ones you might want to look at in addition to those already mentioned are "Red" and "Consent". Ones to avoid (based on general opinion here) are Macbeth at the National and The Moderate Soprano at the Haymarket. On "Chess" it's unclear at the moment whether that's staged / semi staged or concert performance, plus it's very pricey so I'd hang on for that one! For ticket discounts, have a look at www.theatremonkey.com/CURRENTSPECIALOFFERS.htm. Also the TodayTix app sells discount tickets for London, including day seats and lotteries but also for up to 30 days in advance. Some of the theatres (eg Donmar, Almeida, National) have a release of rush tickets a week or so in advance - check their websites for details. |
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Post by Mark on Mar 18, 2018 8:52:33 GMT
You don't want to miss Jamie! Dayseats are £25 at box office Thank you for your reply! How is the day seat for Jamie? Do you have any suggestion that when should I arrive at the box office? I'm also considering buying tickets two days in advance in TKTS. It seems that they always have discount tickets for Jamie. As long as you are there by 10am you'll be fine. I've had great stalls seats both times. |
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Post by theatreian on Mar 18, 2018 10:36:40 GMT
If you are a Tina fan , it may be worth seeing the world premiere of the Tina Turner musical. I am seeing it at the end of May with Chess which I would also recommend. You don't need to spend a fortune for Chess as there is still good availability of the cheaper tickets. Saw Bat out of Hell last year and it was amazing so would recommend that too. Have a fabulous trip. It sounds amazing.
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Post by Elle on Mar 18, 2018 12:44:45 GMT
You're welcome timmiechaw, happy to help a fellow tourist. 😊 I think 10 days for your first trip is perfect, you will be able to see lots of shows and lots of London! Then May seems like a great time to visit, with the new shows and warmer weather. I forgot to add the links of the threads I mentioned before, here they are: theatreboard.co.uk/thread/3846/first-london-theatre-triptheatreboard.co.uk/thread/4083/theatre-toursSome practical tips, you need to check your electric appliances as we use a different voltage in Europe. Your phone charger will probably be dual voltage, in that case you just need the UK type plug for it. Then I recommend getting an UK Sim card so you can use your phone freely, if it's unlocked. Last time I was there I paid £10 for a prepaid card from EE and it had a generous allowance of data, calls and texts valid for 30 days. On arrival you will need to get an Oyster card for the public transport. You can get that at the stations. You pay a £5 deposit for the card which you can keep and use for future visits. Yep, you'll probably will want to visit London again. 😄 |
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Post by timmiechaw on Mar 18, 2018 23:42:50 GMT
Thank you for the tips! It's really helpful to get acquainted with these websites for a first-timer! Definitely go check these two plays!
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Post by timmiechaw on Mar 18, 2018 23:46:23 GMT
If you are a Tina fan , it may be worth seeing the world premiere of the Tina Turner musical. I am seeing it at the end of May with Chess which I would also recommend. You don't need to spend a fortune for Chess as there is still good availability of the cheaper tickets. Saw Bat out of Hell last year and it was amazing so would recommend that too. Have a fabulous trip. It sounds amazing. Really excited for Bat out of hell, and checking for Chess now. May not be able to fit more shows in my schedule but thanks for your recs!! |
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Post by timmiechaw on Mar 18, 2018 23:50:32 GMT
You're welcome timmiechaw , happy to help a fellow tourist. 😊 I think 10 days for your first trip is perfect, you will be able to see lots of shows and lots of London! Then May seems like a great time to visit, with the new shows and warmer weather. I forgot to add the links of the threads I mentioned before, here they are: theatreboard.co.uk/thread/3846/first-london-theatre-triptheatreboard.co.uk/thread/4083/theatre-toursSome practical tips, you need to check your electric appliances as we use a different voltage in Europe. Your phone charger will probably be dual voltage, in that case you just need the UK type plug for it. Then I recommend getting an UK Sim card so you can use your phone freely, if it's unlocked. Last time I was there I paid £10 for a prepaid card from EE and it had a generous allowance of data, calls and texts valid for 30 days. On arrival you will need to get an Oyster card for the public transport. You can get that at the stations. You pay a £5 deposit for the card which you can keep and use for future visits. Yep, you'll probably will want to visit London again. 😄 Already browsing these two threads and can't stop! There are so many tips for a first-time traveler! Also thanks for your really helpful tips and yes I should not only focus on shows 😄 |
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Post by Mark on Mar 19, 2018 5:45:41 GMT
Oh another tip for you - London has a lot of variation of performance days. Depending on what you want to do, it’s possible to see a show every evening mon-sun, and a matinee every day except Mon/Fri.
Weds/thurs are the main midweek matinee days (check theatremonkey for a schedule) but a handful do a Tuesday and it’s worth checking the National for the occasional Tuesday matinee too
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 19, 2018 9:24:49 GMT
On arrival you will need to get an Oyster card for the public transport. You can get that at the stations. You pay a £5 deposit for the card which you can keep and use for future visits. Is it necessary to get an Oyster card now that all of the buses and tubes take payment by swiping a contactless credit or debit card? My understanding was that if you use a contactless card, all of the fares are calculated and the relevant fare caps applied as if you’d bought a one day or weekly travel card. I thought you only really needed an oyster these days if you have a long term travel card. (I may have got this completely wrong but someone will put me right if so!) |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2018 9:36:54 GMT
On arrival you will need to get an Oyster card for the public transport. You can get that at the stations. You pay a £5 deposit for the card which you can keep and use for future visits. Is it necessary to get an Oyster card now that all of the buses and tubes take payment by swiping a contactless credit or debit card? My understanding was that if you use a contactless card, all of the fares are calculated and the relevant fare caps applied as if you’d bought a one day or weekly travel card. I thought you only really needed an oyster these days if you have a long term travel card. (I may have got this completely wrong but someone will put me right if so!) You are correct! since my Oyster card stopped working I've not bothered to replace it just used contactless- fare cap still applies etc. I guess the only caveat is if you'd rather not get your card out at every station, and just prefer to keep the Oyster card in a pocket etc. for security, which I do think of. But am too lazy/cheap to get a new one... |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2018 9:50:33 GMT
It very much depends on whether a visitor has a contactless card or not, especially if they're coming from outside the UK. Also, I do have contactless, but I still prefer to use an Oyster card because it helps my monthly budgeting to have my travel costs out of my current account and onto the Oyster card all in one go.  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2018 9:55:33 GMT
Also, if you're from overseas, depending how your card provider charges for overseas use you could end up paying a transaction fee every time you use it, so it may be cheaper to pay once to top up an oyster card.
Another tip though, you can get a refund on the remaining balance on the card and the deposit at a ticket machine when you've made your last underground journey.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 19, 2018 10:50:07 GMT
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Post by Elle on Mar 19, 2018 12:21:30 GMT
The more options to pay for transport in London the better. 👍 However not all cards issued outside the UK can be used for contactless: tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/contactless/what-are-contactless-payment-cards?intcmp=8610At home I don't carry much cash on me and pay for almost everything with cards. When I travel and pay with cards in another currency not only do I get a low exchange rate I also pay a transaction fee. So before my trip I exchange some money at a good rate and use that for everyday small purchases like coffee, food, etc there. Then I bury my cards in another wallet deep down my bag, in case I need them. While traveling I am much more aware of keeping my cards safe. So for that reason I also prefer to wave my Oyster card around. I think it just comes down to personal preference on what to use. I'm coming back to London next week and know so much more this time. Already looking forward to having Nando's again, that was good! 😄 |
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