Have you ever been late to a show?

Yes three times in 2018 but all due to disruptions in public transport as I don't drive. Might seem a lot but there have been over 200 shows I got to in time.

At the Old Vic in the summer they first told me I had to wait at the back until the interval (of Sylvia) but I spotted an empty aisle seat and they let me sit there. At the London Coliseum for Kiss me Kate there were several of us all delayed on the tube and about ten minutes late - we were taken to our seats after the first song. The worst one was High Society at Richmond Theatre where I missed the whole of the first half having sat on a train to London for an extra two hours due to a lineside fire. Fortunately I wasn't that taken by what I did see !

I aim to arrive somewhere within walking distance of the theatre around an hour before curtain up but with sometimes long journeys by train or coach involved there's always a risk of something going wrong.

I once got lost inside the Barbican and was late and missed the first scene, even though I'd been in the building half an hour early. It was a long time ago though, because it was the RSC Plantagenents (mid 80s?)

Only been late to one show, usual Train delays got to Covent Garden about 7:20 for a 7:30 start for my first visit to the Donmar.

Should have been OK but spent 15 minutes getting completely lost in the backstreets, had to catch the show as a standee ruefully looking at my empty seat, not sure what it is about the Donmar, on my first few visits was consistently getting lost.

Nowadays always aim to get to a new venue 30-45 mins early and if visiting a new out of Town Theatre the first thing I do is find the venue and only then settle into a bit of sightseeing.

Have missed a couple of shows due to Train issues, nowadays keep an eye on the Thameslink / Citymapper apps a couple of hours before I need to leave to check for issues and plan appropriately.

I nearly missed “Company” a couple of weeks ago. My train from Manchester was cancelled due to speed restrictions on the entire network due to a storm, which frankly wasn’t noticeable (it was actually a pleasant day weather wise) . Fortunately I found out on time and got an earlier train , which was packed , and I actually got a seat too . That train was scheduled to be an hour late arriving in London (so I found out as the train set off) but was eventually about an hour and forty minutes late. I just had time to get a coffee and walk to the theatre for the matinee . My return on the same day was uneventful, but it really makes me wonder if it’s worth the risk of treating myself to an expensive theatre ticket when the railways are not reliable . My previous theatre day trip to London resulted in a very long delay on the return journey and I had to pay for an extra day on my car park ticket which ran out at midnight.

24 hrs late a couple of times.

OH and 7 days early.

There is no real excuse for anyone to be late, we have a perfect transport system that never never goes wrong and will get you there on time, especially the Underground!!!

Fortunately just the once, at Once! I was accompanying a school trip when the coach was late to leave. I think that missing the first ten minutes contributed to my dislike for the show itself, too.

When the trains were re-routed away from our station last year due to a tragic incident, we drove to the next nearest station on the line to ensure we didn’t miss Harry Potter. To make matters worse the weather was particularly terrible and it was touch and go whether we would get there at all. Very stressful, but after all very much worth it.

I've been close once. Seeing The Go Between at the Apollo, we were having dinner somewhere in Covent Garden and literally had to run. We got to the theatre at around 7:30 but luckily because we had just got in the door as the show was about to start they held the curtian.

I was almost late to Come From Away due to 5 Central line trains in a row being too full to get on. Eventually resorted to running to the theatre from Oxford Circus and making it to my seat just in time.

Can only think of two occasions ever. 1st fine was A Funny thing etc at the NT years ago. Went straight from work and traffic was horrific. Got off the bus in Trafalgar square and ran over the bridge. Missed about 15 minutes of Mr Quasts thighs.
2nd time was the actor/musician Sweeney Todd at the Ambassadors. Loads of us were late and they a snuck is all in about 10 mins into the show.
I think if I was ever late and not allowed in until the interval I wouldn't bother.

I've only been late four times, the worst by far being when I missed about 15-20 minutes of Northern Broadsides' For Love or Money at the Playhouse in Liverpool. I got to Calamity Jane at the Empire (also Liverpool) a few minutes late, and the nice thing there was that they let me stand at the back until the end of The Deadwood Stage, then take my seat while people were clapping at the end of the song.

Completely different experience when I was late to the matinee of Part One of The Inheritance at the Noel Coward (?). It had an early 1.15 start time, and I'd only travelled down to London that morning, was staying at a different hotel, and underestimated how long it would take to get there. I was only a couple of minutes late, but it must have been one of the rare shows that actually starts on time. An usher took me up to the circle bar where there was about a dozen people already watching on a screen. Then she took me down to the stalls where I had to sit in a random unoccupied seat at the back until the first interval, as my seat was one of the cheap ones on the front row.

The other time I was late in London was going to The Pajama Game at the Shaftesbury Theatre. I'd never been there before, so looked it up online beforehand. I've usually got a pretty good sense of direction, but not this time as I got off the Underground and went off up what I now know to be Tottenham Court Road.

I hate getting there late. It's not just what you've missed, but I find it's really hard to settle down and focus afterwards.