4 posts
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Post by onlyverbally on May 19, 2016 0:36:55 GMT
Hi everyone!
I've got a question about how ticketing at the National Theatre works. I remember about a month ago reading about how the entire run of The Flick was sold out, but then out of nowhere, a whole lot of £15 tickets went on sale that were supposedly restricted view, but in reality couldn't have been better. Naturally I snagged one of these tickets, and I had no complaints about the view. Something similar happened when I saw Les Blancs. Although it was not sold out, I was able to get a front row ticket for £15 just about two hours before I saw the show. Again, the website claimed that the seat was restricted, but I couldn't have imagined a better view. It seemed strange to me that this ticket (and many others all around it at the same price) were still available, while more expensive, further back seats were sold.
I don't mean this to sound like I'm complaining about getting really good seats for a low price. On the contrary, I'm trying to figure out how to use this knowledge to get similar seats for shows there in the future. Is it normal for the National Theatre to hold off releasing these seats until the last minute? As an example, are the tickets that are currently available for the Young Chekhov plays the only ones that are going to be released? Or would it be in my best interest to wait until closer when they're open in the hopes that better tickets will be released?
Maybe no one knows exactly how the ticketing policy at the NT works, but I'm hoping someone who has been booking there longer than I have will be able to provide some insight!
Thanks!
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2016 7:35:39 GMT
The National ALWAYS keeps tickets aside to sell at nearer dates. I assume they say SOLD OUT coz they have sold out of their allocation up to that date. I get my National tickets by going online everyday and look for the date I want. Sure enough at some point a nice little front row £15 will pop up and pop into my pocket.
I assume they do this so people that aren't members/didn't book on first day gets a chance too
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2016 8:01:54 GMT
Sometimes I think they need to check visibility (I saw The Flick in New York, and the front row of seats was just low enough that you'd have had a job seeing the cast further back) and sometimes it'll be a staging issue (the two rows on stalls level at the front of the Olivier side blocks aren't always available for sitting) that they need to sort out before deciding if certain seats can be sold or not. And other times it'll be returns too, the NT is very good about putting returned tickets back on sale. I don't know if they purposefully hold good-but-cheap seats back so long to benefit latecomers, but latecomers do benefit from the other reasons seats appear for sale later in the day.
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93 posts
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Post by avenueqresident on May 19, 2016 10:00:57 GMT
Can also be unwanted house/production seats for the cast/crew members. Other theatres do this as well.
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Post by partytentdown on May 19, 2016 10:03:28 GMT
I was a bit cross after snagging what I thought was a rare £45 seat after everything else had 'sold out', only to discover a load of £15 seats with better views had gone on sale a few days later.
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on May 19, 2016 10:09:35 GMT
The NT often releases tickets after being sold out or nearly sold out, for reasons others have said. However, while some might be last minute, others go on sale quite some time in advance (like the £15 ones for The Flick). So, the only thing to do is keep an eye on things. This contrasts with some other places (including ROH) where extra tickets are usually released 2-3 days before the performance (and also on the day). I usually take 'sold out' to mean 'no more tickets available for the moment'!
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213 posts
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Post by peelee on May 19, 2016 14:12:51 GMT
The National Theatre will have a ticketing policy that is stated, probably on its website. But not spelled out is the range of situations facing the theatre, cast members, or individual or corporate buyers of tickets such that tickets for sale can appear hours or even days before any given performance of a play. I rather like the way that tickets can be booked months ahead at a range of prices and according to how many other buyers there are at the time, but also well after those booking periods whether full price or discounted in order to fill the theatre when something has not been selling that well. You take a punt, don't you?
I've got bargains on the day, online. I have queued for day tickets although not always getting tickets as a result. I have booked months ahead so keen was I to get tickets for certain plays, then found that others lacked my keenness and later they got the ticket-discounts. I guess I've bought tickets originally bought by people who could not get to London as intended, or who have had to leave London suddenly, or from people suddenly bereaved. Three or four times in the last couple of years, I've acquired tickets returned because of imminent London Underground strikes, worked out how to get home by non-Tube means, and then the strikes didn't take place because both sides returned to the negotiating table so I got home without any inconvenience.
You keep your wits about you, in the London manner!
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on May 19, 2016 17:55:47 GMT
I'd quite like tix for the Chekovs all on one day, a mid week. So if anyone has but doesn't on reflection want, do let me know.
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2016 18:13:34 GMT
I'd quite like tix for the Chekovs all on one day, a mid week. So if anyone has but doesn't on reflection want, do let me know. There's a bunch of tickets for Wednesday 24th August - you need to look at the "three play day" link not the individual shows |
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on May 19, 2016 18:37:01 GMT
Ta I'll have a look
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2016 19:46:10 GMT
Or wait and see if the 3 cheks are in the £20 rush offer! I'm hoping to heck they are!! In this climate I don't think I can justify £50 on watching the upper class play
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44 posts
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Post by Hana PlaysAndParasols on May 20, 2016 10:38:33 GMT
I think the 3 shows will be 60 though in Friday Rush because for Entry Pass it was 15 instead of regular 5.
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on May 20, 2016 14:49:27 GMT
Thanks, I looked but the seats were in the circle and frankly I can't hear well from there. Sad ain't it? There were stalls seats on a day I can't go. I sat in the circle for Utopia and it was thankfully miked because hey, I'm not the only one. A while ago now so maybe the stage schools have improved the 'how to project in the Olivier' class.
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