[David Casteel]The good old Globe Theatre has been offering those of us willing to stand throughout the performance ‘groundling’ tickets for just £5 for years, and – thankfully – there’s no sign of that tradition coming to an end anytime soon. You can even swan in twenty minutes before the performance starts and be pretty much guaranteed a decent view.
Alternatively some shows offer standing tickets if you turn up at the right time. It’s a bit of a gamble, but it does occasionally pay off to wander round Theatreland during the day and ask at the box office – try Les Misérables for £12.50 standing tickets at the back of the dress circle.
[Steve Keiretsu]The National Theatre cares about the cultural education of young people and they’re making it very cheap for young Londoners to get some theatre in. Certain performances have limited numbers of Travelex tickets priced at £15 and 16-25s can get tickets to any show for £7.50 as part of their Entry Pass scheme. You really have no excuse not to go and see something at those prices!
You can also queue up in the mornings for £15 day tickets (read about those in their FAQs). If all else fails, there’s NT Live – which broadcasts performances live to 800 cinemas across 30 countries – so you can watch from the comfort of your local picture house.
5. Seize the day
[Luc Mercelis]Day tickets are available for loads of West End hits: Stomp, The Mousetrap, The Phantom of the Opera, Matilda and An American in Paris all offer good stalls tickets on the day at much reduced prices. You’re best off checking their respective websites for further information on this one though, because every theatre does things slightly differently.