How to get cheap West End theatre tickets in London

From the family favourite Disney’s Frozen to the hilarious Book of Mormon, the unmissable Phantom of the Opera and many more.

The West End is known for producing some of the best quality theatre shows in the world and brings in millions of tourists every year excited to see one of the many productions.

Whilst going to the theatre is a lot of fun and can be a forgettable memory for many, their ticket prices can add up.

The expensive tickets can make seeing a show in the West End very hard for many, but there are ways to grab cheaper deals.

From discount ticket sites, grabbing last-minute tickets and even getting discount codes, here are four ways you can get cheap West End theatre tickets.

How to get cheap West End theatre tickets in London

Search around for cheap tickets

Sometimes it can be best to search around for tickets across selling sites to see how good of deals they offer.

It’s best to start on the show you are planning to see website, their prices will not be discounted and you will likely be paying full price.

However, if you look around at other sites including London Theatre Direct or LOVEtheatre.com you may be able to grab a deal.

Websites like the above-mentioned sell tickets to West End shows but with a cheaper price tag and are completely official.

Here’s a list of some of the best ticket deal sites:

Buy tickets on the day

If you’re willing to chance your luck, you may be able to grab last-minute cheap tickets on the days of shows.

Sometimes shows have unsold seats and will sell tickets at discounted prices, with Royal Court Theatre offering tickets for just 10p.

Whilst now all theatres offer 10p tickets, you can still save big, by heading to the box office or online on the day you may be able to see a popular show for more than half price.

However, it’s important to know that if you are planning on heading down on the day, you should try and aim for off-peak shows, such as midweek rather than weekends.

West End lotteries

Lotteries are great if you want to see a show that is huge and always sells out of seats.

Many productions on the West End offer lotteries that you can enter online and have the chance of being randomly selected to buy a cheaper ticket with many costing around £20.

Shows like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Hamilton often host lotteries as they want to aim at a younger audience.

Get lucky with returns

If heading to the box office on the day doesn’t work, you can try queuing up and waiting for any return tickets.

You’ll want to be outside the theatre around one to two hours before the show starts and see if any returned tickets will be sold, however, they can sometimes still be at full price.

Richmond and Twickenham Times | Theatre