Save money on theatre tickets in 2019

Jan 11, 2019

One of your New Year’s resolutions for 2019 is to see a live comedy show, musical or play in London. But the other is to save money. Are you already doomed to fail at one or the other?

The West End is notoriously expensive, so it might seem like an impossible combination.

But there are ways to get cheap tickets for London shows. Here's how:

Check the show’s official site

Shows like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Hamilton are fan favourites and tickets are more in demand than ever; their triple-figure prices reflect that. But you don’t have to splash out on seats in the Royal Circle, even if all other tickets look to be sold out for the dates you’re visiting.

Instead, try to find standbys – tickets that have been returned by people who can no longer attend – or last-minute unsold tickets on the shows’ official websites. Theatres are eager to fill these spare seats, so even if it’s not guaranteed your party will be able to sit together, you’re sure to experience something epic.

Check for a cheaper performance

Matinees tend to go for cheaper than evening performances, so it might be best to rearrange your day’s plans for the night time and go to see a show in the afternoon.

It’s not all about the award-winning, decade-running shows. If a brand new performance that’s premiering for the first time in 2019 takes your fancy, going to a preview show could be an easy way to save money.

Go with a group

Most theatres offer discounts for group bookings of 10 people or more, so invite as many of your friends and family along as possible!

Queue at the TKTS booth

TKTS is a booth in Leicester Square that acts as a central box office for London’s biggest venues. You can only buy in person, and tickets are only available for shows taking place today, tomorrow, or the day after. It’s a surefire way to access some of the most competitive last minute discounts, and the booth is open seven days a week.

Use discount codes

You probably already know that at Codes.co.uk we offer discount codes on fashion brands and groceries. But did you know that we have countless theatre and concert codes too?

London Theatre Direct offer some of the best deals on the internet. Why not take advantage of some of their current discounts, such as £10 off Motown the Musical tickets or an amazing 50% off The Comedy about a Bank Robbery?

You can slash 31% off the price of the popular Woman in Black, or get a 60% reduction on tickets for A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic – grab them while you can!

It’s not just show tickets you can save big on. There are also one-off deals for pre-concert food to get your night off to a scrumptious start – right now you can book tickets for Young Frankenstein and enjoy a free two course dinner at Café Rouge.

Now you have the insider tips for grabbing yourself some theatre bargains, browse the rest of our codes selection to see if you can get cheaper travel or accommodation for your stay in London too!