The only thing I could think of that annoyed me about sitting in these seats is that Gina Beck (who plays Christine) had her back to us in some of the scenes, so we couldn't see her reactions to the other characters. My first moan goes to Raoul (who is currently played by Oliver Thornton). But at least youll hear every note. Yes- the show had an amazing and powerful setbut if you can't see itwhat's the point? Delivering a range of family entertainment, pantomimes and musicals, it is one of the most prolific venues in the city. Karen. Earl Carpenter as the Phantom was rather subdued and didn't have the edge of menace I felt he should have had. If you're in the stalls you won't see the chandelier fall or like below the knee on everyone. USE "BACK" BUTTON TO RETURN. Swansea Yes view is restricted. Earl Carpenter in the lead was very good indeed though not in the same league as Crawford who we had seen on two occasions. The opera managers, monsieurs Andre and Firmin provide light comic relief throughout, as well as being key to the storyline. Ticketek says the seats are restricted by support poles. Zac21621 Dec 11, 2022. I totally disagree with Theatremonkey. His voice is superb and he really made the show. Far better than the film version. I had possibly the worst seats in the house, due to late booking. The fog during the boat scene didn't seem as bad as some other people have said, so not sure if they've toned it down. From centre to stage right wings, you slowly are able to see less and less You will be able to see the top halves of the actors when they dwell in the stage right area unless they are very far upstage right or very downstage right. Had the Vicar been a devout Catholic, he would doubtless have crossed himself, as it was he gave a kind of holy groan, and rolled up his forehead, as he was wont to do when any . It's much more mainstream, with clearly defined good guys and bad guys, and the good guys keep beating the bad guys. Over all, an excellent afternoon's entertainment, especially as we had only paid 33.00 for our seats as part of a group discount." She fits the part perfectly. The New Wimbledon Theatre has a capacity of 1609 seats, including 720 seats in the Stalls, 473 seats in the Dress Circle and 416 seats in the Upper Circle. So if anything is happening higher up the stage you cannot see it. And after the first 10 minutes, I wondered if Theatremonkey had seen the right show. Unfortunately by this time we felt completely disconnected from the scene on stage and this was seemingly the case also for the latecomers who commenced to chat quite openly. This is the fourth time I have seen Theatremonkey's favourite show! A child near to me was given a cushion but still had problems seeing properly. I'd been wanting to see the show for ages, but didn't fancy paying a massive amount for the tickets. Theatres use "dynamic pricing." My one criticism (perhaps controversially) is that on several occasions, especially apparent in Notes/Twisted In Every Way in Act Two, there are too many people singing different lines over each other to hear what anyone is singing individually. However stay clear of cheap side seats! read more. Legroom was adequate for two 5' 10" people, one with a larger than average bottom (!) It delivered as only Phantom can and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Phantom of The Opera London: Fabulous - See 6,989 traveler reviews, 822 candid photos, and great deals for London, UK, at Tripadvisor. Very restricted view View 1/5 Comfort 4/5 Legroom 4/5 I wanted to watch the play so bad, I took a chance on the seat. That low dress circle sits over the back half of the stalls, so the view of the stage is badly compromised from row O. This means that your view of the stage may be partially blocked. We simply want to catch JOJ as Phantom before the imminent arrival of our baby, as we will be unable to do much theatre afterwards.) 13 February - 2 March 2023. None of it was discreet. Zoom in to see updated info. _____________________, Thought I'd drop you a line with regard to my most recent trip to London to finally catch "Phantom," a show that I've wanted to witness for a long time but not enough to fork out for the always-top price and hard-to-get-without-booking-early seats! We were right underneath the chandelier. In the trio with Phantom and Christine, Raoul's voice did not project, and his interjections were lost Add a reply. I had booked row E seat 1 of the royal circle for that night's performance as I had been wanting to see Katie Hall as Christine for AGES - and I was also pleased at the thought of seeing John Owen Jones as the Phantom, as I had previously seen the two actors in the 'Les Mis' tour last year. Theatremonkey can only update those in the dress circle and balcony, as only these have retained the original aisles. This highly-touted and virtually iconic show is, in realitya bit clunky, dated and simply not all that great. If I had my way, phones, crisps, sweets, food, drink and chatting during shows would be imprisonable offences!!! CLICK SEATING PLAN TO ENLARGE IF REQUIRED. My girlfriend and I went to see 'Phantom of the Opera' last night (6th January 2009). __________________________________________. We were lucky in that no-one was sitting in front of us but I think the view would not have been badly obstructed. Your view is blocked for a few seconds during the masquerade scene so you miss the entrance of the Phantom and I had forgotten about SPOILER the actor who pops up during the show from the orchestra pit who blocks your view SPOILER ENDS - but again being so close adds to the experience. My only gripe is actually about the theatre itself, something needs to be done about the seating, the seats are quite small. The priciest seats are also the best, smack bang in the centre of the front rows. You get a great view of actors nasal hair, but no sense of the production as a whole. Can't wait to go back and see it again. Ok, enough of the money talk. From my angle I couldnt see the orchestra pit so I actually didnt even know there was a live orchestra playing until after the curtain came down and there was a bunch of people clustered around the railing at Stalls level and I went over to have a look - this discovery then added to my awe of the show. It is never a consistent struggle to see the actors, since they are always moving around. Was interesting watching other people not knowing where the Phantom was speaking from - but if you knew where to look you had no issues seeing him. Website: http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/london The music was fantastic, and the singing was mind blowing. It reaches off the stage, grabs you by the throat and begs you to empathise or at least sympathise with his plight. Really great seats for a total bargain, there were a couple of moments we couldn't see brilliantly due to dry ice and the action being directly above us but nothing to quibble about and they were fleeting. The Merlyns worst seats are really not that bad, and certainly shouldnt put you off if theyre the last ones left. l think this is a great performance, I would have to disagree with the monkey saying it was ''lame.'' Good view of the stage though quite high up. The theatre is beautiful and conveniently located. "Stalls E33 and 34 (34 being an aisle seat): Great seats with nothing in front, so unlimited leg room. Less said the better! An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works Besides which, Christine is intended to start with a weak voice and gradually become stronger, reflecting her increased knowledge of the world and its darkness. The view of the stage is mainly good, however the corner of the stage (Down-Stage Right in the correct theatre terms) cannot be seen from these seats, and anywhere in this part of the circle, so everyone leans forward and that just makes it harder for you to see. (I rank McCanns performance with some of the greats that I have been lucky enough to see, including Robert Stephens, John Wood, Simon Russell Beale, Philip Quast, Kenneth Branagh, Steve Balsamo, and John Owen Jones.) and Christine wasn't a shade of the beautiful, haunted talent she once was. The management pairing of Barry James (greatest Thenardier in my opinion) and Gareth Snook are the best I've seen, they work well together. I LOVED IT!!! Our seats were on the back row at the aisle, and I have sat in similar seating at many other shows without problem. We where 3 rows back in the Royal Circle row C seat 14, I'm 6'1 and still had restricted view of most of the stage. The music and pure voices bring a lump to your throat and the way that the sets change around to create the different scenes is amazing. Myself and three of my friends booked tickets to see Phantom for the 5th of January 2010, and should have taken the adverse weather as the first sign that we should have stayed at home. Unfortunately, my camera had no battery and was charging at home so I'm definitely going back to get photos, which they very kindly pose for. Rachel Barrell played Christine and Andrew Thwaite was Raoul, and there was a stand in conductor as well. The rest of the cast were very good, and it was a great evening. However I do wish I had seen Mr Owen Jones instead. Please don't forget this was written long before the rest of the show at a time when the aim of the project was still a parody rather the thick and heady romantic spectacle that it became. Grand Historical Tour. Tut tut Christine Daae! My praise is reserved for McCanns masterpiece performance, combining a slight subtle stature with an explosive, concentrated, resonant Phantom. Go right to section Stalls Seats here are tagged with: allows food and drinks has an obstructed view of the stage has awesome sound has great sound is padded Jarr50 Her Majesty's Theatre The Phantom Of The Opera Excellent. Whichseats.com can't be held responsible for complaints arising from the use of this website. ____________________________, We were disappointed in this production (August 2007), and aghast that Carlotta had a much nicer voice than Christine! I wish they would hurry up _____________________, After waiting over 20 years to see 'Phantom' I finally made it over to the West End last week (10th September 2008). I thought the voices of Christine and the Phantom were absolutely superb. Not sure who I saw as the Phantom but he too was good, as was the actor who played Raoul. The cream of the crop, however, is anywhere fairly central up to row J in the stalls though the first two rows of the dress circle aren't bad either. Needless to say, in the end an ineffably wet aristocrat gets the girl and the deformed freak vanishes. '*** He brought back a vulnerability to the role that hasn't been seen in a Phantom since Michael Crawford in my opinion. How to find cheap and discount price tickets, Tips for First Time and Overseas Visitors, http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/london, https://www.facebook.com/ThePhantomOfTheOpera, https://uk.thephantomoftheopera.com/day-tickets/, https://www.lovetheatre.com/theatremonkey. __________________, I was visiting London from the US July 25 2005, and luckily procured fantastic tickets for Phantom of the Opera. When we bought the tickets I wasn't that excited. Leila did not come out in time for us to see her, but Alex and Ramin did. Maybe would have been better volume-wise further back. Hands down, the best seats in this theatre are the front rows of the dress circle. They are more central and much closer to the action. It was a brilliant show and I want to see it again. For the first performance I sat in a premium-priced seat in the stalls and for the second right on the front row, (I decided on this because I had the misfortune lately to end up behind some pretty tall people when sitting further back, which can somewhat ruin the enjoyment even in top-priced seats!). I took my mother to see this show as a birthday treat on the 25th June 2005 and it certainly didn't disappoint. __________________. The only tiny problem with view the seats is that you cant see the head when the Phantom enters (2 second obstruction), at the start of Act 2 and the chandelier blocks the phantom for a few seconds when he is at the top of the stage at the end of Act 1. He made me cry at the end, he was just so incredible - especially when imitating the music box and when Christine gave the ring back. Will Barratt as Raoul was very good, if not particularly memorable. They join Matt Blaker as Raoul and Kelly Glyptis as Carlotta, Matt Harrop as Monsieur Firmin, Adam Linstead as Monsieur Andr, Greg Castiglioni as Ubaldo Piangi, Francesca Ellis as Madame Giry and Ellie Young as Meg Giry. Best are B 13 and 14. I may only be 13 but I've seen 14 West End shows and Phantom Of The Opera is the best out of them all. No seat is far from an actors point of command; and the span of the seats matches their effective span of vision. The problem is that I've heard them performed much better elsewhere. They should not sell any tickets for this seats. Ahhhh.The Monkey has got it about right in this case. We also booked drinks for the interval and reserved a table, or so we thought, but when we got there our drinks and canaps had just been put on a table and two other people had nicked the seats around it, so we had to stand to eat and drink. John Owen-Jones and Celia Graham played the lead roles and were fantastic. I will be going back soon to see this wonderful show! I'm 5.4 and I had no problem with the leg room and the stage wasn't very high so you could see everything even at the back of the stage. How can you expect a musical about Opera to be anything but Melodrama?????? John Owen-Jones made a decidedly un-menacing Phantom (great Valjean but ropey Phantom - remind you of anyone?) The staff member who checked our tickets told her co worker that she was, and I quote, "f@#king wasted last weekend" not the sort of language you expect! 1st floor is mostly seating and is the upper level. Fiona in Florence. We agree with your view that the show is 'lame', although I personally enjoyed it having embraced that fact. ___________________, I am a huge, huge Phantom fan and firmly believe that the show is the best in the West End but after seeing it last night (29th April 2005) I was hideously disappointed. Sitting anywhere else in this row, I would have had to change seats, as I physically wouldn't have been able to last the duration of the performance (34inch legs) Thankfully, the overwhelming performance and amazing view made me quickly forget about the leg room, but feel this should be mentioned when you buy the tickets. Saw the show for the first time on Monday 10th July 2006, absolutely loved it! Loved every minute of it. However Ramin was very moving in 'Music of the Night' and his acting was the best I've ever seen. The show itself was very enjoyable but I did feel that it was starting to show its age a little and some of the characterisations are a little sloppy. You can see the full body of the actors and set from the centre over to stage left wings. Sudbury, Suffolk. P.S. None put in a noticeable or commendable performance and didn't help to arouse any emotions within the audience for how we should feel towards any character. On taking our seats we could not help but notice how impressive the set looked even pre-show. Now that it has, somehow, run for so long, it's going to run, and run, and run, isn't it? __________________, My 7 year old daughter and I recently went to see the show (February 9th 2006) and it was just brilliant. Come on, recast already!! We checked on this site for seat info and had seats K23 and 24 in the stalls and found them very good, saw everything, my cousin is slightly taller than me so she could see the chandelier right to the top. ", TheGreatHumbug: Book London Theatre Week The Phantom of the Opera tickets in London on TodayTix. Most memorable. Edward Bernstone I had no idea such incredible music could be ruined so easily. ?.My Lawyers are watching! A feature of the performance I'd never really been forced to consider before in the theatre was the amplification of the singers. Belonging to the 6 footer club, I have not yet had trouble fitting into seats at Her Majestys. We saw Ashleigh Fleming as Christine, who isn't one of the usual alternate 'Christine's.' J Middleton of Sheffield In my review of two weeks ago I wrote about a wooden block at the front of the stage which appeared to contain lighting, from further away I can confirm it does contain lighting, and it does appear in the second act. The supporting cast were fairly anonymous too. Evening Performance on Monday 28th November 2016. Unfortunately, I enjoyed it a little less this year. The actor who played the Phantom could not be faulted. St. James's, So, THANK YOU! You lost the very front left corner if you sat right back, that was all. Her Majesty's Theatre has a special offer if you PREBOOK with Secure Parking, 59 Lonsdale St, Melbourne. After providing them with the booking reference number on the ticket, I have the money back in my account, and was actually amazed at their ability to help me out (after being so notoriously bad!) the use of understudies. _____________________. Was a bit concerned about how restricted the view would be but it was absolutely fine. "Phantom" is one of very few shows where you can actually feel lost in the action. Great performance by the actor (David Shannon), but I thought he looked much older than Christine (maybe its because of the understudy) so found it hard to believe that they were friends when they were children.