Grand Circle at the Aldwych Theatre

High and steep, and better than its reputation, but the level splits in two and the split matters more than any single row. It is the top level and the cheapest, and the front of it feels closer to the stage than the height leads you to expect.

Where we'd put you

Book the front block, Rows A, B and C. From up here they still feel close to the action, and they sit in front of the walkway that divides the level, which is what keeps them connected to the show.

The bargain nobody looks at is the Row AA slip ends. They are cheap, and worth it if you do not mind leaning forward to see the whole stage.

What to avoid

A walkway cuts across the level behind Row C, and Row D onwards sits up on a raised step beyond it. The break costs you more distance than one row should, and the show starts to feel remote from there back.

A low metal bar runs along the raised edge as a safety rail. For most people it sits below sightline and will not spoil the view, though if you are on the short side you may find it clips the bottom of the stage. It is not a legroom bonus either.

Legroom is tight behind the walkway. Row E has almost no legroom at all and Row G is tighter still, so those are the two rows to swerve, and from Row E back the seats are narrower and fixed, without armrests.

Getting there, bars and toilets

It is more than 50 steps up from the foyer, the longest climb in the building, so weigh that before you book. There is no customer lift anywhere in the building, so this level is stairs-only. If stairs are a problem, book the Dress Circle instead: it is the one level with a step-free route.

Once you are up, you do not have to come back down. There is a bar at the rear of the Grand Circle, with somewhere to sit, and toilets at the rear of the level too, plus more at the bar itself, which is a further six steps up. It means the level with the longest climb is also the one you never have to leave at the interval.