Stalls at the Aldwych Theatre

The level closest to the stage, and the one where the overhang decides everything. Get the row right and it is the best seat in the building; get it wrong and you are looking at the underside of the Dress Circle. The Stalls sit below street level, so you walk down to them from the foyer rather than straight in.

Where we'd put you

The central block, roughly Row B to Row H. The rake starts around Row B and runs all the way back, so these rows sit head-on to the stage and the person in front stays out of your way. Because the theatre is narrow, you can often sit a block out from the premium seats for effectively the same view at a lower price, which is the easiest saving on this level.

At the very front, Rows AY and A put you as close as it gets, with good legroom in the middle of the row. The floor is shallow there, though, so anything staged at floor level can sit low if you are not tall. We rate those front seats, but they do not suit everyone, and if a few rows back is the same price, then stick with those.

The rear rows behind the overhang are good value rather than a trap, as long as you know what you are buying. If the budget is what is pushing you to the back of the Stalls, look at the rear of the Dress Circle first: for similar money you keep a clean view of the whole stage.

What to avoid

The Dress Circle hangs over the Stalls from about Row H, and from about Row O it starts to cost you the top of the stage. If the staging matters to you, book in front of Row O.

Watch the far ends of the side blocks too, in Rows J to X, where the angle to the stage gets awkward. A seat nearer the middle of the same row is the better buy.

Getting there, bars and toilets

It is 25 steps down from the foyer, broken into three flights rather than one long descent, which makes it more manageable than the number suggests. There is no customer lift anywhere in the building, so the Stalls are stairs-only, and the step-free route at this theatre goes to the Dress Circle instead. The access page has the full picture.

There is a bar at the back of the Stalls, so you do not have to climb back up to the foyer for a drink. There are toilets on this level too. Both fill up at the interval, so go early or go before the show starts.

FAQs

Which are the best Stalls seats at the Aldwych Theatre?

The middle of Rows B to H. The rake keeps the view clear from Row B back, and these rows sit in front of the point where the Dress Circle starts to cut into the stage.

Where does the overhang start in the Stalls?

Around Row H, but you will not notice much until about Row O, where the top of the stage starts to go. The seats behind that cost less, and the rear of the Dress Circle usually gives you the better view for similar money.

How many steps are there down to the Stalls?

25, in three flights, and there is no lift. If stairs are a problem, the Dress Circle is the level with a step-free route.