Stalls at the Cambridge Theatre

Rows A to S, with no row I, and 497 seats, which is two in every five in the theatre. The section widens from 18 seats at row A to 34 at rows M to P, and one aisle runs down the middle, so every row is in two halves.

Where we'd put you

Rows D to J, seats 9 to 20. These are the seats either side of the centre aisle, and in this theatre that means they're the middle of the row. You see the whole stage from a comfortable distance, and they're the best seats in the building.

For Matilda, the cast come out into the auditorium during the show, and the Stalls is where you're closest to it.

The back of the Stalls is good value too. From row P the rows are properly stepped, so you see over the heads in front, and the view from there is very good for less than the middle of the Stalls costs. The Dress Circle above only reaches row O, and it doesn't cut into the view. Row S is the back row, with the actors' doors right beside it.

What to avoid

• Rows K to O, if you're short. The floor stays fairly flat until the tiered steps start at row P, so a tall person in front of you means leaning one way or the other to see.
• The first and last four seats in each row. The rows curve, and from the ends the view doesn't justify the price. You don't miss anything, but you're paying for more than you get.
• The ends of rows A and B. The seats at either end face a jagged edge of the stage with staircases beside them, and A10 and A13, on the centre aisle, have a staircase right next to them.
• The seats nearest the sound desk. It sits at the back of the Stalls, beside Q10 to Q17, R10 and S10, which is why rows R and S are shorter on one side. For a back-row seat away from it, take the other side of the aisle.

Bringing a child

Top Tip: Booster seats are available. Ask an usher when you arrive and they'll point you in the right direction. Without one, a small child in the Stalls spends the evening looking at the back of a head, because the floor stays almost flat until row P. With one, the Stalls work perfectly well. If you'd rather not rely on a booster, take the Dress Circle or the front of the Upper Circle instead, because both are properly tiered and a child sees over the row in front without help. The booster seats are free, but there's a limited supply, so arrive early.

Legroom in the Stalls

Good for all but the tallest, and the best of the three levels. Row A, with nothing in front of it but the stage, has the most.

Steps to the Stalls

It's three steps down from the foyer into the Stalls, and there are no more steps once you're in. For a step-free route, staff in the foyer will take you round to the access entrance on Earlham Street. The two wheelchair spaces are in row N, at N1 and N34, and the access page has the rest.

Drinks and toilets

Head 22 steps down from the foyer for the Stalls bar, which sits beneath the Stalls and has seats you can move around. The Marshfield Farm Ice Cream Parlour and the Stalls Kiosk are on the level, without steps. The Stalls corridor has step-free Gents and Ladies, with extra Ladies in the basement.