Dress Circle at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Rows A to F, 109 seats, the first level up and the only step-free one. It's also the only level with aisles through it, so getting in and out is easier than anywhere else in the theatre.

Where we'd put you

The front of the centre block. The front of the Dress Circle is superb: close, slightly raised, and looking straight at the stage. The middle of row A is the pick. After that, the centre of rows B and C, between the pillars.

Where the value is

Seats behind a pillar are sometimes sold for much less. The pillars here are only about six inches wide, so if you don't mind leaning a little, a cheap one in row C or D can be a good deal. At full price, we'd book somewhere else.

What to avoid

• Behind a pillar, at full price. Rows C and D sit behind the row B pillars
• A6 and A12. A bar at the end of each aisle sits right in your view
• The side blocks, if you want the whole stage. They follow the curve of the circle, so you see the middle of the stage well and the far side less so
• Row F, if you're tall. It's set back in an alcove with the seat backs flat against the wall, and it has the least legroom on the level

Rows E and F are further back than they look on the plan. With a shallow rake the stage feels more distant from there, and a tall head in front is harder to see past.

Step-free, and the steps inside

The Dress Circle is level with the foyer and the street, and it's where the two wheelchair spaces are. You come in at the back, and from row F down to row A it's 8 to 10 steps, with no handrails. The access page has the detail.

Drinks and toilets

The foyer bar, the biggest in the theatre, is on the same level as the Dress Circle, and so is the accessible toilet. Order drinks to your seat to skip the interval queue.