Lyttelton Theatre Seating Plan
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Two levels. Stalls on the ground floor, rows A to V, and the Circle above it, rows A to J, with nine narrow slip seats on each side sold as part of the Circle. Both levels skip the letter I, and the Stalls skip N and Q as well, so a row is a little nearer the stage than its letter suggests.
The rows are straight and parallel here rather than curved, and each level is one unbroken block with no aisle running through the middle of it. If you are in the middle of a row, you are climbing over people to get out at the interval.
Should I sit in the Stalls or the Circle?
For most budgets, the Circle.
The first three rows of the Circle give you one of the best views in the building, and at most performances they cost about the same as a seat in the back third of the Stalls. Same money, better view, and nothing above your head. So if your budget lands you in the rear Stalls, spend it upstairs instead.
Being close is the one good reason to go the other way. If you want faces rather than the whole picture, the centre of the Stalls is where to be, and around rows G and H is as good as it gets.
The two levels at a glance
- Stalls, rows A to V. The bigger level and the closer one. Flat floor at the front, stepped from row E back, one block with no aisle through it. The centre of rows G and H is the sweet spot; the first four rows are the budget option, with warnings.
- Circle, rows A to J. A steep rake, a clear view from everywhere, and nothing overhanging it. Rows A to C are some of the best seats in the building. The slips are up here too, at the sides, and they are a last resort.
Three things the plan will not tell you
The Circle overhangs the Stalls from row O, and from about row T back it takes the top of the stage with it whenever a production uses the full height. The playing area stays in view; anything hung high does not.
The seats are not well offset. On both levels you are often looking at the head in front rather than between two, and Stalls row O is the worst for it. If you are short, that is a reason to sit in the Circle, where the rake does the work instead.
Sets here are often built as rooms with walls. From the first eight seats of any Stalls row you may not see into all of them. In the Circle it is the first four seats, and it matters less up there.
The seating plan
The plan shows both levels and the slips. Tap a section to see what is left on your date and what it costs.
Seating Plan FAQs
Where are the best seats at the Lyttelton Theatre?
For most people, rows A to C of the Circle, towards the middle. You see the whole stage, nothing hangs over you, and they often cost about the same as the back of the Stalls. If you'd rather be close to the actors, go for the centre of Stalls rows G and H, where the top prices are.
Are there restricted view seats at the Lyttelton Theatre?
Not in the usual sense. There are no pillars and no safety rails, which is one of the advantages of a theatre built in the 1970s. What you can lose is the top of a tall set from about Stalls row T back, where the Circle hangs over you, and a corner of the stage from the far ends of the first four Stalls rows. The slips are side-on, so you're looking along the stage rather than at it.
What are the seat views like at the Lyttelton Theatre?
Clear from almost everywhere. What changes it is the production. A tall set costs the back of the Stalls the top of the stage, a set built as a room with walls is harder to see into from the ends of a row, and because the seats aren't offset, the person in front matters more than usual.
Does the Lyttelton Theatre have Boxes?
No. The nearest thing is the slips, the narrow ledges of seats at either side of the Circle, and they're nothing like a Box.