Stalls at the Peacock Theatre

Around 700 seats, two floors below street level, in a centre block with a side block either side. It's where we'd sit at the Peacock: the view is clear from almost everywhere, the legroom is the better of the two levels, and the floor rises steadily from front to back, so the person in front is rarely in your way.

Where we'd put you

The centre of rows D to M. You're close enough to see the dancers' faces and far enough back to see their feet and the whole stage at once. For The Snowman, the front centre rows are the top price, and the centre of rows G and H, just behind them, gives as good a view for less.

If you'd rather spend less, the side blocks are perfectly good, apart from the first four seats at the outer end of each row, which sit outside the frame of the stage and look across it at an angle. Further back, the floor changes from a gentle slope to proper steps at row P, so from there you look clearly over the heads in front. The seats aren't staggered, though, so a tall person directly ahead still takes a slice of the stage.

The front rows

Rows A to C are the closest seats in the theatre and are often sold at a lower price. Row A is set back far enough that you don't crane your neck, and the legroom is good. But the stage is often set high, and from these rows you lose the dancers' feet and anything happening on the floor. In return you see every expression. If that's what you're after, or it's a play or a musical, they're good value.

What to avoid

• Y18 to Y24 at The Snowman. The sound desk sits just behind them for the Christmas run, and you'll hear it.
• Rows Z, ZA and ZB are right at the back of the Stalls. They're a small raised section, and feel a little cut off from the rest of the theatre.
• The outer ends of the side rows, for the angle described above.

The Dress Circle overhangs the Stalls from about row N, but it's raised high enough that you lose very little at the top of the stage, even near the back.

Legroom

Fine for most people up to about 6ft. The best is in the side blocks of row J, which sit on a cross aisle with nothing in front, and Y9, Y29 and ZA1 also have clear floor ahead. In the side blocks, row H is replaced by an aisle, so row J there feels especially open.

Getting there, bars and toilets

The Stalls are two flights of stairs down from the foyer to the Stalls bar, then a few steps up into the auditorium. Inside, there's one step down between each row from X to O, and a gentle slope from O to the front. If stairs are difficult, a lift from the foyer goes down to the Stalls bar and a second lift by the bar takes you past the steps to the wheelchair space in row Y. The access page has the detail.

The Stalls bar is where most of the audience heads at the interval, so it gets crowded, and it's worth ordering your drinks before the show. There are Ladies and Gents on this level, and an accessible toilet off the Stalls bar.