Grand Circle at the Savoy Theatre
Rows A to L, no row I. The top level, the cheapest, and the one the main foyer opens onto. It's the level other theatres call the Upper Circle.
It's very steep and high, and further back than the front five rows it really feels it. The theatre's own advice is that it may not suit anyone who suffers from vertigo, and the seats have the least legroom in the theatre. Nothing hangs over it, so the view from the front is clear to the top of the stage, and you are a long way back: from rows A to C you are watching the action from a distance rather than sitting in it.
Where we'd put you
The front section, rows A to E. A to C see best, and D and E are usually a little cheaper for a view that is not much different. The more central the better.
There are no aisles in rows A to H: each is one unbroken run of 25 to 28 seats, entered from the ends. For Paddington, nothing hanging over this level means you see the whole of the stage and the projections that spill out onto the walls of the auditorium. What you give up is closeness: the bear is a long way down, and if the money is close, the front section of the Dress Circle is the better seat.
What to avoid
A safety rail runs in front of rows F and G and it sits in the view. The theatre sells them as restricted view, so book A to E instead.
From row F back you are also in a raised rear section, a step up from the front block, and you feel the difference: further from the stage, and a fair bit higher again. Rows J to L are split into two blocks by the walls of the building, with no aisle beside the middle seats, and row L is a short row of nine at the back.
Getting up here, and the bar
The main foyer on Savoy Court is at Grand Circle level, so this is the shortest walk from the front door. Step-free seating is on the Dress Circle, by the Carting Lane door for access bookings; the access route explains.
There are bars and kiosks on every level, so you do not have to go down and come back up at the interval, and drinks can be ordered to your seat.
FAQs
What is the view like from the Grand Circle at the Savoy Theatre?
Clear, high and distant. Nothing hangs over the level, so the front rows see the full height of the stage, but you are watching from a long way back and the drop can bother anyone who dislikes heights. Rows F and G have a safety rail in the way.
Are Grand Circle rows F and G restricted?
Yes. A safety rail runs across the front of both rows and the theatre sells them as restricted view. Rows A to E in front of them are the ones to book.
Is the Grand Circle the same as the Upper Circle?
At the Savoy Theatre, yes. Grand Circle is the theatre's own name for the top level, and it's the level other theatres call the Upper Circle. There are only three levels, so there is no fourth one to confuse it with.