The Circle at Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre
These are the cheapest seats in the building, and the lean is the whole story. District 11, which the seat map calls the Circle, sits high up behind and above the main blocks, overlooking two sides of the stage. From row A you lose the front edge of the stage and you sit forward to get it back.
Plenty of people rate the view from these seats four out of five and mention the lean in the same breath. As one of them put it, you cannot slouch.
What the price buys
Row A is the front of the Circle. A safety rail sits in the eyeline, you lose the front lip of the stage, and it is the cramped row for legroom. It is also the closest seat in the cheapest part of the building.
Row B sits higher, which is the argument for paying a little more for it. The catch is the person in front: if they are leaning forward to see the stage, you are looking at them instead.
Distance is not the issue people expect. It is not as far from the stage as it looks on a plan, and the performers read clearly from up there. What you do not get is the front edge of the stage without working for it.
When to book somewhere else instead
If the leaning would spoil it, the back of District 5 sits at about the bottom of the price range too, in one of the main blocks, with nothing to lean around. That is the swap we would suggest to anyone booking for someone with a bad back, or for a child who will not remember to sit forward.
If you want the cheapest seat in the building and you are happy to sit up, the Circle is good value and the view is better than the price implies.
Circle FAQs
Are the Circle seats at Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre restricted?
Mildly, and consistently. Row A has a safety rail in the eyeline and loses the front edge of the stage, so you lean forward to see it. Row B sits higher and sees past the heads in front, unless the person in row A is leaning.
Is the Circle too far from the stage?
Less than you would expect. It is high and set behind the main blocks, and it overlooks two sides of the stage rather than facing it, but the performers read clearly and most people up there rate the view well. The angle is the compromise, not the distance.
Are the Circle seats worth it at Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre?
For the price, yes, as long as you are happy to sit forward rather than back. If you are not, the rear of District 5 costs about the same and puts you in one of the main blocks.