Another joined at 9am by 10 am there were probably 12 people in the queue. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Kent Millions of people can't be wrong! here) that the Grand Circle isn't particularly high. The best seats are in the centre of row D and G as they offer a good central view. I LOVED IT!!! Dj vu! D7 through to D16 were fantastic seats, probably the best seats in the house. However I decided I would give him the benefit of the doubt. Don't miss it, or the Phantom' will appear inside your mind and haunt you till you get a ticket. Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, Too hot and not enough rake in the Royal Circle. The venue is just beautiful, fits perfectly for such show. _____________________________________________. VDOMDHTMLtml> Her Majesty's Theatre - London VIP Box & Suites Find wonderful Her Majesty's Theatre - London VIP Box & Suites for your next event. I am a regular visitor to the Theatre and am aware that the top price tickets are the best seats but in this instance we had to take the last seats available.To sum up - we paid full price for seats with restricted view!!! __________________________________. Please remember that the musical was the original and the movie came after, the movie was slightly different from the show (the show being better). His Phantom is both angry and vulnerable, and I have always agreed with the Monkey in thinking that Christine chooses the wrong man, and this time it feels like that even more so than with past Phantoms. I'm sure you all wanted to know about that. ___________________________. Fiona in Florence. Strangely there was no announcement stating the changes in the cast, maybe because there were so many. From Monday 3rd April 2023, Jon Robyns will playThe Phantom and Holly-Anne Hullwill playChristine Daae - with Paige Blankson playing the role at certain performances. What are the best seats at Her Majestys theatre? This is not the Andrew Lloyd Webber / Sarah Brightman Story because occasionally the musician also bursts into song. I am 5' 11" tall and my knees where jammed against the seat in front. Perhaps its stalls and pay the big-ticket prices? Theatremonkey, you are great for a lot of things but your opinion of Phantom is just plain wrong. However it doesn't excuse the lack of effort. The tyranny of distance is lessened in the back of the stalls and dress circle thanks to the refurbishment, but depending on the scale of the production currently playing, you may wish to avoid the nosebleed sections if you want the best view in the house. Can't wait to go back and see it again. and the seats are excruciatingly uncomfortable. Seats are slightly uncomfortable, but legroom was good. spellbound Feb 13, 2023. 2nd in line, and I got 030 in Stalls for 25 - way under Balcony missing a few of the stuff like Phantom on a set-piece high and the chandelier going up. Probably the best view I have ever had at the theatre. Stalls B18 and B19: basically the perfect seats, and quite reasonably priced when on sale. James F Loved every minute of it. I booked stalls seats H19 and H20 with a degree of trepidation given Adams seat review and that I'm 6' tall and 15 stone. You will also miss seeing peoples feet if that is important to you during the ballet scenes. They should not sell any tickets for this seats. I have to say that Raoul was no match for the Phantom but he did his best and, along with the rest of the cast, produced a great show. The opera managers, monsieurs Andre and Firmin provide light comic relief throughout, as well as being key to the storyline. That low dress circle sits over the back half of the stalls, so the view of the stage is badly compromised from row O. I had no interest in opera, only knew one song and only knew the story in brief (and the Phantom was the only character I remembered) before I went to see it. I went to see Phantom of the Opera just after Christmas time. Do not believe the hype, this show may be in its 21st year, but that is surely musical retirement age. This is a really great and unique show which will probably never be matched. Overall, myself and my fiance both really enjoyed the show. Ramin Karimloo made a wonderful 'Phantom', Gina Beck an amazing 'Christine' (what a voice! I had no idea such incredible music could be ruined so easily. So, I couldn't see the stage properly, and I couldn't just close my eyes and listen. her voice went so high and I really liked her portrayal of the role, she didn't act too much like a scared young girl. We were 3 rows from the front, and was very close to the stage. Ramin is different every time. Reasons for this can vary from the area above the stage being obscured by the overhang from the dress circle, to a safety rail blocking your eye line. I am only 13 and have seen over 20 musicals in the West End. A "Must-See". Was a pity but nonetheless a spectacular show! Phantom of The Opera is like Marmite, you either love it or you hate it. After asking the very helpful woman behind the desk whether they had seats available, she informed us that Her Majesty's theatre does not offer day seats, never has and never will. A hideously deformed musician enjoys chasing a talented young lady singer around the stage. One of the cities most beloved, Her Majestys has a gorgeous Art Deco glamour about it, even if the foyer functions a bit like a loading zone. The box office clerk said they were running in a new cast and this made it even more enjoyable, queuing whilst listening to some good choral singing. The only downsideThe people in the front row leaning over the balcony was a little bit annoying as they were quite tall which meant there was a domino effect with the people in row B behind them leaning forward, then the people in row C leaning forward etc etc, but this didnt detract too much as the majority of the action is in the middle of the stage which was clearly visible. We bought tickets for the show on-line, based on theatremonkey.coms comments. Best seats are stalls row J 26 and 27. !! The size and space of the seats is uncomfortable enough to start with, but the added discomfort of the heat made for a very unpleasant and painful experience. ", TheGreatHumbug: However, this musical is one of the few shows that uses the stage space in a constantly varied way. Being only 10 more than where we sat in the Grand Circle Row J before, these seats are much much better. ____________________________, Went to see Phantom last night, 2nd May 2007, after finding an excellent meal and a show deal on this site, ate well at the Mintleaf restaurant before the show. ____________________________, 9th July 2011. But wait until this cast moves on. (is that a word?!) Ramin Karimloo was the Phantom and vocally I thought he was quite weak. Not just slightly rubbish, but really, really rubbish. "After deciding it was finally time to see The Phantom of the Opera, I didn't want to pay too much for something I wasn't sure I would enjoy. I had only seen Phantom once and that was at least 20 years ago in London so I thought it was about time I gave it a go again. Having said this, these low points do not take away from the rest of the musical that when they hit the mark are absolutely breathtaking (such as Music of the Night or All I Ask of You - all versions!). With time, its importance was diluted, and, by the middle of the fifteenth century, it was almost forgotten although still there according to the law. We both had to agree though that Earl Carpenter, as the Phantom, was superb, he gave so much to his performance in the final scenes that we were both quite moved and I have never before been able to feel for this character. You don't miss a thing at these seats, and they made the show much more enjoyable. What is restricted view at Her Majesty's theatre? I deliberately didn't buy the cheapest tickets available as I wanted a good quality viewing experience, but I fail to see how we had anything other than the worst seats in the house. __________________, My 7 year old daughter and I recently went to see the show (February 9th 2006) and it was just brilliant. I didn't really enjoy this show much and wonder if it's getting a little tired now. He portrays the Phantom as autistic, and he had all these mannerisms that I picked up on straight away. Overall we had a memorable night seeing a show that's rightly heralded as a classic - it hasn't jumped to the top of the list of my favourites, but in fairness a show with as much music in this particular style is never going to rank quite as highly as some others. 'Wishing you were somehow here again' in the grave is a richly powerful song, and the lead roles had voices which were shattering. This highly-touted and virtually iconic show is, in realitya bit clunky, dated and simply not all that great. I cannot recommend this show enough, and we will all definitely be going again. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Australia. I adored Carlotta. It's nice to hear the different levels he's brought to the role. Our biggest mistake with this show was not to note the seat numbers to avoid. The only seats that are really bad in the Sumner are any in the first row, and the second arent much better. The cast were fantastic and the show certainly lived up to our expectations, so much so that we may go back again this Christmas for my birthday! _____________________, I went to see the show in March 2009 and we sat in row C of the stalls, seats C11, C12, and C13. Chris How much is it to Hi, What time does the Wednesday Matinee start for Kinky Boots please? Anne Graham's singing is beautiful throughout the show and she never misses a note, while reviews of KKA have been far less favourable. Really enjoyed the show, Earl Carpenter as Phantom and Rachel Barrell as a superb Christine. Not being a fan of Lloyd Webber works, I must confess a soft spot for Phantom. The drinks at the middle break were extremely expensive, but this is LONDON. His Majesty's Theatre. Having now also sat in the Stalls, the depth of the stage is more visible from the upper levels, for example from the Dress Circle I could see the entire blanket of smoke covering the stage floor, whereas from the Stalls (F16, F17) the floor of the stage is at eye level so from that angle the blanket of smoke appeared as a thin layer overflowing the stage. At this point, I didn't know what was happening to me, the music caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up and I felt a shiver down my spine. Katie B Okay, so Phantom is kitschy faux-Puccini with a sprinkle of mainstream rock but I like kitsch, Puccini, and Rock (not necessarily in that order), so Im fine with that. Unfortunately by this time we felt completely disconnected from the scene on stage and this was seemingly the case also for the latecomers who commenced to chat quite openly. For the first performance I sat in a premium-priced seat in the stalls and for the second right on the front row, (I decided on this because I had the misfortune lately to end up behind some pretty tall people when sitting further back, which can somewhat ruin the enjoyment even in top-priced seats!). I'm a big fan of the classic Universal Horror Movies so found myself quickly enjoying the general mood of the piece and the creepiness of the Phantom inhabiting all parts of the theatre. ___________________________, 26th January 2017 (matinee). There are some poles in the way and as has been said below the view can be blocked by the balcony above. We'll probably revisit next year if the kids demand!! You won't see me at those kind of things. Quite a poor view, I wouldn't want to sit there again. All in all a good evening out but be prepared that this is more opera based than the Mama Mia style. I took my mum and my boyfriend to see this show in October 2003, for my mum's 60th birthday. _________________, I tried to keep an open mind. The grand circle is only good if you are in the front few rows, but the worst seats in this theatre are actually the back of the stalls. I am now hooked and want to go and see it again. I saw 'Phantom of the Opera' on the 23rd July 2008 at the evening performance. While its largely true of all the big venues, its especially true of the Princess: those back rows of the grand circle (the top level) are ludicrously high, and watching a show from them feels like peering at an ant colony from a helicopter. This show is an amazing visual spectacle and I would definitely go and see it again for that aspect of it alone. Eternally touching, a glorious (although occasionally dated) show, with a huge scale of emotions packed in. Coupled with a very limited choice of seats, I went for these. The audience consisted of mainly tourists from SE Asia and I did wonder how on earth they could understand the performance, not easy when it is all sung, but the Korean girl sitting next to explained that she had already watched the film in Korea, so knew the story. Slightly perplexed, I informed her of the conversation had the day previously with a See box office member of staff, she hinted that this keeps happening and See continually give out wrong information, and that I should make a formal complaint to them about what had happened. Restricted view Some seats at the theatre will be labelled as 'restricted view'. My one criticism (perhaps controversially) is that on several occasions, especially apparent in Notes/Twisted In Every Way in Act Two, there are too many people singing different lines over each other to hear what anyone is singing individually. You may also get moved to a better seat if the auditorium isnt full! Kelly Mathieson's Christine sang well while Jeremy Taylor, although he sang the role really well, the emotional bond between him and Vhristine never really came across very well and felt like something was missing. Reviewed June 8, 2019 Purchased last minute $65 restricted view seats (A31 and B33 - directly behind each other) for a return visit to Muriel's Wedding. Got to the theatre at 8.45am and we were first in the day seats queue. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. In my review of two weeks ago I wrote about a wooden block at the front of the stage which appeared to contain lighting, from further away I can confirm it does contain lighting, and it does appear in the second act. This is the third time I've seen POTO, and each time the ending keeps the relentless pace, and the huge contrast of feelings - sensational! 18 May 2023. John Owen Jones has ruined any other Phantoms for me and sadly, Ben Forster just didn't have the gravitas that I would have liked. A big compliment however for Wendy Ferguson as Carlotta, she was very very good. Staff were friendly and helpful and the overall ambience was an enjoyable experience.The show was fantastic! The seats do seem close together and space seemed a bit tight on elbow room, but nothing to really worry about. I was in the Grand Circle in seat F21. Terrible sightlines and no legroom. Cant wait to go and see it again! She completely screwed up the last part of 'Think of me' which was already shorter than usual I think due to her vocal limitations. During the second I saw Katie Hall. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Visited this theatre for the first time - last minute decision so the only seats available were in the back row of the stalls SEATS 1/2/3. Birmingham UK Paid 25 for top price tickets from See Tickets so a good deal. If you are a 'larger size lady' like me you get wedged into the seat and literally cannot move until the interval (an American lady in front of me had exactly the same problem) and then feel so stiff afterwards. Current new cast was excellent too John Owen Jones and Celinde Schoenmaker. ______________________________. There . They were outdone by every other department working on the show. Visited this theatre for the first time - last minute decision so the only seats available were in the back row of the stalls SEATS 1/2/3. The tickets were 40 each, reduced from 55 each as part of a Christmas offer; I would have happily paid full price given the quality of the seats and of the show. Firstly, I should say that our seats were perfect. I think we can all be glad he didn't wait for Mr. Schnberg's work to move out or London Theatre would look very different today. The citys grandest opera house, the State may not have the period charms of the Princess or the Regent, but it makes up for it with superb acoustics and a clever layout. While he had a great presence about him on stage, I didn't feel he fit the part, and as a trained tenor myself, I thought he should have been able to resonate his lower register better. Breakthrough. Earl Carpenter's singing and acting is superb throughout, as he brings true emotion to the role. Normally 67! Didn't know the storyline beforehand and found the second half a little confusing. At the end of the booking process enter the promo code; HMT2023 You must book online and pay BEFORE arriving at the Parking Station. By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. On the stage right in front of me was a wooden block which may have contained lighting. But then I found your website, and spent over an hour reading anything and everything Phantom-related, and so it were that yesterday we stood for all of 45 minutes outside Her Majesty's Theatre, and got ourselves two tickets for the matinee, in the 4th row (stalls!) THE C AMBRIDGE HISTORY OF I R EL AND The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were an era of continuity as well as change. Dress Circle A16and 17: We purchased our tickets from the TKTS booth in Leicester Square and were seated in the circle on the second row and the seats were very good and we had a great view. The acoustics in this theatre are good anyway but the sound from the stage was very clear. The view from here was brilliant, and absolutely fantastic for the chandelier moments, as well as enabling you to see the Phantom at the top of the rig (which you would miss out on if further forward or under the overhang if further back). He has tremendous stage presence, his voice is flawless and the energy he put into the role was clear for all to see. Sofia Escobar is a superb Christine, young and naive, and in fine voice. I first saw 'Phantom' in the West End over 20 years ago and cannot believe I waited till November 2011 to see it again - twice! Yet he does bring an element of Opera to the role too. The venues unpredictability is a large part of its charm. This sweeping, irrepressibly inventive novel, is a romance, but a romance of I must say the seats were fantastic, I totally disagree with other reviewers who have said to avoid the stalls, by far the best seats we've had seeing this show. I did not expect to sob as much as I did, having seen the musical many times and knowing the storyline, but this man is exceptional. The above two comments drew this reply from previous reviewer Will Cooper: I'd just like to counter some of your most recent and scathing phantom reviews. In its heyday Her Majesty's Theatre was considered Australia's finest theatre, and after an extensive restoration it has been returned to its world-class status and is as beautiful as ever. If its a choice between the very back and the very front, wed choose the back. A "Must-See" indeed. Friendly staff, comfortable seating and our party of four Gee Colin. Best seats are stalls F 22 and 23. Two friends and I went to the matinee performance of 'Phantom' on the 18th January 2011. Obviously the restricted ones have their downfalls but at least you know that in advance. Whilst I thought the cast was good, no-one really blew me away. I'll keep this short as I have done a review before. Home - Random Browse: THE MIRROR OF TASTE, AND DRAMATIC CENSOR. Which seats I should ask for the best view Are you allowed to take outside food & drink into the venue? But at least youll hear every note. The show itself is unfortunately starting to look a bit tired - some of the choreography and performances could do with being 'tightened up' a bit, and the proscenium arch of the intertwined naked figures could do with a good clean - and some of the drapes need washing! More Cuban dance music here: https://youtu.be/awTKVyyHbeUI hope you enjoy my other playlists. I could also see how Christine and The Phantom enter the mirror, which spoiled the effect for me. Messrs Colin and Asa Mccarthy-Burton The lack of dazzling performances also meant that I had more time to consider the technical merit of the show - the lighting looks dated, the flying looks basic and sluggish (two of the guys from the auction house having to shoulder charge the chandelier off stage in the overture? Is like Marmite, you are great for a lot of things amazing visual spectacle and would. Bring an element of Opera to the role Webber works, I went to see Phantom of the doubt bit. 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how bad are restricted view seats her majesty's theatre