I hoped, given the intermission, he would have time to recover - but it was as if he had given up. Cashier said sometimes very good seats can be available at the last minute for 25. Some people have thought that the show dragged but I think that is par for the course with musicals when they are a couple of hours long, and actually I was eager for the second half to start as I was really enjoying the performance. It is advised to avoid row B as the seats are very uncomfortable and whilst B10-12 seats are sold very cheaply and can be seen as a bargain it is worth knowing that the conductor obstructs the view. Right on, monkey - what a lacklustre event Phantom at Her Majesty's has become. I was responsible for buying the tickets hence I had checked reviews of the seats using TheatreMonkey, which I found was very useful. In my opinion, "Phantom" was the last major musical not to be simply a product of technology. The fog during the boat scene didn't seem as bad as some other people have said, so not sure if they've toned it down. I loved the chandelier, although it was literally centimetres above our heads, some lady in the audience screamed and many of the audience gasped as it was unexpected. I'm going to see the musical for the first time. Dedication for the Red Gambit Series This series of books is dedicated to my grandfather, the boss-fellah, Jack 'Chalky' White, Chief Petty Officer [Engine Room] RN, my de facto father until his untimely death from cancer in 1983 and who, along with many millions of others, participated in the epic of history that we know as World War Two . Tracy (35), Simon (35) and son Chris (18) Really great seats for a total bargain, there were a couple of moments we couldn't see brilliantly due to dry ice and the action being directly above us but nothing to quibble about and they were fleeting. 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. Tiny (child sized it appeared), and old - they leave you aching by the end of the performance. That being said, there are certainly good, better and best seats, and some clunkers. Another joined at 9am by 10 am there were probably 12 people in the queue. Lizzie still loves the Theatre! Many thanks to the Phantom cast, and Theatremonkey, for making a happy day extra special. In this seat, you are sitting next to a spotlight operator, but the gentleman I sat beside was very respectful. A great performance at a really amazing price. Will Barret as Raoul, well, sorry but he's awful. A special mention to Oliver Thornton as Raoul.absolutely terrible! Coupled with a very limited choice of seats, I went for these. _____________________, Thought I'd drop you a line with regard to my most recent trip to London to finally catch "Phantom," a show that I've wanted to witness for a long time but not enough to fork out for the always-top price and hard-to-get-without-booking-early seats! We would have preferred to think of him walking round in swirling mist in his black suit, and living in the theatre!!! It sits low, so you dont feel you are peering down on a show, and it is relatively close to the stage. Despite some of the performances not being so good, and it starting to look a bit tired, 'The Phantom of the Opera' is still a great spectacle and a thrilling piece of theatre. If you really want to see a particular show I would go for slightly better seats. _____________________, Saw Phantom this week (December 2010) for the first time and was blown away! I had totally forgotten the background story (of course I knew the Phantom/Christine bit) and so it was like watching it all for the first time. I've come away from some musicals raving about the likes of Kerry Ellis and Laura Michelle Kelly, but I'm none the wiser about the three leads in Phantom, and to be honest have no interest in looking up their bio's. Legroom was adequate for two 5' 10" people, one with a larger than average bottom (!) This show is an amazing visual spectacle and I would definitely go and see it again for that aspect of it alone. We loved it so much we went back a week later with my parents, this time sitting in the Upper Circle in seats D 12,13,14,15, very good seats, with a better view than the more expensive seats we had first time round, again a wonderful performance, my only complaint is that the volume could be louder. I would recommend row D and above. It was directly in front of the Phantom when he appeared in the suspended decorations and a great position as the chandelier swooped past. The musical itself was fantastic. It started as soon as I entered the theatre; it was a lovely, grand and majestic theatre - it made you feel like you were in the Paris Opera House. I am utterly astounded at the few negative comments about POTO (Phantom Of The Opera). They afford some brief, but generally pleasant, glimpses of his habits and career; and in a letter, in which Pliny makes application on behalf of his friend to the emperor Trajan, for a mark of favour, he speaks of him as "a most . Tickets left at the box office for collection may be picked up on the day, during the hour before the performance starts. So if anything is happening higher up the stage you cannot see it. We had stall seats from D7 through to D16 as there was 10 of us. JackieMc 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. Christian Ball, Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! The New Wimbledon Theatre has a capacity of 1609 seats, including 720 seats in the Stalls, 473 seats in the Dress Circle and 416 seats in the Upper Circle. She had fallen asleep after the first act. However, this musical is one of the few shows that uses the stage space in a constantly varied way. Slight block from the right and left side of the stage depending on which side your seats are on. Wishing You Were Here Again is a great favourite of mine. After seeing John Owen Jones twice, and Scott Davies once, I thought Earl Carpenter did a pretty good job - though vocally John Owen Jones was better. Belonging to the 6 footer club, I have not yet had trouble fitting into seats at Her Majestys. Would have been happy to pay full price for better seats but no cooperation from Theatre Tickets Direct. Karen. The best known songs are still riveting, my favourite is Music of the Night , very moving and you could have heard a pin drop in the theatre. The best seats are in the centre of row D and G as they offer a good central view. Alexandra Burke has an amazing voice. I recently saw Phantom at Her Majesty's Theatre as an early 2008 Christmas present for a friend. Leila did not come out in time for us to see her, but Alex and Ramin did. Ed. Loved every minute of it. London For a strong overall stage impression, its best to sit in the central section, preferably in the front three rows. ________________________. However, very disappointed with Theatre Tickets Direct. He was a constantly twitching, nervous character, rather like an alcoholic who is desperate for a drink but cannot get one. 2 answers. I saw 'Phantom of the Opera' on the 23rd July 2008 at the evening performance. Back row, lots of leg room. Another limitation of Her Majesty's theatre is that it is acoustically bad and offers dismal views. Anyway, only last week we plumped for two 40 tickets via See Tickets and rolled up to Her Majesty's on Friday night (29th January 2010). Maybe I will get a chance now the tour has announced Katie Hall as Christine and John Owen Jones to share the role of Phantom with Earl Carpenter. The best thing about Hamer Hall is simply being in it, now its had its multi-million dollar makeover; its the only venue in the world that makes bright orange feel classy. It is too messy at times, and the noise created by the set and crew moving it into position is hideous!! He seemed to pick up a little in the final scene and I did feel pity for his Phantom as he told Christine he loved her and then his facial expression when she gave him back his ring. And very cramped, would advise booking aisle seats if possible. It's closer to the MCU than many people would like to admit. How to score cheap theatre tickets in Melbourne. Get your tickets soon (although I think as it's been on so long, it won't be ending anytime soon and I can see why). He has brought a fresh take on the role and a vitality which is refreshing after some of the Phantoms I've seen who seem to have just walked through the role. The whole cast were fantastic but this man is one to watch. Micke & Marita, Ume, Sweden. 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. This was the first show I ever saw in the West End and that is always an exciting time for anyone. Which seats I should ask for the best view Are you allowed to take outside food & drink into the venue? Maybe he is quite new to the role, I'm not sure, but he is instantly forgettable; and there was far greater chemistry between Christine and the Phantom - she should have stayed with the Phantom and told Raoul to clear off! The whole show is hidden behind a huge chandelier, and some very talented singers. During the fog scene I could see the Phantom and Christine in the boat (squinting, admittedly, but you could see them). As per usual, Row B suffers from your view being spoilt if people in front lean over; I found myself envying the people sat in the central section in Row A as they paid the same price as me but are great seats. I don't think there is anything negative I can say about these seats, except that they are in the middle of the row and so you have to constantly stand up to let people pass. I found myself humming to the melodies of Masquerade and Music of the Night as I was driving home! Really Theatremonkey, stop being bland and enjoy the creativity! The only thing I could think of that annoyed me about sitting in these seats is that Gina Beck (who plays Christine) had her back to us in some of the scenes, so we couldn't see her reactions to the other characters. Having seen Katie in the 25th anniversary concert of Les Miserables, I knew she had a good voice, but had no IDEA just how powerful it really was since the part of Christine in Phantom is way more demanding than that of Cosette in Les Mis! As I mentioned this is not my kind of thing, but this is a MUST see for anyone, even if they think it is not 'up their street'. _____________________. Saying that I thought the set and costumes were well produced. Bang in the middle of the row; theres only one row in front and seats are suitable staggered so youre looking between heads; no neck strain as the stage isnt particularly high; seats and legroom are comfy enough. They were schlepping their oversized M&Ms World bags through the aisles, munching snacks, cheerfully commenting their favourite scenes, and exactly during the most dramatic final moments someones phone went off I dont want to sound elitist, but when I pay a lot of money for a Musical the only sound I hear should be from stage, and not the excited yelps of some middle-aged superfan in the row behind me. We were both absolutely blown away by the beginning when the music starts and the chandelier begins its ascent. In fact, I would say about a maximum of 10 minutes through the whole show is spent watching people lean. ___________________, I went to see this a few weeks ago with a very open mind as I normally prefer something light and breezy and didn't think I was going to enjoy it-but I did!! The only seats that are really bad in the Sumner are any in the first row, and the second arent much better. It was a dear wish of mine to go to see Phantom, and for my birthday I was treated by the family to the show. Gee Colin. This is a Paris set, gothic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with Cameron Mackintosh in charge of the spectacle. '*** ____________________________, We were disappointed in this production (August 2007), and aghast that Carlotta had a much nicer voice than Christine! The rest of the cast were generally good, although Oliver Thornton as Raoul unfortunately, was pretty awful. Unfortunately, I enjoyed it a little less this year. ____________________. On taking our seats we could not help but notice how impressive the set looked even pre-show. > . You can see the full body of the actors and set from the centre over to stage left wings. 1st in line got O3 which wasn't better. Not to be put off from seeing the show, we ended up paying 62.50 each for seats 13 and 14 in Row J stalls, as having got there early, queued up etc, we weren't prepared to have second rate seats. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. There was a huge pillar in front of me right in the middle of my eye view, but 10 was well worth it. Originally designed by John Truscott, it suffered from poor acoustics for years, but these issues were largely eradicated in the upgrade, and now even high up in the balcony, the sound is powerful. Saw Phantom 1st December 2006. There was plenty of legroom and the view was very good. Oliver Thornton as Raoul was also weak but I found his character unbelievable anyway and the love affair didn't engage my emotions at all. The view of the stage is mainly good, however the corner of the stage (Down-Stage Right in the correct theatre terms) cannot be seen from these seats, and anywhere in this part of the circle, so everyone leans forward and that just makes it harder for you to see. This will give you the best chance at unimpeded views. Zoom in to see updated info. But wait until this cast moves on. From centre to stage right wings, you slowly are able to see less and less You will be able to see the top halves of the actors when they dwell in the stage right area unless they are very far upstage right or very downstage right. Having seen the show a few times before we had our own personal taste on how we like our Phantoms to be portrayed and were not sure how Scott would fare - we neednt have worried. Had the Vicar been a devout Catholic, he would doubtless have crossed himself, as it was he gave a kind of holy groan, and rolled up his forehead, as he was wont to do when any . However, with the quality of the show the price is still value for money. I loved every single minute of it. But come on, he could of tried to make his character a little less boring or camp. It was such a shame. Anyway, yes I loved it. That said, this is a great show and I don't think you can be a regular West End theatre goer and not see it. Well, he was very good looking - that's where the positives end. I just ignored him, because if I had lent back half the cast would have been beheaded by the bar. Brian McCann (named as swing on the website) donned the mask and was completely ill-prepared for the role. Unfortunately this just makes it confusing and far too abstract to be enjoyable or helpful to the storyline in any way. Being on the front row, we were able to look down in the pit and thank the musicians in person at the end - WOW were they good and deserve appreciation! Sat in Dress Circle row A23 and 24 and they were excellent seats. I thought I must have been tainted having seen the movie far too much, and that it was just me who was mildly disappointed by the acting efforts of Earl Carpenter and Oliver Thornton. Form beginning to the final curtain this production was excellent. I am already planning another visit to the show, I know it won't happen, but hope the phantom gets the girl next time! Yes he's contemporary and rocky but it is what it is. The music and pure voices bring a lump to your throat and the way that the sets change around to create the different scenes is amazing. More legroom than I expected (still not much, but couldve been worse). Kristina P. I want to see it again as soon as I can get ticket. I give it 9/10 (only 9 because I had bad seats and could not enjoy the show to it's full extent). It depends so much on the show. This sweeping, irrepressibly inventive novel, is a romance, but a romance of I shall focus on my experience with buying the tickets, rather than the show itself (which was obviously outstandingly amazing!!!) Thankfully British queue etiquette prevailed and we were allowed in first. The Comedy Theatre might not be as big as its sister venues the Regent or Princess, but its cosiness works in its favour. Phantom of the Opera, 14Apr2019, I wanted to watch the play so bad, I took a chance on the seat. I was sat in seat 21 of row A of the grand (upper) circle, and have to disagree with Theatre Monkey's comments about there being a bar intruding on the view here. So, I couldn't see the stage properly, and I couldn't just close my eyes and listen. I know which one I'd choose ;) 11/10. Kirsty Judy Harrison. Finally the performances, I would say John Owen Jones is one of the finest Phantom's of them all, easily outstripping Michael Crawford vocally. It depends so much on the show. Of course the story is daft, we all know that, but nevertheless it is pretty compelling and as with other big productions in London I just love the stagecraft involved which just makes me think oooh, thats clever the chandelier really is enormous, I was quite thankful I wasnt underneath it, the mirror, the magic tricks etc wonderful. CHAPTER V. Conclusion of the Greek Drama. __________________. I have always loved the music and have watched the recent DVD release a few times but NOTHING compares to the live stage version. Rachel Barrell is the best Christine I have ever seen, it was such a relief to see a real actress/singer after the horrors of Emi Rosum in the movie. What is restricted view at Her Majesty's theatre? First time we were in Premium Stalls 3 rows from the front. I adored Carlotta. 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how bad are restricted view seats her majesty's theatre