5 Top Tips For Visiting London Theatres
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| By
Emily Jenkins
(Updated on Sep 11, 2025)
Whether you're taking your first (or tenth, or maybe hundredth!) trip to the theatre, so as someone who spends an awful lot of time in the city, there's always room for more insider knowledge - so we're sharing our 5 top tips for visiting the theatre in London!
1. Book Your Tickets in Advance
While there are plenty of places to buy tickets on the day, there's nothing worse than missing out on a popular show like Wicked (no pun intended!) or Les Miserables, having left it too late. If you buy tickets from somewhere like London Theatre Direct you can also benefit from our discounts and special offers! Once you’ve decided which show to see, have a read of what critics and bloggers are saying about it, and maybe take a look at the history of the show - is it a revival? Is it an adaptation of a book or movie? There’s nothing better than walking into a theatre feeling like a know-it-all!
2. Turn Your Phone Off!
There's nothing worse than paying good money to catch the hottest show and then being distracted by someone scrolling through Instagram throughout the show. By using your phone you’re distracting everyone around you, as well as wasting your money; don’t pay for a ticket if you’re not going to watch the show!
3. Cameras Are A Big No!
What many people don’t realise is that it’s actually illegal to film and take photos of most shows due to the set, costumes, music and script being copyrighted. Not only is it against the law, but it’s also really annoying for everyone else - watch the show in the flesh, not through a screen. Many shows now allow audiences to film curtain calls, whether that's just bows or a full-blown mega-mix (Six The Musical we're looking at you) - so save your content creation until the end of the show.
4. Grab Your Programme Early
Buy it before the show starts! This way - unless you want a drink or ice cream - you don’t actually have to leave your seat in the interval, so you can have a nice long read of your programme and you’ll practically be on first name terms with the cast by the time act 2 begins!
5. Take Your Thoughts Online
After the show, share your opinions with the world on social media (but without any photos or videos, remember point 3!). Most London and regional shows have their own social channels nowadays, so if you do enjoy the show they’d love to hear about it!
If you’re taking a trip to London’s West End soon, follow our tips and book your tickets through London Theatre Direct - you’re sure to have a whale of a time!