The Arts Theatre is the West End’s smallest commercial receiving house seating 353. Opening in 1927, initially as a members-only club, for the performance of experimental and controversial unlicensed plays which mean that it avoided any censorship that had been put in place by the Lord Chamberlain’s office. Ronnie Barker famously made his West End debut at the theatre in a production of Mourning Becomes Electra in 1955 as well as the theatre being the first to premiere Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot in the same year. 

What are the best seats at the Arts Theatre? 

Set over two levels, Stalls and Circle, the Arts Theatre has a capacity of 353 seats with comfortable seats and good overall sightlines of the stage. In the Stalls there are slight sight restrictions from the end of Row J which is affected by behind pillars and Rows M and N which are affected by the overhang of the Circle. On the whole though the stalls offers an intimate, close view of all the on stage action. 

The Circle is spread over 6 rows and has 2 slip rows. Because of the size of the auditorium, no seat feels too far from the stage and the rows in this section fan out in a horseshoe shape overlooking the stalls. The Circle slips are benches rather than seats and can be less comfortable for longer shows, the view is also classed as restricted, but this is reflected in the price of the tickets for this area. 

The Arts Theatre seating plan