Watching first-class performances in the capital doesn’t have to be costly. Check out how you can enjoy London’s cultural scene on a budget.
WORDS: Daniel Landon
It might not seem it from the stinking Tube carriages and crowded streets, but London is one of the cultural capitals of the world.
Whether it’s opera, ballet, theatre or music, some of the world’s finest in their fields are on show regularly in London.
While you could spend well over £100 for a single ticket to some events, the good news is that you can catch the very same action for not much more than the price of a pint or two.
Here are some of the ways to see the arts on the cheap.
Opera and ballet
The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden is one of the most famous artistic institutions in the world, and has ballet, dance and opera.
Standing tickets and seats with a restricted view range from £4-£8 — a far cry from £190 for a single seat in a good spot. And you can duck into a free seat the moment lights go down. Score!
Shows sell out quickly, but any unsold tickets go on sale at the Covent Garden box office four hours before curtain-up on the day of the performance, occasionally at half price.
Access All Arias is the English National Opera’s fabulous programme to encourage under-30s and students to go to the opera. It’s free to join and provides massively discounted tickets and a monthly ballot for free tickets.
Southbank
The massive Southbank Centre offers a huge array of shows and performances across the whole spectrum of the arts, from orchestras and theatre to dance and visual art. Seats for top-flight shows can start as low as £6, but there are also plenty of free concerts, gigs and events.
The Proms
The Proms is a series of classical music concerts held annually at the Royal Albert Hall. The name comes from the term ‘promenade concert’, in which part of the audience stands in a ‘promenade’ area in front of the stage. Many reckon this is the best spot in the house to watch.
Standing tickets (also known as day promming tickets) are sold for £5 from an hour before the show, but you’ll need to queue a few hours earlier for the more popular concerts. Tickets for seats start at £10 (or £6 for a restricted view).
The most British of all British experiences is the Last Night of the Proms. Forget about getting in, though — it’s easier to buy a £25 ticket to sister event Proms In The Park in Hyde Park, with José Carreras performing and video link-up showing the action inside.
Shakespeare’s Globe
Shakespeare’s Globe is a brilliant reconstruction of the theatre that existed in William’s time. Tickets cost up to £33 for performances of his plays, but 500 standing room tickets in front of the stage (again, said to be the best view) are available online for each show at just £5. Book early.
Classical Music
The London Symphony Orchestra is stunning to behold in full flight, as more than 100 musicians belt out a tune. The best seats cost more than £30, but the higher you go in the Barbican concert hall the cheaper they get, to as little as £7. Many buffs prefer to sit higher to get an overview of the entire orchestra.
The BBC Symphony Orchestra also performs at the Barbican, with tickets from £8. They also do free weekday performances at 2pm — turn up to the BBC studios in Maida Vale on the day of the show. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Royal Academy of Music is a school for super-talented, up-and-coming musicians. They have regular free daytime performances — see www.ram.ac.uk for details.
Hints ‘n’ tips
Cheap tickets are always popular. Whenever possible, book early.
If you’ve got standing tickets at a venue where you’ll need to stand reasonably still (such as the opera), wear comfortable shoes that have support in the arches. To stand comfortably: keep your head straight, your shoulders back, stomach in and knees straight, and if possible rest one foot on a ledge or something in front of you.
The Globe is open air so those standing will be at the mercy of the elements. The show will go on — take a raincoat.
Someone paying £100 a seat won’t baulk at the usually expensive bar and food prices, but the budget conscious should take some food and drink or eat beforehand.
There’s no need to wear a suit or fancy clothes, but bear in mind ripped jeans or thongs (flip-flops) might be frowned on. The Royal Opera House has a definite air of sophistication so wear the best clothes you’ve got. A Union Jack flag or T-shirt is a good idea for the Last Night of the Proms.