How early to wait for (cheap) Godot tickets in London?

June 18, 2009 2:26 PM

Can anyone recommend strategy/tactics for snagging cheap day seats for 'Waiting for Godot' in London? Will there be a snarling crowd at 10AM Saturday morning outside the Theatre Royal Haymarket? How early ought I arrive to ensure I'm in the front of the queue?
posted by Devoidoid to Media & Arts (3 answers total)

Having walked by the Haymarket last Friday (the 12th) at 9:30am and seeing at least 30 people in line...I would say EARLY. But I don't know how many day seats they release every day (and usually 2 tickets per person).
posted by meerkatty at 2:28 PM on June 18, 2009

Not a helpful answer, just a "don't get your heart broken" warning: I had an inside track (family member who works in the theatre) for this effort, and a week-plus of leeway for when I went, and still failed miserably -- but good luck, I'd have *loved* to see this play and everyone I know who's seen it has said it was fantastic.
posted by obliquicity at 7:03 AM on June 19, 2009

Response by poster: So, I arrived at 9AM, and there were already 20-some-odd people in line. The cheap front-row tickets were long gone by the time I got to the window, but there were still £30 tickets in the Upper Circle... so I got one of them. A lot more than I intended to spend, but still reasonable, and when am I going to see Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart on stage together again?

So if anyone else is interested in this... yes, it can be done.
posted by Devoidoid at 3:20 AM on June 20, 2009