Queen’s Theatre

The Queen’s Theatre is situated in the heart of Theatreland on Shaftesbury Avenue. The theatre was opened in 1907 and has an Edwardian style auditorium. After being destroyed during World War II the foyer was rebuilt in a modern style which still presides today. Extended refurbishment took place in 2009 which improved public areas and increased seating capacity. The theatre has been the home of the world’s longest running musical Les Miserables since 2004.

Seating at the theatre is often complained about, with most audience members preferring to sit in either the Dress Circle or the Upper Circle. The Stalls section is vast, with no divisions and is inhibited by the deep overhang of the Dress Circle which is the first tier at street level. Pricing of each section does not effectively represent the quality of each seat, and so Seat Plan advises caution when booking. The modern façade and foyer make the theatre feel somewhat gloomy, which is perhaps fitting with the nature of the show.

Bargain Hunter!

It’s worth taking a risk on one of the restricted view seats, especially those in the Dress Circle. Seats in the front two rows of the Stalls are also usually discounted, but provide an exciting view of the stage up close for those wanting to see the show on

Break The Bank!

The best seats in the house in this case are the front centre of the Dress Circle. Here you can feel involved with the show whilst being able to take it all in and enjoying the improved sound quality the theatre has to offer.

The stalls are below street level and feel rather dungeon-like due to the heavy overhang and lack of division. Sitting as one large body of seats it is easy to feel claustrophobic and distant from the action onstage. Most seats in this area are priced the same, which does not fully reflect the variation in seat quality. Sitting close to the action provides an intense and gripping experience and even seats on the end of rows from row A to J offer the best value for money in this section.

The overhang of the Dress Circle significantly reduces the seat quality of those seats in the back half of the auditorium, but seats towards the centre of each row should be selected first. The section is not significantly raked and so you are aware of the audience in front of you at all times, rather than focused on the drama onstage. Leg room is sufficient in most rows and the seats themselves are relatively comfortable.

The Dress Circle offers the most consistent views of the stage and is better value for money than the Stalls overall. Again the section is undivided by an aisle so those who want extra legroom need to pitch for the ends of the rows, where views of the stage are not as good due to the curve of the theatre. Dress Circle Lodge seats are available and run as slips along the side of the auditorium, but are priced as restricted view. To avoid the overhang aim to sit as close to the front as possible to get full value for money.

A number of seats towards the front sides of the Dress Circle are labelled restricted view but offer a good way to see the show at a discounted rate. Although some areas of the show may be obstructed, you will feel ultimately more involved than in other seats further back for the same price. One advantage of sitting further back in the Dress Circle is that the larger ensemble scenes and Barricade scenery are easier to view, giving those who have perhaps seen the show before a fuller appreciation of the scale, substituting some detail.

The Upper Circle is similar in size to the Dress Circle, although has a half aisle in the centre. A significant number of seats are offered at a reduced price as they are restricted view due to the shape of the section. Whilst not to necessarily avoided, obstructions vary depending on which section you book.