• Bridewell. Bride Lane, off Fleet Street, 011-44-20-7936-3456, www.bridewelltheatre.co.uk. Tube: Blackfriars, St. Paul's.
The far-from-posh auditorium looks conventional enough, but the stage covers what was in Victorian times a swimming pool and laundry. There's a remnant of that era in the bar: a large hand-powered mangle. Often an incubator for musicals, the Bridewell changes its tune this summer with "Burleigh Grimes," a drama about traders at a New York financial institution who live for sex, money and rock-and-roll (June 3-July 3). Tickets are $17 to $25.
Who needs the West End when you can have Shakespeare's Globe Theatre?
(John Tramper)
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In London, That's the Ticket
Should you purchase theater tickets before departing for London? The answer is yes . . . and no. If you want to see a specific performance of a specific play, then buy tickets in advance -- especially if that show is at the Royal National Theatre, the Donmar, the Globe or the Almeida. Because of their enormous popularity, short runs and limited capacity, tickets for those venues sell out fast. If you don't know your schedule, prefer flexibility or want to take your chances at the half-price tkts booth (see below), then wait until you're there.
Whether buying in the United States or London, first call the theater's box office or check its Web site. Booking fees (Britspeak for service charges) vary; most are in the $4 to $10 range, although some go as high as 25 percent of face value. Some theaters waive the booking fee if you call the box office directly. Given the vagaries of U.S. mail, opt to pick up the tickets at the theater rather than having them mailed.
Other sources for tickets include:
• Ticket agencies, although their Fringe theater offerings are limited. Try Keith Prowse (800-669-8687, www.keithprowse.com) or Ticketmaster (011-44-161-385-3500, www.ticketmaster.co.uk).
• Hotel concierges have a knack for getting tickets -- but often at a considerable markup, plus tip.
• Tkts, the city's only official discount theater ticket booth, in Leicester Square. Half-price and discount tickets are available for performances that day, with a handling fee of about $4.50 per ticket. Most of the tickets are for West End musicals and long-running comedies, but tickets to Off-West End shows sometimes turn up here. The booth is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday noon to 3 (ish). A good strategy is to arrive just before it opens, study the bulletin board that lists what's on offer, then get in line. You can pay with cash, credit card or debit card; personal checks and travelers checks are not accepted. To find out what's available, go to www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/tkts. The list is updated daily at noon, London time.
-- Susan Davidson
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• Donmar Warehouse. 41 Earlham St., 011-44-20-7369-1732, www.donmarwarehouse.com. Tube: Covent Garden.
The 251-seat Covent Garden venue, along with the Royal National Theatre and the Almeida, tops most London theatergoers' lists. Like the Almeida, its productions are of the highest caliber and often include well-known actors. Through June 26, Francesca Annis and Ian McDiarmid star in a new version of Pirandello's "Henry IV" by Tom Stoppard. "Old Times" by Harold Pinter, starring Gina McKee and Jeremy Northam, runs July 6-Sept. 4, and the musical "Grand Hotel," with a cast to be announced, is slated for Nov. 29-Feb. 12, 2005. Tickets are $27 to $52.
• Globe. Bankside, 011-44-20-7401- 9919 or Ticketselect, 011-44-207- 850-8590, www.shakespearesglobe.org. Tube: Blackfriars, Mansion House, Cannon Street and London Bridge, among others.
There is no theatrical experience like seeing one of Shakespeare's plays performed in this wooden replica of the 16th-century theater. Sit in the gallery, as the gentry did, if you like, but be sure to visit at some point during the performance the yard where "groundlings" stand. The theme of this season's plays, running through Sept. 26, is star-crossed lovers. "Romeo and Juliet" is currently running in repertory with "Much Ado About Nothing," and beginning June 18, "Measure for Measure." Tickets are $9 to $52.
• Hampstead Theatre. Eton Avenue, 011-44-20-7722-9301, www.hampsteadtheatre.com. Tube: Swiss Cottage.
Long an important part of the Fringe, the Hampstead only does new work. Authors who have premiered plays here include Michael Frayn, David Hare, Hanif Kureishi, Mike Leigh and Harold Pinter. Dael Orlandersmith's "Yellowman," about racism within the African American community, runs through June 19. Tickets are $23 to $38.
• Old Vic. Waterloo Road, 011-44-20-7369-1722, www.oldvictheatre.com. Tube: Waterloo.
Kevin Spacey, the latest in a long line of American actors to bring their talents to London, is the Old Vic's new artistic director. His first season begins with "Cloaca," Sept. 28-Dec. 11, a drama by Dutch playwright Maria Goos. The show many will want to see, though, is the Christmas pantomime "Aladdin," running Dec. 18-Jan. 22, 2005. Sean Mathias directs and -- this is going to be a hoot -- Ian McKellen camps it up as the Widow Twankey. Spacey will take to the stage in "National Anthems" (Feb. 8-April 23, 2005) and "The Philadelphia Story," in the Cary Grant role (May 3-July 23, 2005). Currently playing through July 31: Trevor Nunn's "Hamlet," with Ben Whishaw's performance in the title role causing much buzz. Tickets are $13 to $66.
