London Theater Update: A Bargain Hunter's Guide

For theater fans, London's a wonderful town -- even when the pound is up and the dollar is down.

Sure, airfares and hotel bills are skyrocketing, and you'll pay near-Broadway prices to see Judi Dench in "Hay Fever" or Patrick Swayze in "Guys and Dolls." But the London that once was the greatest and cheapest theater destination of them all is still there. You just have to know where to find it.

Gerald Berkowitz, chief critic for the independent review site Theatreguide.London, says one of the most common misconceptions Americans have about London theater is "the fear that they have to book months in advance and pay scalpers' prices, when in fact, with only one or two exceptions, you can usually buy good seats at the box office on the day." And Terri Paddock, who runs London's Whatsonstage.com Web site, advises: "Do your research, plan ahead -- and there aren't many shows for which you'll need to pay full price."

Clearly, the "these days nobody pays retail" trend has crossed the pond. How can American theatergoers make the most of it?

First, some basics: Tickets usually cost more on weekends and less for previews and matinees. Yes, you can find a matinee in London any day of the week except Monday. No, there still aren't many theaters open on Sundays. No, programs are not included in the price of a ticket -- they'll run you about five bucks, but you can usually get a cast list for free.

And, unlike Broadway, where you use credit cards at the box office and cash at the half-price booth, in London it's the opposite; use plastic at the box office and you may be hit with a service charge. Steve Rich, who runs the Web site Theatremonkey.com, recommends you always go show shopping with both cash and plastic, as you never know who will demand which.

Some tips for the pound-wise:

· Get a subsidized seat. London's government-subsidized theater is alive and thriving, and often downright cheap. At the acclaimed three-stage National Theatre on London's South Bank ( http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ ) and the Royal Shakespeare Company stages in Stratford-upon-Avon and London ( http://www.rsc.org.uk/ ), good seats can often be found for under $20 and tend to top out at under $50. Some shows offer even lower prices to students, seniors and families.

At these prices, hit shows tend to sell out fast, so check the theaters' Web sites to learn when new shows and blocks of tickets go on sale. Or go to the National at dawn or thereabouts to queue up for the 30 to 40 "day tickets" set aside for same-day purchase on each of its three stages (Olivier, Lyttelton and Cottesloe).

About $14 can get you a seat at any of London's smaller subsidized stages, including the Gate, the Bush, the Royal Court (where Tom Stoppard's new "Rock 'N' Roll" is playing), the Donmar Warehouse (Derek Jacobi's there now; Frank Langella arrives to play Nixon Aug. 10) and the Young Vic, when it reopens after refurbishment this fall. Go to the theater owners' London Theatre Guide ( http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/ ) for info and tickets.

· Head for the half-price booth. The TKTS booths, in the Leicester Square clock tower in the theater district and at Canary Wharf, open Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m. (Sundays, the Canary Wharf locale is closed, and the Leicester Square booth opens at noon). Same-day seats are available for about 40 different shows, most at 50 percent off, some at 25 percent off (plus a $4.65 per-ticket service charge). The musicals "Guys and Dolls," "Billy Elliot" and "Sunday in the Park With George" were available recently, along with the hot new plays "Jane Eyre" and "Rock 'N' Roll." For a preview of what you're likely to find, go to the theater owners' site (see above), click on TKTS at the lower left and then "What's on Sale Today." Availability and pricing may differ from weekends to weekdays, so check a show's listing on the same day of the week you'd like to see it.

The Leicester Square booth takes both cash and credit cards; Canary Wharf takes credit cards only. For popular shows not available in the morning, it sometimes pays to check back with TKTS closer to showtime.