Tonight the latest Travelex £10 season kicks off at the National Theatre, which has more or less single-handedly revolutionised theatregoing in the capital: now, you don’t have to read the small print anymore or hope for standbys being available or go on Monday night for a bargain, but can book in advance at low prices for two-thirds of the seats for an entire Olivier Theatre season (and if you really want to splash out, the remaining third are just £27.50 – cheaper than a top price weekend ticket at the Donmar). Of course, there are still bargains to be had elsewhere, including at the National, of course, where front stalls in the Olivier for normal runs and the Lyttelton are just £10, too; while the Donmar top is £20 on Monday evenings and Thursday matinees.
But one of the best bargains I’ve just come across is surely at the Royal Court, where – apart from the long-standing Monday £7.50 nights – prices range from £10 to £25; but if you book online (at www.royalcourttheatre.com), the top price drops by a whopping £10 to only £15. That’s such a substantial saving that I worry that, should the Court find themselves transacting too much business online, their profit margins are going to drop significantly, so perhaps I shouldn’t be publicising it. But the Royal Court has much to celebrate, not just their 50th anniversary this year but also now – thanks to a newly smoke-free downstairs bar – one of the most inviting public spaces in town, complete with bookshop, bar, food and even WiFi access. (The last is a pleasant surprise, since one thing I don’t get in the subterranean basement is a mobile phone signal).
