Welcome back to our series about cheap seat options available in the West End and affiliate theatres.
This week, we’re in Islington at one of London’s most inventive venues for a powerhouse Shakespeare.
Show and venue
King Lear at Almeida Theatre – £25 ticket sold as ‘behind slim pillar’
Seat
Booked Stalls F11
Expectations
I knew there would be a pillar in my sightline but I have seen other shows here from similar seats (The Chairs, Tammy Faye) and it has been fine.
Reality
This seat is blessed with good legroom and comfort, and you really don’t notice the pillar after a while.
For this production, a bit of head movement was required, but I didn’t feel I missed anything, and as I knew the play, I instinctively knew which characters to keep in view.
You are also close to the stage so you can see and hear with no problems. Also, sitting here, you don’t really find other audience members trying to get past you to their seats as the pillar puts them off.
Evidence
Here’s a snap of the stage pre-show. The pillar looks much worse than it is. I genuinely forgot about it as I got involved in watching this (excellent) Lear. The backdrop is where characters enter and exit, and there is a clear view of the stage floor.
Here’s a production shot by Marc Brenner to give you an idea of what the play in performance looks like:
Next time: For Black Boys ….