Great Tickets To Get More Culture Hunt

This week I want to find ways to get Christmas family entertainment for less. No Christmas is complete without a trip to a panto, but if you’ve got a big family tickets can be steep (boo hiss!)

So I want to tap MoneySavers' collective research power to find out how to get bargain tickets to pantos, plays, ballets and operas. For example, can you wait for returns, get cheap standing tickets or become a theatre member if you go regularly?

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Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert.
Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.
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Comments

  • When I was studying in Bath, (up until last year) we used to get the bench seats at the back of the Theatre Royal Bath for a flat rate bargain £5 per seat plus 50p booking fee. These were only available on the day of the performance from 12 noon, so even sold out expensive shows were accessible to all.

    I recommend getting there early to bag the seats in the middle, but the visibility is pretty good regardless from what I remember.

    Note: This was not just an offer for students (horray!)
  • Not a huge money-saving tip, but save yourself a few quid by buying tickets in person at the box-office. Just got quote for family of 4 for Milton Keynes panto booking online through Ticket Master :

    £21 each + £2.25 fee PER TICKET + processing fee of £2.50..... outrageous.... could get a pair of shoes and a handbag for that!

    :mad:
  • tubster
    tubster Posts: 256 Forumite
    If your family likes walking, you might like to try a free audio walk which includes the voices of lots of different people who live and work along the river telling you about their lives and the Thames. Each walk takes a couple of hours; it isn't for little ones, but an 11 year old has tried it and gave it 10/10! The two walks start at Hampton Court and Greenwich.

    To do the walks you all will need either a personal CD player or an mp3 player (ipod etc). If you haven't got either of these, you can hire the equipment for £1 a player from Greenwich Tourist Information Centre. You can download the files for free from https://www.memoryscape.org.uk, or if you prefer, buy the professionally made double CD for both walks and a map guide for £7 from the website.

    This is a really interesting way of livening up a boxing day walk! Give it a go.

    Tubster :xmassign:

    DECLARATION: I am the author of these walks. I have surveyed 131 people who have tried one of the walks for my research - 96 per cent rated the walk 7/10 or above; 41 per cent rated it 9 or 10. :j
  • If you happen to be a teacher, there is an excellent programme offering very cheap theatre tickets. You do have to join, but if you're a regular theatre goer, the membership is bound to pay for itself.

    Their website is being reconstructed, but you can find basic contact details here.

    http://www.mousetrap.org.uk/

    Hope you find this useful.
  • Go to the "schools" pantomime slots. I have just been with my daughters pre-school & paid £8 per ticket. All seats in the theatre (Milton Keynes - Snow white) are £8 wherever you sit - we had the best seats in the house that should have been £21 a throw. I did receive an additional discount of £1 per ticket by booking & paying before 30th September - but there were seats still available at £8 each prior to the shows. I thought it would be quite rowdy there with all those schoolshcildren - but they all so well behaved & it was a fantastic pantomime!

    bargain- lil
  • Aladdin at the Bristol Old Vic is reviewed well. I've got a family ticket (which can either be for 2 adults & 2 children or for 1 adult and 3 children) for £16.00. We're seeing it next Thursday so can't tell you how good it is yet - but at £4 per head the price is nice!

    Seats at this price are the wooden benches in the gallery - have sat there before and it's fine - although probably not ideal if you have impaired mobility.

    http://www.bristol-old-vic.co.uk
  • Fuzzy_2
    Fuzzy_2 Posts: 271 Forumite
    Volunteer to go as a parent helper with the school trip, and get in for free! BTW make sure you go with year 4 or above, otherwise you're on constant trips to the loos!

    Downside is the coach journey there and back with the kids! Upside (as bargain-lil says) the place is full of kids having a great time, adds to the atmosphere! If you're not sure just look around at their faces!

    Happy Christmas MSEers
  • I agree... I was asked to go along to the panto with my daughters school and didn't have to pay..... I'm just gutted that I booked 4 tickets to see the same panto when they went on sale in March!... and it's not even a very good one this year!

    gutted! :snow_laug
  • Travelex runs a fantastic scheme where you can get £10 tickets on Mondays at a mixture of Royal Opera and Royal Ballet productions from the Royal Opera House.

    100 of the very best seats in the house are available for just £10 and you enter a ballot to win one. We went to see La Boheme a couple of months ago and the seats were brill.


    http://www.travelex.royaloperahouse.org
  • elanter
    elanter Posts: 28 Forumite
    If its still there, The Half Price Ticket booth in Leicester Square offers discounts on same day performances.

    Also whatsonstage.com usually has offers
This discussion has been closed.
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