Cheap Plays in London

Some of the biggest stage productions in the West End can set you back over £150 per ticket, especially if an award-winning actor with an enthusiastic fanbase is attached to star! But finding ways to attend theatre plays on a budget needn’t become a drama.

Check out this page for some of the latest discounts on the best plays London has to offer, including our ultimate theatre insider guides to popular long-running plays such as Harry Potter & The Cursed Child and The Mousetrap, or revivals of classic shows with lots of buzz.

Last Minute Plays in London

If you are looking for last-minute tickets to a play, check the official website to find out if there are any discounts on the day of the performance.

You can also go to the theatre’s physical box office which may have same-day deals, or check out ticket sellers like the booths in Leicester Square.

One common practice in the West End is dynamic pricing, when unsold tickets fluctuate in price as the performance date gets closer. This usually applies to unsold tickets in the middle and top price bands, and they are not marked as discounts; you just need to keep an eye on the website in the days leading up to your preferred performance.

Some West End Plays allocate some cheaper tickets for Day Seat, Rush or Lottery schemes which can be booked either on the day of the performance or within a week of it. Lottery and Rush tickets can be booked online, but some venues operate an in-person Day Seat queue from 10am daily.

Rush tickets are cheap theatre play tickets released on the day, or in some cases a week early. Tickets often sell out quickly.

Many play venues release their Rush tickets via the TodayTix app, which has a dedicated page to browse current Rush offers. These are on sale daily at 10am, and cost £20-30.

The National Theatre Friday Rush offers £10 tickets for the next week’s performances, on sale at 1pm each Friday.

Matinee Plays London

Some London plays have cheaper tickets for their matinee performances. Midweek matinees are often cheaper than weekend matinees, although they are not usually cheaper than weekday evening performances.

London Neighbourhood Play Discounts

If you live in the same London borough as a theatre, check their website for any resident discounts. Theatres offering reduced play tickets include the Young Vic for Southwark & Lambeth residents and Lyric Hammersmith for Hammersmith residents.