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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 8:22:32 GMT
So with the announcement that Harry Potter will soon be booking into 2018 and many shows as we know have been booking well into 2017 for a while, how far in advance would you/have you booked to see a show? And why? Myself, I generally decide what to see spur of the moment so rarely book. But I would never book a year or two in advance! You don't know what is gonna happen. Circumstances change, things get cancelled, people die, you just never know! Discuss.  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 8:29:33 GMT
I don't like to book too far in advance if I can help it, but sometimes it just happens. I think my personal record for longest period is 18 months, though at the moment my most distant booking is a relatively restrained 13 months away. I like cheap tickets and sometimes the best way to get them is to book as soon as booking opens. Especially as I try to limit my theatre trips to Saturdays as far as possible, my calendar fills up alarmingly quickly. I mean, I only have half a dozen slots left for the rest of 2016, if I want to see anything else after those are filled, it'll either have to be a sneaky midweek trip into town, or rammed into the Christmas break.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 8:30:33 GMT
I book far in advance if one or more of the following applies -
1. It's definitely going to sell out
2. I can get a cheap ticket by booking early (eg the stalls pillar seats at the Old Vic)
3. I know I can return or exchange the ticket if plans change
I think the furthest ahead I've booked is 13 months in advance for the Cumberbatch Hamlet.
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Post by viserys on Aug 16, 2016 8:36:11 GMT
I have a ticket booked for 6th April 2018. Enough said...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 8:37:10 GMT
I plan ahead way in advance, even for events which I won't actually book for until the last manute, and I also plan slots for events which may be announced with much shorter notice. There's nothing worse than booking a ticket in advance and then later finding that it's blocked something preferable!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 8:38:22 GMT
I have a ticket booked for 6th April 2018. Enough said... That's the best marriage of avatar to post I've seen yet. But also now I really want to know what show! What's even booking that far ahead right now?! |
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Post by viserys on Aug 16, 2016 8:49:27 GMT
Haha. Well, this is actually for the French tour of Priscilla - it will run in Paris next spring, then go on tour in the 2017/2018 season. I can't resist the idea of Priscilla being done by French performers, but I can't do Paris next spring as I already booked a Paris trip for Notre Dame de Paris (which ends before Priscilla opens), so we decided to combine it with a few days on the lovely Cote d'Azur and booked for the tour stop in Nice - in April 2018.
The problem in France is that they always use oversized idiotic venues better suited for rock concerts and such, in this case the Palais Nikaia. The "stalls" are completely flat, so the view gets sh*tty from row 12-15 onwards. So either you book very early to get a good seat in the front stalls or you'll be miles away from the stage.
We booked for the Brussels tour stop of "Les Trois Mousequetaires" (May 2017!) way in advance too and got Row 7. When I check now - still nine months ahead - the same price gets you Row 26.
So yes, it's insane, but it's just how things go there. I have no idea why they start selling so far ahead. I just need to keep it in mind when I make other travel plans...
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Post by dippy on Aug 16, 2016 9:07:24 GMT
I hate buying tickets more than a week or two in advance because I never know what's happening with work unpredictability. I've currently got several shows I'm interested in seeing but no tickets booked (Crazy for You, Half a Sixpence, Allegro, The Go Between). I'm very happy to get last minute theatre tickets but don't really enjoy last minute train tickets if I have to travel somewhere.
That said I do have a couple of tickets for things in advance which is highly unusual for me, I just hope I can actually go. I've got a Harry Potter ticket for July with some friends and a ticket for Matthew Bourne's Red Shoes in Plymouth since that's where it opens in November and the show I have a seat for is sold out.
However my lack of wanting to buy tickets in advance can be a problem, I hate to buy tickets I can't use so won't buy many things in case I can't make it. For example straight after the first show of Groundhog Day I was interested in seeing the final show. I still have no idea what I'll be doing in mid-September so the final 17 tickets may all be gone by the time I know if I can go or not.
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Post by Mr Wallacio on Aug 16, 2016 9:42:18 GMT
The most I've booked ahead was 14 months for the first tour of Mousetrap, but that was regional and half price (thanks ATG) and failure to book within a few days at Bristol Hippodrome tends to mean opening night books up quick and I don't like sitting far back. Though being in Bristol I can pretty much guarantee I'll be available, especially during school term time.
Depending on prices I'll book for Hamilton as soon as it goes on sale, because even if it does dayseats I imagine they'll be BoM style lottery and I've not won that.
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Post by synchrony on Aug 16, 2016 10:13:30 GMT
I book ahead mostly if I think it will sell out or has a very limited run. Sometimes I'll then book other things around it to maximise efficiency in London!
The furthest ahead I've booked is for Harry Potter (booked in March for next February). I did consider changing the ticket as after I'd booked a holiday opportunity came up, but in the end shifted the holiday slightly.
I pencil stuff in to my diary though even if I don't book immediately. If it's a show I know is in a big theatre and run for years I'll often just turn up on the day.
I would try to book anything at the Open Air theatre as late as possible due to the weather.
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Post by DuchessConstance on Aug 16, 2016 11:42:43 GMT
I have on occasion booked a year in advance. I figure if something major happens like a death or relocation, I won't care. Plus the kind of things that need to be booked that far in advance tend to sell out asap, so I would assume I'd be able to return tix for resale.
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Post by maggiem on Aug 16, 2016 12:03:15 GMT
When I had a membership with the RSC, I was able to advance book for the next season, and as I would stagger my visits, I reckoned that my last production booked was nearly a year after the booking opened. Can't do that any more as I have to work some weekends now, and I don't have a schedule that far ahead. I can book 2-3 months in advance, but with a much more limited choice of seats.
For West End, it has to be either a play or actor (preferably both) that I really want to see e.g. Mark Strong in A View from the Bridge or Matthew MacFadyen in Jeeves and Wooster. In these cases, it has to be at least 2 months in advance, preferably 3, to ensure I can get the cheap train tickets, as I tend to try and book Saturday matinees.
The cinema screenings have been a godsend as I can see great shows for a fraction of the price, especially if they have sold out.
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Post by zak97 on Aug 16, 2016 12:03:52 GMT
Very rarely now I'll book in advance - yes for a press night or a big actor which is almost guaranteed to sell out. More often now I'll either pop to TKTS or get something online last minute in hope of discount.
I've never booked in person at a box office on the day, really just because I'm not sure how to approach them with regard to getting a good price.
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Post by synchrony on Aug 16, 2016 12:17:44 GMT
I've never booked in person at a box office on the day, really just because I'm not sure how to approach them with regard to getting a good price. I just walk in about 15 minutes before it starts, smile sweetly and ask if they still have any day seats remaining. The success of this strategy varies from theatre to theatre and show to show. Once I got a whole box to myself for £20 which was nice! I once watched a lady ask the man at the box office for a cheap ticket and she was given one right up in the gods. I was queuing right behind her so didn't have much hope that they had any day seats left. But I still asked. It turned out that they DID still have some, so I got a seat in the stalls for less than she'd paid to be right at the back. I felt quite bad for her, and a bit annoyed with the theatre that they hadn't offered her the same. I also got a great stalls seat for Gypsy this way - but that was pure luck, as they were pretty much sold out but someone returned a ticket just before I arrived. I was also prepared on that occasion to go and see something else if they'd said no. I usually find it's worth asking even if it comes to nothing. The worst they can do is say no right?! |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 12:45:17 GMT
So with the announcement that Harry Potter will soon be booking into 2018 and many shows as we know have been booking well into 2017 for a while, how far in advance would you/have you booked to see a show? And why? Myself, I generally decide what to see spur of the moment so rarely book. But I would never book a year or two in advance! You don't know what is gonna happen. Circumstances change, things get cancelled, people die, you just never know! Discuss. Pretty sure people could die tomorrow. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 12:58:55 GMT
I tend not to book longer than a week or two in advance, unless it's one of my favourite shows and I want to attend the first preview or get a great seat. Longest I've booked ahead was for Hamilton which was 9 months. Will be beating my record for that with the London production of Hamilton by booking 11 months in advance when they go on sale this year. Absolutely worth it for that show though to get the lower prices and avoid resale. Not planning on seeing Harry Potter so don't need to concern myself with that.
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Post by Snciole on Aug 16, 2016 13:26:40 GMT
I booked for The Entertainer (27 August) in April 2015. I think I had a long wait for Photograph 51 too. I like to get cheap tickets and I am not that lucky with Today Tix lotteries and so forth. It is very unusual (unless I have comps) for me not to book at least a month or two in advance.
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Post by theatremiss on Aug 16, 2016 14:20:03 GMT
I booked the Entertainer in the April 2015 for this October. I have also booked Harry Potter and that's Sep 2017.
I often book way in advance especially if it's something I want a good decent priced seat ie NT I have 4 shows planned for 2017 so far
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 14:57:09 GMT
I tend to book far in advance as then it is sorted and done. We booked for Dreamgirls for February back in April (to be fair that was quite booked up for Saturday's). We booked Funny Girl back as soon as it went on priority sale (but we had to reschedule due to Sheridan).
Other than that we just book tickets when they go on sale if we know we want to see them. Sometimes far in advance but sometimes not. Never done day seating before but that might change later in the year
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Post by Mark on Aug 16, 2016 15:00:44 GMT
Don't like booking in advance as I have to use my annual leave and it can severely disrupt my schedule. That said, I booked Harry Potter last December and am seeing it next month
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 19:22:50 GMT
It depends where and what I'm booking, but if it's London, I need to have a good three months notice so that I can sort out trains and hotels, like MaggieM. For the RSC, I tend to book a bunch of stuff when the new seasons are announced, trying to coordinate with the unwrapped events they do. I'm a member at Sheffield Theatres and will book lots of things when the advance booking opens, so some of that's several months in advance. The most in advance I've booked was for Curious Incident in Sheffield which is next May, and which I booked about a month ago.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 19:46:35 GMT
As I have to plan weekends in London I tend to book quite far in advance for those trips, I think the longest I tend to book is a year/just over again only for shows that are 'hot tickets' so if I can't go there's a good chance of selling it on/returns. I think record holders currently are Hamlet and Harry Potter. Though when I had RSC membership I also tended to book 6-8 months in advance.
For things closer to home, I tend to plan a month or two in advance, just so I have thing in my diary. But for smaller venues/fringe stuff it tends to be a week before job.
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Post by lynette on Aug 16, 2016 20:15:13 GMT
The longest I've booked ahead was for Cumberbatch's Hamlet, well over a year. I usually tell my nearest and dearest when I do that in can I get run over by a bus so they use the tix. Normally about two months for West End, longer for RSC cos I usually organise weekends and a two week stint well in advance. The NT has a very short lead in my opinion so I try to book when I get the booklet. I've found that the Old Vic can be booked at shorter notice because it is so big. The Globe tricky cos I'm fussy where I sit so if I don't book immediate booking opens for priority I find my seats have gone. In the old days you could phone on a Saturday morning for that evening for something half decent but I suppose we should be grateful that theatre is more popular these days.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 20:22:28 GMT
I used to plan things up to six months ahead. Now it's more like "I'm bored. Where can I go today?"
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 16, 2016 20:44:32 GMT
It all depends on the show, who is in it and whether there are any early booking discounts. If it looks like being a big seller, that would make me book earlier too (the farthest ahead I have booked is 9-10 months). I do like decent seats, and if it looks as if they are selling quickly then that is also a factor.
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