A view from the cheap seats: Student-friendly theatre

Olivia Olphin rounds up the best ticket schemes and recommendations for student theatre fans.

London: new city, new people, new adventures. Fresher’s week has just passed and now you’re wondering what your new home has to offer. Everyone knows that London has a bustling theatre scene, with an eclectic range of choices on offer: from student theatre to West End productions, hit musicals to award-winning plays, ballet to opera. University is a time for trying new things and expanding your horizons, so maybe check out something you never considered seeing before – you never know, it just might change your life. Here’s my rundown of the best student ticket schemes to get you started:

The Bloomsbury Theatre

The Bloomsbury Theatre is UCL’s own West-End sized theatre, which plays host to performances from the Musical Theatre Society, Drama Society, Live Music Society, Comedy Club, Opera Society and many more. Students can access a discount for all of its shows, UCL productions included, and they’re a fantastic way of supporting and celebrating the talents of fellow students. The Bloomsbury Theatre is also home to a studio – pre-Edinburgh Fringe is the best time to check out its listings.

Entry Pass AT The National Theatre

A South Bank hotspot and central hub for theatre fans, the National Theatre should be high on your cultural to-do list. Their Entry Pass scheme gives those aged 16-25 access to £7.50 to all their shows, which are the highest of quality in all aspects of production (though you’ll have to be on your booking game as tickets sell out very quickly).

Masterclass at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Masterclass gives young people access to talks and workshops with industry professionals. As long as you’re aged 16-30, discounted tickets are offered straight into your inbox, often at only £5 a piece. Previous workshops have included esteemed actors such as Rufus Sewell and Dame Julie Walters, so this is a real advantage of studying in London.

Today Tix

Put simply, the Today Tix app has changed the way we access theatre, and it’s the simplest way to start on filling up your cultural calendar. With their daily rush ticket releases and lotteries, it’s now possible to access the most popular theatre from your phone. Winners of the recent Fleabag lotteries bagged access to the coveted show for just £15.

Young Bridge AT The Bridge Theatre

The Bridge Theatre (the one by Tower Bridge) runs a special scheme for anyone under 26, which offers access to much cheaper tickets ranging from £7.50 to £15. As well as popular productions like the recent A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Bridge also holds arts events, poetry readings and much more, so there really is something for everyone in your group.

The Globe

It just wouldn’t be right to experience London without making at least one outing to the home of Shakespeare. This iconic theatre has been rebuilt to resemble the original architecture, so visitors can immerse themselves in history as well as culture. For every production, 700 standing tickets are on offer at just £5 (for everyone) and they’ll really bring you into the heart of the action (though be wary as the jesters and fools’ love of invading the crowd).

The Almeida Theatre

The Almeida are producing some of the most exciting new theatre at the moment, even directing the hot priest himself Andrew Scott in Hamlet. They also run workshops and talks with playwrights and directors, as well as community schemes and young people’s workshops. Most importantly, they offer cheap tickets for those aged 15-25.

The Old and young Vic

Perhaps one of the most well-known theatres in London, the Old Vic offers £10 previews to all of its shows. As for their younger counterpart, the Young Vic creates vibrant and diverse new work. They offer young people useful reductions in £10 tickets, and the productions are simply not to be missed.

Young and Free, The Donmar

These tickets are completely free. Simply sign up to the YOUNG+FREE scheme on the Donmar website, and you’ll automatically be entered into a draw for free tickets for every one of their productions. Good luck!

YOUNG ROH AT The Royal Opera House

If you’re looking to explore opera or maybe some ballet, then the Royal Opera House has you covered. The Young ROH scheme is free to join, and allows access to discounted tickets as well as occasional performances reserved for young people.

Day Seats

Finally, there’s always the oldest and most trusted way of getting cheap tickets – turning up at the theatre box office on the morning of a performance, and waiting in line to buy tickets for that evening. Theatre Monkey has an incredibly useful chart of ‘day seats’ online, with the various times you should plan to queue from. Each theatre has a different policy, so just check before you make your outing.