From Leicester Square theatre tickets to Broadway musical tickets last minute, getting a ticket to one of the top shows around the world is not an easy feat, nor is it affordable.
But, with a little effort and luck, you can see major shows like Hamilton or Harry Potter and the Cursed Child last minute and at very affordable prices.
Keep reading to discover how!
Table of contents
The Lottery
For shows like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child you have the chance to play the lottery and see if you can win a chance to buy tickets. Your chances are slim and even if you do win the prices are still ridiculously high.
You will likely pay around 200+ pounds to see this show in a London theatre if you buy your tickets ahead of time.
Your odds are slimmer but the prices are better with shows like Hamilton. You can download an app from the Playstore or iTunes that allows you to routinely enter a lottery, giving you the chance to purchase $10 tickets. A great deal, but the odds of winning are slim to none.
Email or Call the Box Office
Another way to get the coveted Leicester Square theatre tickets or Broadway show seats is to contact the ticket booth within a few days of your desired show time.
Ask if they have any return tickets for the up and coming shows (give a date range if you’re flexible) and offer to pick the tickets up from the box office when possible. People sometimes return tickets last minute and so the box office will try and sell them again, often at discounted rates.
There’s no guarantee that they’ll have any tkts for your desired performance at the time of contact, or that they’ll be able to hold them for you if they do. This technique also doesn’t work too well for large groups, but if you only have a few people you might get lucky.
If you’re really in a pinch, keep reading for another option!
Show Up Last Minute
As crazy as it sounds, I discovered this trick by accident! With Part 1 of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child starting at 2 pm, I showed up about 1:45 pm at the box office and asked the ticket agents if they had any last-minute return tickets.
They did and I purchased Parts 1 and 2 of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for 50 pounds total.
Keep in mind that the full price ticket online would have been about 250 pounds, plus more with booking fees! We decided on the cheapest option with two seats together, but there were more expensive options that were closer to the stage.
This may not work every time, but it’s definitely worth a shot if you’re in a big show area like the West End (Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden, Leicester Square) and have a free afternoon or evening.
That’s it!
These special offers aren’t advertised but if you’re willing to take a gamble, this is the way to purchase tickets although I would recommend giving yourself more than 15 minutes before the show starts.
And if it doesn’t work out, head to a restaurant in the area and try again the next day.
Read More: How to Get Around London by Bus, Tube, and Train
Get Broadway, West End, or Leicester Square Theatre Tickets Today
Now that you know how to get everything from Leicester Square theatre tickets to Broadway and beyond, start researching the performance options!
If you try this technique, let us know how it works for you!
If you’re headed to London, check out the posts below to start planning your itinerary. And remember that England is so much more than London. Be sure to plan a few days away from the city to explore some other gorgeous English towns.
Although getting cheap and last minute theatre tickets in London is affordable, there are plenty of free things to do in London as well!
Pin How to Get Cheap and Last Minute Theatre Tickets
And as always, you can find more sustainable travel content on Instagram @VoyagingHerbivore, Youtube, and TikTok and to get updates straight to your inbox, enter your email below.
If you found this guide helpful and want to help us keep these resources free,
please consider making your next Amazon, Expedia, Hostel World, Etsy, Trivago, and Booking.com purchase through our links (just click right on those words – you can do it right now and unless you clear your cookies before your next purchase, it will remember). It costs you no extra and gives us a small commission. Thank you!
Leave a Reply