How to Avoid the Worst Seats at the Olivier, National Theatre London

The Olivier Theatre is the largest auditorium within the National Theatre complex, and can accommodate up to 1,160 people on two seating levels – Stalls and Circle. Named after its first artistic director, Oscar-winning actor Laurence Olivier, the theatre opened in 1976 and has since been host to an array of successful musicals and plays including the highly praised War Horse, which is currently being made into a film directed by Steven Spielberg.

There are great views from most of the seats in the auditorium due to its modern design, but there are certain seats which aren’t as good as others at a similar price, and these are the ones to look out for when choosing seats at the Olivier Theatre. So which ones are the seats to be avoided?

Stall seats are located on the ground floor of the auditorium and are the closest to the stage. Seats in the first couple of rows may feel a little too close to the stage, and so sitting further back would be a much better option. It is definitely worth the last and first two seats, in all rows of the Stalls as they provide an inferior viewing angle for the price you pay.

The Circle has more seats than the Stalls, but sitting in this section can make you feel as though you are extremely far from the stage unless you sit in the first few rows. The first couple of rows are definitely more desirable, so try to avoid seats further back. Legroom is good in this section, however.

If you have bought National Theatre London tickets and are planning to see a show at the Olivier Theatre, then consulting an Olivier Theatre seating plan will help you more with your decisions on where to sit. There are plenty of great seats to choose from as the auditorium is fairly new compared to most of London’s West End theatres, and there are no seats with awfully restricted views. There are, however, worse seats than others, and the ones mentioned here should be avoided, if possible.