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Dateline: 7th January, 2007

The National Theatre
The most comfortable - The National Theatre
The Palace Theatre
The least comfortable - The Palace Theatre

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

A poll on The Stage website has named the theatres which the respondents believe to have the most and least comfortable seats. People were asked to list those theatres in London and elsewhere in the country which have what they consider to be the most and least comfortable seats. They were given a free choice and were also asked more general questions about what makes seats comfortable.

Top five “most comfortable” in London

1. National Theatre (subsidised)
2. Apollo Victoria (Live Nation)
3. Royal Court (subsidised)
4. Barbican Theatre (subsidised)
5. Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (Really Useful Group)

Top five “least comfortable” in London

1. Palace Theatre (RUG)
2. Drury Lane (RUG )
3. Cambridge Theatre (RUG)
4. Old Vic (Old Vic Theatre Trust)
5. Her Majesty’s (RUG)

Top 5 “most comfortable” in regions and fringe

1. Lowry, Salford Quays
2. Millenium Centre, Wales
3 = Milton Keynes Theatre, New Victoria Theatre Woking and Churchill Theatre Bromley

Top 5 “least comfortable” regions and fringe

1= Bristol Old Vic, Bristol Hippodrome and Manchester Palace
4= Manchester Opera House and Kings Head, Islington

The Stage comments on one "apparent anomaly" in the list, the fact that the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane make the top five most and least comfortable theatres in London. This can be quite simply explained. Many of those reporting discomfort referred to the lack of space in the balcony seats, while those praising the venue referred to its stalls seats. There is also the matter, of course, of personal preference.

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©Peter Lathan 2007