Dress Circle at the Gielgud Theatre

Rows A to J, 23 steps up from the foyer, and the most reliable level in the building. It narrows as it goes back, down to nineteen seats a row from row F, so even the rear rows are reasonably central.

Where we'd put you

Rows A to D, in the centre. From here you see the whole stage. Row A is the premium row. Rows B and then C step down in price without giving up much of the view, but the price really drops at rows D, E and F, and they're the value seats on this level. Row D is where the two overlap. Within those rows, seats 11 to 26 keep you central.

What to avoid

• The very ends of the front rows, row A and row B especially. They face the stage at an angle, and the outermost seats look through a rail.
• Row A, if you're tall. The front of the Dress Circle is right in front of your knees.
• The middle of row J. It's cramped, and it's the furthest row from the stage.

Legroom

Fine for most people up to about 5ft 9, and the armrests don't lift. The end seats of row B have almost nothing in front of them, but they are the angled ones, so there it's legroom or view.

Steps, and the step-free way in

It's 23 steps up from the foyer, and there's no lift. This is also the one level with a step-free route: a side door on Rupert Street brings you in at the front of the Dress Circle, and the four wheelchair spaces are at the ends of row A. The access page has the detail. Inside, the doors are beside rows B and J.

Drinks and toilets

The Sprague Terrace is the bar at this level. The foyer bar can be reached from the wheelchair spaces without steps, along a side corridor. There are toilets on this level too, and the adapted toilet is in the foyer, near the bar.

The Boxes on this level

Two Boxes, B and D, are beside the stage on either side. The other three, E, F and G, sit together behind row J. The Boxes page says what to book instead.