Stalls at the London Coliseum
Rows A to Q on the ground floor, and our pick of the whole building. The Stalls are closer to the stage than any circle seat facing it, the rake is good, and nothing hangs over any of it.
Where we'd put you
Centre rows B to H. Close enough to be in the show, far enough back to see the whole of a very wide stage without turning your head, and the best seats in the building.
If the centre block is sold out or priced up, don't worry about drifting into the side blocks, because the rows are raised on steps and the view holds up. Near the front, rows A to E, keep to the centre block or no more than about four seats into the side blocks, unless the price has dropped to match. Further back, the side blocks are fine, and some of the seats at the sides of the Stalls are cheaper and worth a look.
The back of the Stalls is good here
At most big theatres the back of the Stalls sits under a circle and loses the top of the stage. Not here. The circles are set back behind the Stalls rather than over them, so every row has open air above it, and even rows P and Q keep the full height of the stage. The only thing you give up at the back is distance. Row Q sits in its own alcove at the very back, which some people find a little enclosed, but the view is fine.
What to avoid
- Row A, if you're tall. It has the least legroom on this level, tight above about 5ft 6. Start at row B.
- Rows A to C for an opera. The surtitle screen is high above the stage and you'll be looking almost straight up to read it. Sit further back than you normally would.
- The very front if you want to feel close. The orchestra pit is wide, so row A is further from the action than a front row usually is.
End seats in rows A to H lose a little of the stage edge to speakers and equipment, and the sound desk behind row N gets in the way of a few seats in rows O to Q. At the sides, from row E back, the seats run right up to the wall. That's not a view problem, it just means you can't get out that side, so you'll be going along the row to the aisle.
Legroom in the Stalls
Good everywhere except row A. Row B sits close to the orchestra rail, so it has a little less room to stretch than row C.
Getting in, step-free
The Stalls are at ground level from the main foyer on St Martin's Lane. For step-free seating, book row O, which also has the level's wheelchair space, or one of the rear Stalls Boxes. The Stalls steps have no handrails. The access route has the rest.
Drinks and toilets
Adelaide's Champagne Bar and the Stalls Bar are both on this level, and Adelaide's opens first, at 90 minutes before the show. Go one floor down to the lower ground for the American Bar: oak-panelled, beautiful, and worth seeing even if you're not drinking. The Stalls toilets include an accessible one, which has a single step.
Stalls FAQs
Are the back rows of the Stalls bad at the London Coliseum?
No. Nothing overhangs the Stalls here, so the back rows keep the whole stage, including the top of it. What you lose is distance, and on a stage this size that's the only trade.
Where should I sit in the Stalls for an opera?
Behind row C, and further back than you'd normally sit. Rows A to C are so close that reading the screen means tipping your head back, while the back of the Stalls takes in the stage and the surtitles together.
Which Stalls seats have the most legroom?
Anything from row C back. Row A is the tightest on the level, and row B has a little less stretching room than C because it sits close to the orchestra rail.