Upper Circle at the London Coliseum

Rows A to L, the third level. It's usually a bit cheaper than the Dress Circle, and the view is better than people expect, because you're closer to the stage than the height suggests.

Where we'd put you

The front half, centre or just off it. The circles here are set back behind the Stalls rather than stacked over them, which keeps this level near the stage, and for an opera everything in front of row K reads the surtitles comfortably.

The sides are worth considering too. As on the Dress Circle, the ends curve round and bring you closer to the stage, at a lower price, in exchange for the angle.

If you're tall, the seats to find are B1, B51 and C56, which have nothing in front of them.

What to avoid

• This level, if you're tall and can't get one of those three seats. Legroom is tight in almost every seat for anyone over about 5ft 5, and A1 and A43 have none at all.
• Rows K and L, for an opera. The back two rows can't see the surtitle screen.
• The back rows, for a show staged high. The Balcony overhangs the rear of this level, and from about row J you'll miss the top of the stage. For most shows the loss is small.

Stairs and the lift

Stairs only. The lift serves every other level but not this one, so if stairs are a problem, the Dress Circle or the Stalls are the levels to book. There are handrails along the outer walls down to about row D from the back.

The Upper Circle Boxes

Boxes 14 to 17, four seats each, sit at the sides of this level. They're very side-on, but you get your own space. The Boxes route covers them.

Drinks and toilets

Up here you have the Sky Bar, built as a tea room and now a bar under a glass roof, with the globe and the rooftops overhead. It's an incredible place for a drink, and the lift goes to it even though it doesn't go to the Upper Circle seats. There are toilets on this level but no accessible one; every other floor has one.