Royal Circle at the London Palladium

Rows A to L, 597 seats, one level above the Stalls. It's the level other theatres call the Dress Circle. At its best the Royal Circle matches the front Stalls, and it's the level to look at when you want to take in the whole stage in one look.

Where we'd put you

Rows B to F. Close enough to see faces, high enough to hold the whole stage in one look, and well in front of the point where the Grand Circle starts to close in above you. The rake is excellent and the view is good from almost every seat. For the panto with children, we'd take rows B to F here over the middle of the Stalls: the rake lifts them above the row in front, and they see the whole stage at once.

Further back is roomier and still good. The Grand Circle overhangs from around row C, although you will not really notice it until about row J, and the Palladium doesn't always use the full height of the stage. Ask us what is left in B to F on your date and we will tell you what the rows behind it cost by comparison.

What to know before you book

• Legroom is tight at the front. Row A is up against the wall, and the front five rows are all short on room. It is a trade rather than a reason to avoid them, but if you are tall you will feel it.
• Row A has a metal safety bar in front of it, and it affects the view from rows A and B. Both are often sold slightly cheaper as restricted view, which is fair.
• No booster seats. They aren't allowed on this level, so a small child needs to see over the row in front on their own. The rake helps.

Getting up there, drinks and toilets

From the main entrance it's 12 steps up to the foyer kiosks and cloakroom, then 15 more to the rear entrance of the Royal Circle and the toilets. Inside, it's two steps down for each row. There's no lift to this level.

The Royal Circle bar is the Cinderella Bar, 7 steps up from the rear entrance. It's the one to head for: it runs across two small levels and is a stunning room in its own right. The toilets are at the rear entrance, on the way in.