Royal Circle at the Piccadilly Theatre

Rows A to L, about 335 seats, one level above the Stalls. It suits anyone who wants to see the whole of Moulin Rouge at once rather than be in the middle of it.

Where we'd put you

The first five or six rows. The Royal Circle has a good rake, so the view holds up across all of those rows, and from there you see the full width and height of the staging, which the back of the Stalls can't give you. Hunt for a slightly cheaper seat in those front rows: the view barely changes and you spend less, which makes it the best value in the theatre for this show.

What to avoid

The last couple of rows are the weakest up here. The Grand Circle overhangs from row D, and by the back of the level it takes the top of the stage. The very ends of the rows lose a sliver of the stage too, though only a little, and they're still decent seats. Getting to the middle of a row means squeezing past others, as there's no aisle through the level, and a rail runs along the front of the circle without getting in the way of the view.

The Boxes

Boxes A and C, either side of the Royal Circle, hold parts of the Moulin Rouge set, the windmill and the elephant, so none are on sale for this show.

Getting up there, drinks and toilets

It's 26 steps up from the foyer, with handrails. Row A, towards the high seat numbers, can be reached without steps, and rows B to D on that side need only a few. Seat A28 is a transfer seat for wheelchair users, and the access page has the detail. The Royal Circle has its own bar; the Ladies are 8 steps up from it, and the Gents 15 steps down and then 7 up. If you'd rather not queue, order interval drinks before the show or have them brought to your seat.