Help buying tickets online
Are you a current member, having trouble accessing advance or priority booking online? Then go to Members Online Booking.
To get the best out of our online ticketing service please take a moment to read these brief tips:
- Do make sure you are using an up-to-date and supported web browser (Internet Explorer 6 or higher, Firefox 2 or higher or Safari 2 or higher)
- Do make sure you turn on cookies and javascript in your web browser - you'll get an error page if they're not and you won't be able to complete your booking
- Do have your login details and card details to hand when starting to book, as you will only have 35 minutes to complete your booking once tickets are in your shopping basket.
- Your login will be the email address you registered with, and if you have forgotten your password you can change it here.
When we open online booking for a new season - our website can become very busy due to the heavy demand for tickets. Here are some extra tips to help speed you through:
- We limit the number of people who can book at any one time. This should speed up the website for those who are already on it.
- The peak period when online booking opens is generally the first few hours. In some cases you may prefer to come back later.
- If you are booking during one of these peak times, you may not be able to access our ticketing website the first time you try. You'll see a page explaining what is happening and what to do.
- Please be patient and follow the instructions on the page.
How to buy your tickets
Step 1. On the Buy Tickets event listing page
Select the play or event you wish to book for by clicking on the title. Please note that the list includes all ticketed shows and events being performed at the National Theatre or being sold by the National Theatre (eg, West End transfers). Some of the shows may have some or all of the performances sold out.
Step 2. Buy Tickets: Date Selection
You can choose to login or register at this point, or wait until after you have selected your seats.
Select the performance you want to see by clicking the date/ time of your preferred option.
If dates are in black, and not links, this is either because they have sold out, or they are not yet available to book online (during priority and advance booking, members must login in order to access these dates).
Step 3a. Buy Tickets: Select Your Own Seat
You can select your own seats online for all shows in the Olivier and Lyttelton theatres. In the Cottesloe theatre, seats can be selected for shows with a traditional end stage configuration. For Cottesloe shows with different staging, we cannot offer 'Select Your Own Seat' and you will be offered the 'Select Seating' method which offers 'Best Available' seats - see Step 3b below.
When you have selected a performance date and time (Step 2 above) you will be taken to the Select Your Own Seat function. This appears in the lower part of the page and you may need to scroll-down the screen to see it. You will see an interactive map of the theatre, with the Olivier or Lyttelton theatres divided into stalls and circle and the Cottesloe displayed all in one map. If you roll your mouse over the map you will see ticket availability information displayed on the right of the screen. Clicking on the map will take you to a detailed seating plan of the theatre (either stalls or circle for the Olivier or Lyttelton, or the whole theatre for the Cottesloe) where you can select your seats from those available.
Please note: if you do not see the map of the theatre, and you are not taken to a screen where you can select tickets using the 'Best Available' method, then you will need to download the Flash player from Adobe. You can do this at www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/. For more information go to our Download Flash Player page.
On the seating plan, if you roll your mouse over an available seat you will see the seat number and price range (which reflects if there are any concessions available). You will also see all other seats at the same price highlighted with red circles around them.
Click on a seat to select it and if more than one price is offered, choose the appropriate price. Repeat this step until you have all the seats you require. Your selections are indicated at the foot of the plan and if you want to remove any seats, you simply click on the relevant cross under the 'REMOVE' title.
Once you have selected all the seats your require, click on the 'ADD TO BASKET' button. It is only at this point that the seats will be allocated to you, so it may be possible that someone else has selected the same seats as you and added them to their basket before you. In this case you will need to return to the plan and select different seats.
If your selection is successful you will now proceed to Step 4
Step 3b. Buy Tickets: Select seating page
For those shows in the Cottelsoe that are staged in such a way that it is not possible to offer 'Select Your Own Seating', or if you prefer to select seats using the Best Available method (to choose this option you can click on the 'Select Best Available' button) you can select seats as follows:
Depending on what tickets are available, you select the section and price, in either the stalls or circle (for Olivier & Lyttelton shows) or in the Pit or the levels (in the Cottesloe). You then select the quantity of tickets at the full or concessionary prices (subject to availability).
You can select up to 9 tickets in each item and you can add any number of items to your Shopping basket. You can buy more than 9 tickets for a performance by selecting the same event and date again, but please note that the second set of tickets may not be adjacent to the first, even if the same section is selected, and any group rate discounts are not available online.
Please note: for some productions we restrict the maximum number of tickets that can be bought by each customer.
When concessionary rates are selected, proof of eligibility may be requested.
When you have made your selection and checked on the button ADD TO BASKET, your request will be processed by our box office computer. This will select the best available seats in the section you have chosen. The seats offered will be adjacent to each other and in a row.
If you have specific seating requirements, such as aisle seats or a particular seat number, please contact the box office on +44 (0) 20 7 452 3000, or in person (Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 8.00pm).
Step 4. On the Shopping Basket page:
If your selection has been successful, you will be given details of the seats you have reserved. These tickets will be held for you for 35 minutes, after which time they will be removed from your shopping basket.
By clicking on Seating Chart you will be able to view a detailed seating plan to discover the location of your seats (for events in the Olivier and Lyttelton only).
At this stage you have the following options:
1. You can 'Remove' your order from your basket and try another selection.
2. You can click the 'CONTINUE SHOPPING' button and go on to reserve tickets for other events - though remember you have a total of 25 minutes to complete your entire selection and get to the checkout.
3. You can buy the tickets you have reserved.
By clicking on the CHECK OUT button you will be taken to the Log In page.
Step 5. On the Log In page:
There are three routes:
1. If you have not registered on our website before, or are not a member, you will need to register. Apart from the details required to complete an online booking, you are requested to enter a password (which allows you to login in future) and you can opt-in to receive information in various ways, and to sign up for our email lists.
2. If you have been sent a temporary login, enter these details in the username and password boxes and click 'LOGIN'. You will then see a page where you have the option to change your login details, and it is recommended that you at least update your password. There is a minimum length for the password, which is indicated on the pages where passwords can be entered or updated.
For both options 1 & 2, once all required fields are completed, clicking the 'UPDATE' button will take you into the next stage of the transaction process.
3. If you have previously registered on our website you can login with your existing login details (use Forgot Login details?' if you cannot remember these). You will then be taken into the next stage of the transaction process.
Step 6. On the Checkout: Enter Main Address page:
Your address details are now displayed. If you want your tickets sent to this address (tickets can only be posted to UK addresses and for performances more than 7 days hence) simply click on the CONTINUE button. If you require a different delivery address check the box at the bottom left of the screen (if you choose this option, an extra page, Checkout: Select Delivery Address will appear for completion).
Step 7. On the Checkout: Enter Payment Information page:
You see a summary of the items you are about to buy, your main address (and the delivery address if different) and whether the tickets will be posted or held for collection.
There is also an opportunity to make a donation and sign up for Gift Aid.
Then you need to complete the Credit Card Information box and when you are happy to proceed, click on the COMPLETE PURCHASE button.
A new screen will then appear that indicates that the booking is being processed and if the transaction is successful, a new page appears with confirmation of your successful booking and all the transaction details.
An email confirmation will also be sent to the email address you have provided. If you do not receive an email confirmation, please contact the Box Office on +44 (0) 20 7 452 3000 (Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 8.00pm), or e-mail boxoffice@nationaltheatre.org.uk giving as many details of your booking as you can remember (when using e-mail, tell us the card type used, but not the full number).
There is a link to our terms and conditions on all our pages and completing a purchase online indicates that you agree to these.
Please Note: Strobe lighting, smoke effects and gunshots are sometimes used in productions; details are available from the Information Desk after the first preview. Concessions are limited and allocated at the management's discretion. Latecomers may not be admitted until a suitable break in the performance. Children under four are welcome in the foyers, however they cannot be admitted to the auditoriums.
If parents or guardians would like guidance on the content and suitability of individual NT plays, please call the Information Desk on 020 7 452 3400.
