Book influencer Sarah Gwonyoma aka @whatsarahreadnext shares her festive season stocking fillers.

Illustrations: Niki Groom (@miss_magpie_spy)

Reading is my happy place and has also saved me when life has been tough. Working in the world of books means I get to read way more than your average person and it also means I get to sniff out some of the best literature out there. My love language has always been books, so this Christmas I’m choosing to gift my loved ones with what I know best and it is such a treat to be asked by The Frugality family to share with you some of the books I’ll be gifting my friends and family this holiday season:

This is not a Pity Memoir – Abi Morgan

In addition to being an Emmy and BAFTA award-winning screenwriter, Abi Morgan has also had to navigate a marriage where her husband wakes up from a coma unable to recognise her (amidst her stage 3 cancer diagnosis). Her memoir is as real and life gets for most. A must read.

Standard Deviation – Katherine Heiny

With the world feeling heavy, this book brought so much light into my world this summer. It’s about a couple who are complete opposites, with a son who finds making friends hard, find their way through marriage and life.

Oh William – Elizabeth Strout

Not many women would say yes to go on a road trip with their ex-husband, but this is what Lucy Barton does. A story that explores the layers of feelings that build up between two people over time.

Lucy by the Sea – Elizabeth Strout

A gorgeous follow-up to ‘Oh William’ comes ‘Lucy by the Sea’ where we are with Lucy and William who are seeing out the pandemic together in Maine. Not a situation either saw coming and are once again having to sit with their complex past at a time when the world seems to be falling apart.

Cat Brushing – Jane Campbell

A provocative short story collection that explores the sensual worlds of thirteen older women. I went into this with zero expectations (having not seen or heard about it) and came away WOWED (in a good way!). 

Books I will be gifting to the children in my life this Christmas

1. The Missing Piece by Jordan Stephens  – A gorgeous book about a girl who goes on the hunt for a missing piece in a puzzle she’s trying to complete. The powerful message and take away for all is about empathy.

2. The Perfect Fit by Naomi and James Jones – A book about a triangle called The Triangle not knowing where she belongs. As she navigates her way through the world with circles, squares and hexagons, not seeing how she fits in, she realises by the end, despite difference, they can all live together as one.

3. The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Raúf  – A stunning book told from a child’s perspective on the refugee crisis. In a world that isn’t always kind towards ‘others’, this book really brings home the importance of friendship.

Editor and book club founder Kristy Ebanks shares her summer holiday reading list

I have always been a keen reader, and in 2020 my girlfriends and I decided to counteract the negativity of the world (phew) and retain our joy and sisterhood through the power of black literature by starting a book club; accordingly named Book Club in Babylon. So as summer travel is seemingly back on the table, now is a good time to share my top five books to pack in your summer holiday bag. 

I must say that my ideal summer read to get lost in – the ‘just one more chapter’ kind of read – tends to come with a little heartache. Books that change the way you think. While I can’t guarantee that you’ll return from your holiday with a suntan – particularly if you’ve opted for a staycation as seasons are simply suggestions in Britain – you will return with a change of perspective, or at the very least wondering how big dinosaur poop was. So, if you’re after a captivating poolside read that you can burn through in a week or so, then read on…

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Homegoing is one of the best books I have ever read – there I said it! Starting in Ghana we follow one family as it is ripped into two by one of the world’s most egregious crimes against humanity. Generation after generation Effia’s lineage is plagued with unrest, while Esi’s with oppression. Although a fictional novel, Yaa Gyasi cleverly navigates historical facts across three centuries all while keeping us locked into the painstakingly remarkable lives of Maame’s descendants. Each character’s story is engrossing, so while reading stay tuned into the wider context by referring to the family tree which opens the novel. From a historical perspective I appreciate the work that went into this heart-breaking, honest and beautiful read. I also wish that it wasn’t so close to the truth – a truth that we should never forget. A truly unputdownable book. The kind of story you feel your way through.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

It’s 2024 and society has deteriorated to the point where money has little to no value. People are desperate, constantly worried, hyper vigilant and going outside as little as possible to keep safe. Sound familiar? Well, Lauren – a hyper empath – is preparing for the pending end of the world since humankind can no longer continue in the state it is operating. What starts as Lauren’s set of principles to live by ends up being the foundation of a new religion; a religion that unintentionally picks up followers as Lauren flees her gated community following a successful organised attack by jealous ‘outsiders’. The similarities with modern times and this post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel are uncanny, so it’s bound to appeal to anyone who enjoys a gripping story (even if you’re not into sci-fi). Note: After reading you may find yourself Googling ‘houses with bunkers for sale’.

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré

I love this title and had high expectations for this novel – it did not disappoint. Fourteen-year-old Adunni GOES THROUGH IT! After Adunni’s arranged marriage to a man who’s old enough to be her father, things go so far left that you simply could not predict what happens next. I spent the first few chapters wanting Adunni to win before I became convinced that she would, come what may. Through the eyes of a teenage girl with a ‘louding voice’, Abi Daré unpacks the complexities of culture and traditions, expectations, education, and class. Adunni is brave and determined and as a result she changes the lives of those who she encounters. While at times an uncomfortable read, it’s an important one. There’s nothing funny about this story but you may find yourself chuckling at Kofi’s point of view and if not, Adunni’s perspective is sure to make you giggle.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

One thing you’re guaranteed from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a good storyline. This book unpacks some heavy issues such as identity and immigration, but ultimately, it’s a love story. Two teenagers fall in love, and we follow them as they leave Nigeria and come of age. Ifemelu heads off to the United States where she grapples with self-acceptance and takes on a new label – black – something which was a non-factor for her in Nigeria. Obinze – an educated, middle class young man with high hopes and a promising career trajectory – ends up in England. However, terrorist attacks in the West and subsequent immigrant scaremongering leave Obinze navigating London as an illegal immigrant. But don’t get me wrong, the politics in this novel are not forced. First and foremost, this is Ifemelu and Obinze’s love story. All the hard-hitting topics are secondary to a relationship that you’ll find yourself heavily invested in.

If I had a dinosaur by Gabby Dawnay and Alex Barrow

Whenever my family and I travel we bring our favourite kids’ books with us. Story time always helps to calm an overstimulated (too much ice cream) little mind. So, I wouldn’t be doing this list justice without including one of my family favourites from the ‘If I had a…’ series. If I had a dinosaur encourages the use of little imaginations as it explores what it might be like to own a pet dinosaur. There’s even a double page illustration of dino poop – guaranteed audience pleaser there! The protagonist in Gabby Dawnay’s ‘If I had a…’ series is a little black girl, rocking the cutest afro, who’s not being called on to tackle racism or teach the world any profound message that it hasn’t managed to grasp over the past few hundreds of years. Just a fun book for kids, truly what I consider representation – so simple yet so effective.

But please consider a donation…!

Theatres have been closed for over three months now and there are rumblings of reopenings soon (although this is by no means guaranteed, sign up to mailing lists for announcements from your local favourite theatres), but there has been an abundance of free performances online in the interim. For most, it’s a chance to view not only free theatre but often, it brings about an opportunity to view previously sold out performances, and there are still lots to enjoy before they reopen to the public again.

Just to say: our theatres, museums and cultural centres have suffered greatly due to Coronavirus so we do encourage donations where possible, and The Frugality has donated to all the theatres included within this piece.

Over the last few months, National Theatre have shown performances from hit shows over a limited time, such as ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ and ‘Small Island’. Currently, they are showing Bridge Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ starring Gwendoline Christie as Titania, until this Thursday, 2nd July 2020. This will be followed by ‘Les Blancs’, ‘The Deep Blue Sea’ and the last performance on 16th July will be ‘Amadeus’.

Graeae theatre group is streaming its hugely popular ‘Reasons To Be Cheerful’ for free via YouTube featuring music from Ian Durie and The Blockheads until 3rd August 2020.

Joe Penhall’s ‘Mood Music’ starring Ben Chaplin will be streamed via YouTube and The Old Vic from Wednesday 8th July until 14th July.

The Royal Court theatre is streaming the sold out performance of ‘The Fall’ from 2017, an award-winning play written by seven students in Capetown after the fall of the colonialist statue of Cecil Rhodes at the University of Capetown.

The BBC has obviously been streaming a lot of live Glastonbury performances this weekend, but did you know you can also stream great theatre performances? Emma Rice’s adaptation of ‘Wise Children’ (one of my favourite Angela Carter novels!) at the Bristol Old Vic is available to stream online here until 8th July 2020.

Leicester’s Curve theatre is showing a range of free shows online including ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and Joe Orton’s ‘What The Butler Saw’.

Shakespeare’s Globe has been streaming performances throughout the pandemic – if you’re lucky you might still be able to catch ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream’ on their YouTube channel, and the BBC is showing ‘The Tempest’ from The Globe’s 2014 performance.

The BBC’s ‘Culture in Quarantine’ season includes plenty of Shakespeare, including the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of ‘Othello’ as well as opera: ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ (from the Garsington Opera) can be streamed here.

‘Windrush: Movement of the People’ is a choreographed dance performance by Phoenix Dance Theatre surrounding the arrival of Caribbean migrants on SS Windrush (originally premiered at Leeds Playhouse 2018) and available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

There are obviously lots of other ways to get involved with theatre/music venues and film at this time. As I type this, I am listening to Grace Jones’s Meltdown’ playlist from her curated festival this June with Southbank Centre (we were booked to see Jimmy Cliff, thankfully it has been postponed to next year). The Southbank centre also has lots of interesting podcasts, the Royal Court theatre has a range of free content on offer, such as a reading of ‘Shoe Lady’ by E.V Crow (part of BBC Sounds’s ‘Lockdown Theatre Festival’) which you can listen to here and Sadler’s Wells have family dance workshops on their YouTube channel here.

It’s always worth signing up to different cultural centre’s mailing lists to access free content that most theatres, museums and galleries in the UK offer all year round.

I’ve always been a bookworm, but where once I found the time, now it feels as though I am constantly distracted and find it difficult to quieten my mind long enough to take in the story. It may be the fact I have two children, or that life is busy, my iPhone scrolling addiction is ridiculous, or because by 9pm I am ready to sleep. 

So, if like me, you constantly try to carve out small nuggets of time to read – can I recommend these five to get you going?

Put the kettle on, curl up – and enjoy!

Educated by Tara Westover

This was one that sat on my bedside pile while everyone around me waxed lyrical about it. But then again, I do like to come to things in my own time! In this brilliantly written memoir, Tara recounts her escape from her Mormon fundamentalist family in rural Idaho. She has grown up in a family where her father, Gene, is a strict disciplinarian. He doesn’t believe in medicine or school, but does allow Tara’s mother Faye some independence as a faith-healer and later, as an untrained midwife. It’s a tough childhood and Tara was expected to live under the strictures of her father’s life rules. Without any formal education, Tara makes her way out of the family on a scholarly odyssey, which ultimately leads her to a PhD from Cambridge University. It’s an extraordinary tale of roots, learning and loyalty, written in a lyrical, meditative way. I loved this book.

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

I devoured Queenie in one entire sunshine-filled day over the summer – and enjoyed every minute of it. A comic debut, written by Candice Carty-Williams, the title character Queenie is a 25-year old living in South London (near where I used to live – so I felt nostalgic for all the geographical details!), who is on the verge of a breakdown after splitting with her boyfriend. We learn that her mum left her living alone at the age of eleven, a fact she finds difficult to open up about. The novel allows Queenie to face her truths without downplaying the reality of the situation she finds herself in – her relationships, her job and her family. But at the real heart of the story is the relationship she has with her four main girlfriends – and how Queenie, despite everything – comes to find herself. A feel-good read with heart.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Over the course of my life, I could name just a few books that have had such an impact on my heart as A Little Life. It is bleak, it is traumatic, but my God, it is stunning. Hanya Yanagihara has written a modern-day chronicle for friendship and  our age of anxiety, but no, it’s not an easy read. It focuses on the friendships of four men, Jude, Willem, JB and Malcolm – and it’s their love story that’s the salve keeping you connected. A wonderful tribute to the light and dark that comes with relationships – the support, the competition, the romance and the jealousy. Read it. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it. 

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and namechecked by Oprah Winfrey as a favourite? Yes please! Tayari Jones’s masterful tale is about an African-American middle-class couple, Roy Othaniel Hamilton and his wife Celestial, who are going places. But after Roy is sent to prison for a crime we know he didn’t commit (no spoilers, it’s right at the beginning), their lives implode. It’s a really interesting – and beautifully written – book, looking at the way cultural perceptions and expectations are often at odds with personal aspirations for the black middle classes – and it also has a lot to say on traditional gender roles. If you can get past the slow first chapter, it’s a work of art. Well worth reading.

I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

This novel, written by the screenwriter who gave us Dead Calm and Mad Max 2, wasn’t one I would naturally gravitate towards. But after my mum – who is an avid reader – said ‘JUST READ IT!’ it was one I set my alarm early for every morning, just so I could get another half an hour in before the children woke up! Pilgrim is the code name for a US intelligence agent – and while there is way too much plot to even begin explaining, put simply, it has its feet firmly in a post-9/11 paranoia. It’s a brilliant piece of escapism, written in a pacey, exciting style that will keep you thinking long after you’ve closed the book.

*We have linked books for ease, but encourage you to borrow from your local library, where possible!

And how they are addressing the lack of diversity and inclusion on and off stage….

This post follows up from my last tip-based post on affordable theatre (read it here) – as we were inundated with messages from readers and theatres about schemes, ways to get the most affordable tickets and proactive ways they are addressing diversity and inclusivity within the theatre industry – both on and off stage. We had to break down the post into separate articles as frankly, there was just too much info to take in.

We mentioned fringe theatre and off WestEnd shows in our last post, so this article is mainly focusing on larger theatres in big cities, and attempting to spread our knowledge wider than London, as we are aware a lot of the discussion is based around the capital, which isn’t possible for most people (travel, as well as cost!).

The Lowry’s Lyric & Quays Theatres & The Aldridge Studio in Salford, Greater Manchester

The Lowry is a registered charity, their Lyric theatre has the UK’s largest stage outside of London, consisting of 3 theatre spaces. They offer a few different schemes to help drive inclusivity such as tickets at £5 or £10 for residents of Salford by signing up to this mailing list, free tickets are also made available to Salford families who’ve never been before (click here for more info).

Their under 26 Scheme offers anyone under the age of 26 tickets for £5 or £10 to most shows by signing up to the scheme here.

They also have a general membership scheme whereby £30 gets you 2 for 1 tickets all year round, plus discounted tickets are available for people in full time education, under 16s, disabled people, retired people and job seekers.

Tickets for the Aldridge Studio space start at £12, which is a great way to see smaller-scale productions.

The Old Vic, London

A registered charity (in fact, the Old Vic was opened by Emma Cons in 1880, who campaigned for educational opportunities for the working classes), did you know that they release at least half the seats for the first five performances of their shows for £10?  Sign up to their PWC Preview mailing list to be sent the exact date & time that they’ll be released (limited to 2 per customer & subject to availability, of course, and available for all main stage productions except when otherwise stated).

Here are some tips for getting PwC tickets:

• When you sign up to the mailing list, you’ll receive an email a week before the £10 tickets go on sale telling you the date, time and how to get tickets.
• Once you know the date, set your alarm – tickets always go on sale at 12 noon on a Monday. You’ll be put in a virtual queue on the website and assigned a number.  This number won’t change but the pink bar will keep moving as you get closer.
• Be quick, and once you’ve got your seats in the basket, go straight to pay – don’t go anywhere else on the website or you might lose your tickets!

The Young Vic, London

A registered charity, The Young Vic is great at showcasing up and coming talent and they offer ‘Lucky Dip’ tickets – you pay £10 for a guaranteed standing ticket, but are on standby and may be upgraded to a seat if there is one available on the day. They also offer a number of £10 tickets for every production for full time students and people aged 25 and under.

Sheffield Theatres

Large theatre complex consisting of The Crucible, The Lyceum & The Studio (charity status).

£5 tickets are available for 16-26 year olds (called ‘Live for 5’) across the majority of shows. They go on sale on the first Friday of the month at 5pm for the following month’s shows. A minimum of 40 tickets will be available per production unless it is otherwise stated.

They’re involved in the IGNITE scheme which is in place across South Yorkshire and offers one free ticket and a second at £5 for students studying Performing Arts and English at GCSE or above.

The Royal Opera House, London

A registered charity, ticket prices start at £8 for The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, Friday Rush also is a great way to get last-minute tickets even for sold-out shows. At 1pm every Friday, 49 tickets for almost all main stage shows performed in the following week are available to purchase online.

York Theatre Royal

A charity, York Theatre Royal has a ‘Pay It Forward’ scheme this year where you can buy families in need tickets for this year’s panto. The ’35live’ programme is free to join and offers those aged 18-35 the chance to purchase tickets at a discounted rate of £15.

Royal Shakespeare Company, London & Stratford-upon-Avon

Friday Rush tickets: every Friday at mid-day a number of tickets from £10 are released on the website for performances in Stratford-upon-Avon the following week.

First Time Fridays: £10 tickets to any Friday performance in Stratford-upon-Avon for those who have never seen a Royal Shakespeare Company show before .

RSC Key Scheme: for 16-25 year olds to gain access to £5 tickets to see any of the London or Stratford shows. 

The Ambassador Theatre Group regional theatres 

At all The Ambassador Theatre groups regional theatres they offer £13 Price Promise tickets on the majority of their shows.  These are limited & sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.  They have theatres across the UK including The Empire Liverpool, The Alexandra Birmingham, Bristol Hippodrome, Kings Theatre Glasgow and Playhouse Edinburgh (find a list of theatres here).

Nottingham Playhouse

A registered not for profit charity, they offer a ‘Pay What You Can’ scheme, tickets can only be bought for that day’s performances and it’s exactly what it says – pay what you can! You can also call the box office on the day, too. They also have a 50:50 appeal where people can donate from £10 to fund a ticket for someone without the means to afford to go to the theatre, since starting they have managed to give tickets to 4000 people (you can donate here).

Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

A registered charity, the theatre runs an engagement and outreach programme, collaborating with schools, young people & adults in the wider community. From running free schools programmes, to working with community groups and offering Lyceum Youth Theatre bursary places to disadvantaged young people. They are currently fundraising via their Big Ticket campaign (you can donate here), which helps run workshops as well as Touch Tours for the visually impaired and relaxed performances for those with additional support needs.

‘Shhhh Secret Seats’ offers a deal for £10 tickets, book an unreserved seat and, if there is availability you’ll be seated in either the stalls or the Upper Circle.  Tickets go on sale one month prior to opening night so sign up to the shhh secret seats mailing list.

Shakespeare’s Globe, London

A registered charity, I am happy to say that the summer yard £5 tickets are still around and haven’t gone up in price since I worked there in 2004! Over the summer season (April to October) they release 700 yard tickets per show for £5 each (half the theatre’s capacity).  They are standing tickets but it means you are closest to the stage & right in the middle of the action.

They also have an access scheme which exists for deaf, disabled and neurodiverse people. They will assist with finding them suitable seating and ensuring that the ticket prices are adjusted to reflect their requirements.

Opera North, Leeds

A registered charity, Opera North is the first opera company to be awarded ‘Theatre of Sanctuary’ status for their work with refugees and asylum seekers and the company recently staged its first dementia friendly performance of ‘La Bohème’.

Their Under 30s scheme is free and open to anyone aged 16-29 and full-time students. It offers 50 tickets allocated for every performance for £10, free events for members with the chance to meet members of the cast or creative team with a free drink. The scheme has now extended to the company’s northern tour venues, so that young people and full-time students in Newcastle, Nottingham and Manchester can also now access these tickets.

They have also been taking mini operas to bars and breweries in Leeds to attract a younger audience who traditionally do not attend the theatre (most people attending have never seen opera before), perfomrances have been at Manahatta with burger and Prosecco and Belgrave Music Hall with a slice of pizza and real ale. Just brilliant.

‘Try It On’ is a new initiative where twenty stalls tickets will be available for £20 for every performance in Leeds, Salford and Nottingham, bookable by anyone who is new to Opera North’s main stage work.

English National Opera (London Coliseum)

Another registered charity, tickets for the opera at this theatre start at £12. But they also have some wonderful schemes in place: ‘Opera Undressed’ allows customers to experience their first opera with them for £20 – sign up to the scheme here. They also have a ‘secret seat’ scheme whereby you buy an unallocated seat in advance but then be guaranteed a seat worth £50 or more on the night, they have more information and tips here.

The ‘Access All Arias’ scheme is for those in full time education or aged 16-29, where you get access to significantly reduced tickets, from £10 in the upper circle.  Under 18s also have the opportunity to get free tickets every Friday, Saturday & opening night in the 18/19 opera season (find out more here).

Southbank Centre, London

A registered charity, they have recently launched ‘Encounters’, a new scheme offering a free classical night out in the company of a leading musician to audiences who have never previously heard a live classical concert. Priority is given to those for whom opportunities ​are especially hard to come by including ex-offenders, young people who are not in education, employment or training, people who have experienced homelessness, isolated older people and community groups, as well as those who may work on or near the South Bank but have yet to experience live classical music. 

They have a great Under 30s ticket scheme, too – sign up here and they will send an email every two weeks with a discount code and the first code will offer a free ticket (and a code will be sent until a ticket has been booked). Thereafter, they will send a £10 ticket offer every two weeks. There are, however, a limited number of tickets available for each performance.

A limited allocation of tickets with a 25% discount is available for recipients of Universal or Pension Credit, full-time students and those under the age of 16.

On the Stage & in their Galleries they try to be as diverse as possible,  Africa Utopia festival was part of a London-wide celebration of African culture and creativity, the Hayward Gallery exhibition Kiss My Genders celebrated gender diversity and fluidity this summer, they are home to Chineke!, Europe’s first BME-led orchestra and have worked with the British Paraorchestra.

Jerwood Theatre at Royal Court, London

We just saw Sabrina Mahfouz’s show here last week (in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs £14) and it’s an excellent space. They offer £12 Mondays –  a long standing tradition to offer cheaper tickets on Mondays. Tickets are available to anyone & everyone in both the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs and the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. These tickets are released at 9am on their website for that evening’s show (tip: make sure you already have an account so it’s quicker to login).

A limited number of standing places go on sale one hour before each Jerwood Theatre Downstairs performance for 10p each!  They may not always be available so please check in advance. The standing places have a severely restricted view.

Young Court Friends Tickets offers a limited number of £15 tickets for all performances to Young Court friends, a free membership scheme for those under 26.

The Riverfront, Wales

The Riverfront, in Newport has loads of initiatives for those on more of a budget, such as £5 tickets for 15 – 25 year olds to see theatre including National Theatre Wales, Theatr Clwyd. They have a Community Critics scheme (you can apply here) where you get a free ticket in return for writing a review of your experience, plus cinema tickets for £3 for kids films during the holidays (which are also 2 for 1 for Newport Live members). They also have Christmas panto ‘Christmas cracker’ tickets available from £8.

The National Theatre, London

A registered charity, they have Friday Rush tickets every Friday at 1pm – a selection of £20 tickets are released on the website for productions on all three of their stages.  

The ‘Entry Pass’ scheme allows 16-25 year olds to sign up & get access to £7.50 tickets.

Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Playhouse has charity status and is proud to be part of Ramps on The Moon (an initiative mentioned in my last post here on more representation of deaf and disabled people both on and off the stage). They also have relaxed and demntia friendly performances, as well as captioned and BSL (British Sign Language) performances.

Discounts apply to students and children under 18 in full time education, Leeds Card Holders and anyone receiving disability or unemployment benefits. Discounts for group bookings & one free ticket for 10 booked (find more information here).

They have an artistic development programmed called ‘Furnace’ where they work to develop artistic voices from across the region and support them to develop projects.  This culminates at ‘Furnace Festival’ – all events at Furnace Festival are either free or Pay what you can).

Royal & Derngate, Northampton

A theatre with charity status, changes have been made to make the theatre more wheelchair accessible, and along other initiatives, they have worked with United African Association to curate their Fun Palaces festival and worked with local people, including refugees, recently arriving in Northampton, inviting them to take part in their production of Katori Hall’s ‘Our Lady of Kibeho’.

Donmar Warehouse, London

Donmar Warehouse is a registered charity and has the ‘Young & Free’ Scheme for those under 26.  This scheme is funded through the generosity of audiences via the Donmar’s Pay It Forward scheme (people donating towards tickets for young people – you can donate here by clicking the ‘support Donmar’ tab).  Tickets are released on the final Friday of every month via a ballot system. So far these donations have allowed the Donmar to allocate more than 16,000 free tickets to those under 26.

Birmingham Hippodrome

A registered charity, they have a Standby Rate whereby, for certain shows, tickets are available up to 24 hours prior to a performance priced at £10 per person for the Patrick Studio productions & best available seats at the lowest price available for the Main House productions. These are exclusively for full time students, Birmingham residents who hold a Passport to Leisure card or local residents with certain postcodes (picked due to the lowest theatre attendance rates in Birmingham). You can find out more here. They also have a First Night Scheme for those aged between 16-24, where they can pay from just £5 for tickets.

Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol

A charity that works with a range of artists and theatre companies to build an inclusive creative community rooted in South Bristol. Their ‘Get Involved’ department works with communities to bring under-represented groups into the theatre and engage them in theatre generally through workshops, discussions, acting classes, courses and events for all ages to get involved.

The lowest price for every show is £12, and early bookers will always have access to the greatest savings.  They offer £10 tickets for those aged 16-26 and have a community engagement ticket scheme where tickets are offered to people in Bristol who cannot afford theatre.

Vaudeville Theatre, London

In terms of inclusion, Vaudeville Theatre was the first theatre to offer a baby friendly performance in the West End!  A one off matinee of the show ‘Emilia’ (with an all-female cast) took place earlier this year for parents & carers of babies under the age of 1.  I think that’s rather wonderful.

I’ve been meaning to do this post for months. I love the theatre and used to go quite a lot in my early twenties as a English Literature and Classics post-grad (especially with the £10 Travelex tickets at The National Theatre – which rose to £15 but sadly finished its run this year after 10 years) but I have noticed recently that prices have become astronomical. This is not to say that the staff/actors/directors/producers don’t need to be paid a decent wage (and I know that a lot of tickets often include a historical building levy, which is crucial, too. There is a really interesting piece here which gives a breakdown on why tickets cost what they do – but pre-warning you have to login to read) but looking around on a recent theatre trip, I couldn’t help but feel that the audience wasn’t particularly diverse and I had a huge response on social media to this.

But I also wanted to do this properly, so we got in touch with theatres up and down the country and asked what they were doing to appeal to younger audiences, how they were helping people with lower incomes still be inspired by theatre and culture and what they were doing towards more inclusivity both onstage and within audiences. And then you, my lovely readers also sent me a lot of info about charities and sites that were helping towards this cause. The main positive I took away from this research is that most theatres know this is an issue and are really making accessibility a huge priority, which is exciting.

This week, we have compiled a list of tips and tricks for big theatres and schemes (mainly in the West End) that can help you source affordable tickets, unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be one place to help you across the board (which makes me think this is a site that I need to set up! But alas: time). And then next week we will compile a list of individual theatres across the country and their specific tips and schemes, which will give you a feel of what each theatre is really doing to bridge this divide.

Sign up to Theatre newsletters

I know, it seems obvious but I didn’t realise how few I was actually signed up to! Here, you will be the first to hear about tickets being released, special deals, cheaper preview nights – but you WILL need to be quick. Also: follow the theatres you like on social media, I used to be all about aesthetics on the gram but now I use it for information and almost as a search engine – it can show teasers for shows coming up or talks in the works which you can add to your wishlist.

Add these sites to your favourites

Love Theatre – for West End and London deals.

Black Theatre Live – celebrating diversity and promoting predominantly  POC produced and acted theatre.

TodayTix – West End shows in advance and last minute.

Manchester Theatres – what’s on in Manchester but also frequently discounted ticket sales.

TheatreMonkey – West End ticket deals – not the chicest layout but it does also have a guide to seating plans in London theatres, and what tickets/seats to avoid.

Cheap Theatre Tickets – a useful site in its own right, but it also has a dedicated section to Student and under 25 memberships (most of them free) that offer £5 tickets etc.

Upper Circle – a great site for new shows and reviews, as well as updates on when there are great deals on offer for certain shows. They have also created a popular Facebook group for sharing theatre deals.

Do last minute deals

Obviously, this won’t work for a lot of people but most West End shows & theatres offer tickets that are released in the morning for that evening’s performance generally at a cheaper rate.  Usually available in person from the box office only. 

Lotteries

Some West End shows have lotteries that you can enter on-line or in person for tickets as cheap as £10.  Check out the show’s websites for information. A few current lotteries include Hamilton (for £10 tickets), Matilda (for £25 tickets), School of Rock (£20 tickets) and The Book of Mormon (£20 tickets). For touring shows, there are often similar schemes in place but you’ll have to research for each show (‘The Book of Mormon’, for instance, offered £15 front row tickets drawn at random for their limited run in Manchester). 

Find your local cinema screenings

Did you know you can watch a lot of incredible stage performances via the cinema? I had heard of it but was so surprised by how many people have recommended this to me and was so impressed when I looked into it. The Odeon show theatre, small independent films as well as live shows like The Northern Ballet’s ‘Dracula’ for halloween across the country, with wheelchair accessibility. You can also see shows such as ‘Present Laughter’ with Andrew Scott at Vue cinemas across the country, as well as Fleabag (via National Theatre Live). Pros to this are not only pricepoint but a friend has told us that sound is much clearer, too!

TKTS

This is a famous ticket booth at Leicester Square run by The Society of London Theatre, a non-profit seller of last minute & discount tickets.  Tickets can only be purchased in person for same day, tomorrow & next day tickets. Their website lists all shows and prices so you can check what’s on sale before you go to the booth.

Sit somewhere different

‘Cheap seats’ doesn’t always mean they’re the worst. Shakespeare’s Globe still sells hundreds (700, to be precise) of £5 standing tickets for every performance (and this price hasn’t gone up since I worked as an usher during my uni days!). Granted you can’t actually sit (and trust me you can’t – my job used to be to get people to stand back up when they tried! Health and safety reasons, mainly) but it’s a great way to see a show often out of your price bracket and you can get really get ‘up close’ to the acting (and if it’s not great, you don’t feel so guilty leaving early). Restricted viewing tickets are often not as restricted as you may think, and usually you can search online for the seat plans and read reviews of the restrictiveness (Seat Plan has online reviews of seats).

Kids Week

Every year, during the school holidays, you can access free kids London theatre tickets when you sign up to Kids Week via this link. Tickets sell fast but you can access 1 free child’s ticket with each full priced adult ticket purchased.

Buy Off Peak 

Friday and Saturday night performances tend to be the most popular times to go to the theatre.  If you have time off during the week do compare prices of a matinee or mid-week evening performance against the Friday/Saturday prices.  They are usually less expensive. 

Big venues, smaller shows

Lots of big theatres have smaller shows at part of their offerings, we have just bought tickets for ‘A History of Water in The Middle East’ at Royal Court theatre for £15, by the brilliant writer Sabrina Mahfouz, but it’s at the upstairs theatre of the Royal Court rather the main auditorium (where tickets can cost as much as £95). Often, these are the shows that support new talent, which is just as exciting. Big theatres also offer workshops and talks with actors, directors for a fraction of the cost of a show, too.

Book as a group

Plenty of theatres offer discounted tickets for group bookings (usually 6-8 minimum), so call the box-office & see what they can offer – but this can vary.

See a Preview

A lot of theatres offer discounted tickets for preview nights (The Old Vic has a £10 Preview mailing list, for example), the show might not be quite ‘finessed’ but it is an opportunity to see something great for much cheaper. Obviously, there is more room for error at these previews but we once saw a dress rehearsal The Old Vic with Stephen Mangan in ‘Table Manners’ and it was such a different way to enjoy theatre. Seek out the shows and theatres individually or sign up to newsletters. Sites such as The Audience Club ask for a small membership fee (which goes to charity) in which to gain access to preview shows – but it is currently full until 2020!

Check for Charity Status

From doing this research, we would say that those theatres with charity status are the best for cheaper tickets, so if you were to look for theatre tickets in, say, Leeds, it would be a good idea to first hunt down a theatre with charity status & start there.  Obviously these are also the theatres doing the most with regards to community engagement and schemes to increase diversity, so you would also know that the money you pay for your ticket helps to support this. 

Support your local theatre venues

A lot of our tips are for West End shows as these are often the theatres who can afford to PR and get the word out but it goes without saying the importance of supporting your local independent theatre venues – there is so much theatre all over greater London (I can really recommend the Soho Theatre for a smaller, central London venue and tickets are from £11) and the UK, as well as fringe shows (we saw a play by Clean Break Theatre Company – definitely look them up as they are doing amazing things – last time we were at Edinburgh, who are about to put on a play at Donmar Warehouse), plus independent theatre companies touring different venues, talks and events. And often this is where the most innovative and relevant works are being performed, and you don’t pay a premium for ‘celebrity’ actors, and instead you have the potential of seeing an actor before they become famous. Here are just a few of the great Fringe festivals happening across the UK:

Brighton Fringe May

Plymouth Fringe May/June

Bath Fringe May/June

Barnes Fringe Festival June/July

Guildford Fringe June/July

Greater Manchester Fringe July

Reading Fringe July

Llangollen Fringe, Wales July

Clout festival, Barking July

Southend Fringe Festival July

Bedford Festival Fringe July

The Great Yorkshire Fringe July

The Camden Fringe July/August

Edinburgh Fringe August

And finally we wanted to share just a few organisations and charities we came across doing amazing things towards affordable tickets and diversity:

Mousetrap

This charity is open to anyone age 15-23, but is also especially dedicated to those who are disadvantaged or have additional needs. They organise trips for Secondary State School children to go to the theatre/musicals/opera as a group for £5 each across London shows (such as Harry Potter, Small Island and SWEAT!), as well as other events (such as ‘club nights’ where they offer tickets to a show at an exclusive rate plus Q&A with the cast and/or creative team).

By signing up here, members receive a fortnightly email with additional offers from other theatres, too.

Black Ticket Project

An initiative that provides young black people with free tickets to theatre shows across London. The project partners with several theatre organisations such as Battersea Arts Centre, The National Theatre and Bush Theatre to create more opportunities for young Black audiences.

The Black Ticket Project relies on donations. You can make regular contributions with patreon.com/blackticketproject, or one off donations with paypal.me/btproject​.

Ramps on the Moon

A movement calling for more inclusion of Deaf and Disabled people within the theatre. Ramps on the Moon brings together six national theatres (and co-created by Graeae, who directed the closing ceremony of the Paralympics ceremony at London 2012) and is striving towards more representation in theatre as well as in the audience (I was actually messaged about this fantastic site via a reader who works in theatre, and whose jobs it is to make sure these needs are met and theatre is accessible to disabled and deaf people).

Arts Emergency

An amazing scheme designed to help young, underprivileged people get into the Arts industry in general, including theatre. You can sign up to get a mentor in the industry, donate or sponsor someone’s mentoring scheme, or if you have skills that you think could be useful and have an opportunity to teach someone, you can also sign up to be a mentor.

I hope that has offered a bit of positivity in how theatres are working towards accessibility – I will follow up with a post on what individual theatres (across the country) are doing, soon.