One counter on Shaftesbury Avenue sells tickets for eight West End theatres, and almost nobody uses it.
The Central Box Office at the Sondheim Theatre is open Monday to Saturday, midday to 6pm, and sells for all eight Delfont Mackintosh theatres.
That matters because the Sondheim’s own box office barely opens. It runs from 2 hours 30 minutes before the show until 15 minutes after curtain up, and nothing else. On matinee days it stays open between performances.
So if you want to buy in person during the day, for Les Misérables or for seven other theatres, there is exactly one window and it is midday to 6pm at this address.
The show itself
Running time 2 hours 50 minutes, including a 15-minute interval.
Evenings at 7.30pm, matinees at 2.30pm on Thursdays and Saturdays. So a 7.30pm performance finishes around 10.20pm and a matinee around 5.20pm.
Age recommendation 7 and over. Children under 3 will not be admitted, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by and seated next to a ticket holder aged 18 or over.
The production includes gunfire, smoke and flashing light effects, which is worth knowing before taking a seven year old.
Parking at half price
Q-Park Theatreland gives 50% off car parking after midday for up to four hours through the theatre’s scheme.
Four hours covers a 7.30pm start comfortably, since the show runs to 10.20pm. It does not cover dinner first and the show after, so time it from the curtain rather than from your table.
There are also two blue badge spaces in Archer Street, with more disabled bays on Rupert Street, and NCP parking on Lexington Street.
The steps, which nobody publishes clearly
This is the most useful thing on the theatre’s own page if you have any difficulty with stairs, and it is buried in the access section.
21 steps down from the foyer to the Stalls.
18 steps up from the foyer to the rear Dress Circle.
39 steps up from the foyer to the Grand Circle, and the theatre describes that area as quite steep.
So the Dress Circle is the easiest paid level to reach, not the Stalls, despite the Stalls being nearer the stage. The Grand Circle is nearly twice the climb of anywhere else in the building.
The Schönberg Loge has step-free access and takes up to two wheelchairs with companions, though the door suits chairs no longer than 1m and no wider than 80cm. Wheelchair transfer seating is in the Dress Circle on the aisle of Row D, seats D2 or D29. Wheelchair access to the auditorium is through the fourth side door on Wardour Street.
There is an adapted toilet in the foyer via a ramped corridor, and toilets on every level. The access department is on 0344 482 5137.
Food, drink and bags
You may not bring in any food or drink bought elsewhere.
The four licensed bars serve drinks and snacks but no hot food, so if you want to eat properly it has to happen before you arrive.
The cloakroom takes coats and small bags for a small charge, and will not take larger bags or suitcases. The theatre points people towards Stasher for luggage, which has a discount code, SHOWTIMESTASH.
One unusual rule: lithium-polymer and lithium-ion batteries, such as e-bike batteries, may only be stored in the cloakroom inside a fireproof bag, and bikes cannot be stored on the premises at all.
Lost property is kept at the theatre for one month.
Getting there
Sondheim Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6BA.
Nearest tube Piccadilly Circus. Nearest rail Charing Cross. Buses 14, 19 and 38.
Expect additional security checks on arrival, so leave time.
The building opened on 8 October 1907 with a comedy called The Sugar Bowl. The architect was W G R Sprague, who designed it as a matched pair with the Gielgud on the adjoining corner, which is why the two look like siblings from the street. In 1913 the stalls seats were replaced with tables and chairs so people could take tea while watching tango dancers, for two shillings and sixpence.
How to plan it
Buying in person during the day: the Central Box Office, midday to 6pm Monday to Saturday, which also sells for seven other theatres.
Buying at the theatre on the night: it opens 2 hours 30 minutes before curtain, and shuts 15 minutes after the show starts.
Driving: Q-Park Theatreland, after midday, 50% off for four hours.
Struggling with stairs: book the Dress Circle, not the Stalls, at 18 steps rather than 21, and avoid the Grand Circle’s 39.
Eating: do it before, because the bars have no hot food and outside food is not allowed in.
Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre
- Address
- Sondheim Theatre, 51 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6BA
- Nearest
- Piccadilly Circus, with Charing Cross the nearest rail station and buses 14, 19 and 38
- Hours
- Evenings 7.30pm, matinees 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday. Running time 2 hours 50 minutes including a 15-minute interval
- Booking
- Online, or in person at the Central Box Office on Shaftesbury Avenue, open Monday to Saturday midday to 6pm, which sells for all eight Delfont Mackintosh theatres. The theatre’s own box office opens 2 hours 30 minutes before the show and closes 15 minutes after curtain up
- Price
- Varies by performance. Q-Park Theatreland gives 50 per cent off parking after midday for up to four hours
- Standing
- Opened on 8 October 1907 to a design by W G R Sprague, built as a matched pair with the Gielgud next door
How to get in
Age 7 and over recommended, with under 3s not admitted and under 16s seated next to an 18 plus. The production uses gunfire, smoke and flashing lights. It is 21 steps down to the Stalls, 18 up to the rear Dress Circle and 39 up to the Grand Circle. No outside food or drink, and the bars serve no hot food.
Where to go next
Wicked has five different cheap ticket routes and Hamilton has the stricter age rule of the three.
The West End page covers the rest, and pre-theatre dinner matters here because the bars have no hot food.
Questions we get asked
How long is Les Misérables in London?
Approximately 2 hours 50 minutes, including a 15-minute interval. A 7.30pm performance finishes at around 10.20pm and a 2.30pm matinee at around 5.20pm.
What time is the Les Misérables matinee?
2.30pm on Thursdays and Saturdays. Evening performances start at 7.30pm.
What age is Les Misérables suitable for?
It is recommended for ages 7 and over. Children under 3 will not be admitted, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by and seated next to a ticket holder aged 18 or over. The production includes gunfire, smoke and flashing light effects.
When is the Sondheim Theatre box office open?
The theatre's own box office opens 2 hours 30 minutes before the show and closes 15 minutes after curtain up, staying open between performances on matinee days. Separately, the Central Box Office at the same address is open Monday to Saturday from midday to 6pm and sells tickets for all eight Delfont Mackintosh theatres.
Is there parking near the Sondheim Theatre?
The theatre has no parking of its own, but the Q-Park Theatreland scheme gives 50% off after midday for up to four hours. There are two blue badge spaces in Archer Street, further disabled bays on Rupert Street and NCP parking on Lexington Street.
How many steps are there at the Sondheim Theatre?
21 steps down from the foyer to the Stalls, 18 up to the rear Dress Circle and 39 up to the Grand Circle, which the theatre describes as quite steep. The Dress Circle is therefore the easiest level to reach, not the Stalls.
Can you take food into the Sondheim Theatre?
No. Food and drink bought elsewhere cannot be brought in. The four licensed bars serve drinks and snacks but no hot food, so eat before you arrive.
Written by Robert J Wills, no. 258 in the guide.
Last checked 5 October 2026 against the venues' own published information. Nobody pays to appear here and we take no bookings.
