The West End’s biggest pain: Why are theatre seats so uncomfortable?
I’m lucky enough to go to the theatre a lot - most weeks I’m at a West End show watching excellent productions.
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The acting is world-class but almost every time, I come away with a sore back and a desperate need for a painkiller. Why? Because the seats are so bloody uncomfortable.
I understand why. Many of London’s theatres date back to the Victorian era. They look decadent, and part of their charm is their history. But that history comes with a cost: the seats.
People were smaller then and audiences weren’t expected to spend three hours sitting still. In 2025, those tiny chairs feel less like tradition and more like punishment.
What makes it worse is the price. Top theatre tickets now cost well over £100 in most London venues. For that kind of money, audiences deserve a comfortable seat, not the feeling of being wedged into a child’s school chair.
If cinemas can offer reclining seats for a tenner, why should the greatest theatre district in the world settle for discomfort? Even football stadiums have upgraded their seating in recent decades. Theatres are falling behind.
We don’t cling to every Victorian tradition - nobody’s arguing for a return to smoking indoors or excluding women from the stage. So why hold on to uncomfortable chairs as if they’re some cultural treasure?
Tourists fly in from around the world to see West End shows - shouldn’t we be embarrassed that their lasting memory is often a stiff back rather than a standing ovation? Britain should be leading with the quality of performance and experience.
It doesn’t have to be like this - the National Theatre proves that comfort and culture can go hand in hand. The Gillian Lynne Theatre is another example, with spacious seating that doesn’t distract from the magic on stage.
Audiences don’t come for the upholstery - but a better experience keeps them coming back.
In 2025, world-class theatre deserves world-class comfort. The West End should be a joy from curtain up to curtain call - not a test of endurance.
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Johnny Jenkins is a Producer for LBC's Tom Swarbrick at Drive.
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