The Complete Guide to Finding Sydney’s Cheap Theatre Seats

Going to the theatre used to be a ceremonious occasion. Gloves were worn, bow-ties were tied in bows, and monocles were skillfully balanced on noses. Now there are jeans, mixed demographics trying to pull off various fashions, and well, there are still glasses but some of them are filled with cleanskin wine.

It can be expensive to see a show, so here’s a guide of when and where to go to get some culture into your life, without having to eat noodles for the remainder of the week.

Belvoir St Theatre

Where: 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills

Who: Belvoir has been nurturing Australian works and artists for 25 years, with a rich history of outstanding plays under its belt. They have two theatre spaces — Upstairs and the smaller, cosier Downstairs.

How: Both Upstairs and Downstairs have student rush tickets — they're on Tuesday evenings and Saturday matinees — to be purchased on the day. Upstairs Theatre is a touch more expensive, costing $42 for previews/concessions, and student rush is $29. Downstairs, however, is only $32 for previews/concessions, and student rush tickets are $25.

Griffin Theatre

Where: SBW Stables, 10 Nimrod Street, Kings Cross

Who: Nestled on Nimrod St in Kings Cross since 1979, Griffin offers fantastic new Australian works and contemporary theatre.

How: You can still get a ticket for a mere $15 on Monday nights from 6pm. The only catch is that you have to line up to get a ticket — and people start lining up at 5:30pm, so get there early.

Sydney Theatre Company

Where: Pier 4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay

Who: STC has been a major force in Australian drama since its establishment in 1978, staging an annual 12-play program.

How: STC offers Under 30 tickets for all mainstage productions for $35 and, if all seats are sold out, standing room tickets for $30 available two hours before the show.

Old Fitzroy Theatre

Where: 129 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo

Who: The Old Fitz, home to one of Sydney’s first independent live theatre companies, the Tamarama Rock Surfers, has been staging independent Australian theatre since 1997.

How: Tickets to previews or 'cheap Tuesdays' throughout the season are just $21. Their famous 'beer, laksa and show' deal has been superceded by the 'beer, meal and show' deal with the opening of the new bistro. It comes in at $34 on ‘cheap Tuesdays' and $41 on all other nights.

Darlinghurst Theatre

Where: 19 Greenknowe Avenue, Potts Point

Who: They've staged over 120 shows since starting producing diverse artistic visions in 2001.

How: Darlinghurst Theatre has 'Wallet Friendly Wednesdays' for artist and industry folks, when all tickets are $21 but must be purchased from 10am on the day of the performance. Throughout a production's run students pay $33.

Bell Shakespeare

Where: Often but not always at the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre.

Who: John Bell’s company that has been breathing new life into Shakespearean plays since 1990.

How: Youth Under 30 tickets for all productions are less than half the price of a full ticket; however, their availability is dependent on each production so it's best you call up (02 8298 9000) and enquire before heading out.

CarriageWorks

Where: 245 Wilson St (cnr Codrington St), Eveleigh

Who: CarriageWorks is a wonderful and unique space that puts on great contemporary theatre from local and international artists from various cultures and communities.

How: With previews and concession prices varying depending on the production, they do have $20 student rush tickets for some performances, to be bought from the box office one hour prior to the show, generally on a Tuesday or a Wednesday within the season.

New Theatre

Where: 542 King Street, Newtown

Who: Working under the mantra "Always real. Always raw. Always New", Newtown’s New Theatre is a visceral theatre experience, full of heart and driven by passion.

How: They have a student rush ticket price of $17 every night. During the run they also have Pay What You Can nights ($10 min). Usually this is the first Sun after opening for New Theatre shows and every Tuesday for their Spare Room season (independent companies). They also have normal student pricing $20 for recognised Acting Schools, Universities and Colleges and SUDS (Sydney University Drama Society).

Finally, if your wallet is too light and your fingers are click-savvy, get onto the HalfTix website for theatre tickets that are on offer at 30-40 percent off full price.

Want to know what's on these stages right now? Check our performance section.