Hamlet at the Barbican tickets: How to get last minute seats for Benedict Cumberbatch's sold-out show

Hamlet may be sold-out, but that doesn't mean there aren't tickets available – and you needn't even use a tout, says David Ellis
Eagerly anticipated: Benedict Cumberbatch in rehearsal for his role as Hamlet (Picture: Johan Persson)
Johan Persson
David Ellis @dvh_ellis5 August 2015

It was, by all accounts, a masterstroke of genius for the Barbican to bag Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet. The upcoming run is the “most in-demand theatre show of all time”, according to ticket seller Viagogo.

While advance tickets can no longer be bought from the Barbican, it’s possible to see the show for a fraction of the prices which are circulating the online touts and second-hand sellers. You'll just need a bit of savvy, a lot of luck, and an open wallet.

Buy a package deal

It wasn’t just the Barbican who knew Hamlet would be popular – many businesses seized the chance to buy a bulk of tickets to sell later as part of a promotion. While second-hand seats in the stalls are passing hands online for upwards of £500 per person (and in some cases, more than £1000), we’ve found a number of hotel packages which include ticket, room and breakfast for a comparatively meagre £340 per person. You’ll need to be flexible with dates, but it’s well worth it - you could save hundreds over a second hand site and you’ll get somewhere to stay and something to eat into the mix - and you'll even have a choice of seats. We found the deals here.

Even better, the Evening Standard is offering a ticket with a meal at the upmarket Gaucho for £289. With tickets getting scarcer and scarcer, the offer looks better and better. You can get it here.

Queue up in the morning

There will be 30 day seats released for each evening show each morning, with a maximum of two per person. The Barbican will open from 9am, and tickets will be sold from just after 10am. However, expect people to queue up far earlier: the theatre are putting on extra security to cope with Cumberbatch’s popularity.

Go for last-minute seats on the evening

If you’re able to get there, it’s worth turning up to the Barbican in the late afternoon. Any spare or returned tickets for the evening show will be put on sale 90 minutes before the show begins at 7.15pm.

Watch a live broadcast at the cinema

The excellent National Theatre Live series has included Hamlet in its programme and will broadcast a live stream of the October 15 performance around the globe. Expect many cinemas to sell out quickly and book well ahead. Full details of participating cinemas can be found on the National Theatre Live website.

National Theatre Live screenings are a surprisingly decent way to enjoy a play: one is still part of an audience and the camera is set up to have the “best seat in the house”, so you won’t struggle to see or hear. The performance on the 15 is being broadcast live, but your local cinema may show an “encore” screening, which will repeat that performance on other evenings.

Hamlet at The Barbican: Rehearsal pictures

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Keep an eye out online for returns

There is slim chance of this, but if you’re desperate, it may be the only way. Check hamlet.barbican.org.uk for any tickets that may have been returned for re-sale online, or even better, follow @cumberbatchweb on Twitter, which is presently dedicating itself to the sale of all second-hand and returned tickets. It'll give you an idea of what's a fair price to pay.

Those lucky enough to already be a ticket holder were recently told that Benedict Cumberbatch would not be signing autographs or receiving gifts from fans. An email sent out by the Barbican theatre said: “Benedict Cumberbatch won’t be able to sign autographs afterwards, and our staff can’t accept deliveries at the stage door or box office.” We can only assume his most ardent fans, the self-proclaimed Cumberbitches, will be devastated.

Hamlet, August 5 - October 31, Mon–Sat 7.15pm, 020 7638 4141, hamlet.barbican.org.uk

Follow David Ellis on Twitter @dvh_ellis

Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout

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