Tom Hiddleston returns to the stage - what are the chances of getting a ticket?
15/11/2018
The last time Tom Hiddleston took to the stage it was playing Hamlet to raise funds for RADA and tickets were only available to the lucky few who got chosen in a ballot.
Before that, he played Coriolanus at the Donmar Warehouse which has a mere 250 seats - although it was broadcast via NT Live which did mean more people got the chance to see it.
Third time lucky, perhaps, for the post-Loki Hiddleston fans as he's not only returning to the stage but this time it's a big West End Theatre.
Bigger capacity theatre
He's appearing in Betrayal next year, which will conclude Jamie Lloyd's Pinter at the Pinter season - and the good news is that the Harold Pinter Theatre has a capacity of nearly 800.
Tickets go on sale at the end of the month* no doubt generating a ticket-buying scramble (details via the official Pinter at the Pinter website).
Will it be as fast-selling as Benedict Cumberbatch's 2016 Hamlet at the Barbican which sold out in record time? The Harold Pinter is a smaller theatre than the Barbican which has a capacity of more than 1,100 but Betrayal is a less well-known play which may take a bit of heat out of the demand.
Possibility of rush tickets
The current Pinter plays have £20 rush tickets available on the TodayTix App on the day of the performance. Seats are located at the box office discretion and sold on first come, first served basis which could be cheaper, albeit slightly riskier, alternative if rush tickets are available for Betrayal.
My tip for rush tickets is to try and be flexible on dates so you can have a few goes just in case. And you can always do a practice run to gauge your chances - you don't have to buy the tickets even if you get through to the selection page.
It will be a bit of a scramble but this isn't Coriolanus or Hamlet.
* For ATG Card holders and those who have booked already for the Pinter season you get access to the tickets a day before the public sale. It is great to see audience loyalty being rewarded.
So is Tom Hiddleston good on stage?
I did see him on stage before he became a big Hollywood star - Ivanov and Othello - but sadly he didn't feature in my reviews.
Don't take this as a bad sign, I do remember him but they were short reviews and only mentioned the leads.
I was, however, very lucky to see his last two stage outings:
Hamlet, RADA - I was disappointed with the whole thing, it felt like an opportunity missed.
Coriolanus, Donmar Warehouse - Even the first preview was already top notch.
Conclusion: I'm a fan of TH, he's a great actor and I think Hamlet was a rare miss for lots of different reasons. Jamie Lloyd is a very accomplished director and has a good track record with Pinter so the stars may be aligning.