Cheap theatre tickets in London

QUESTION: I have had bad experiences trying to book discounted tickets for London theatre shows. Can you tell me more about the official half-price kiosk in Leicester Square, the one place that I feel won’t rip me off. – Diane de Waal

ANSWER: Known as the tkts booth these days (it used to be called the half-price kiosk), it is the only discounted ticket outlet operated by the Society of London Theatre, the industry body that represents London theatres. So you can be sure that a ticket bought here is at the discount rate advertised and not a fake. The only downside is that you cannot be guaranteed tickets to any one show (there are fewer tickets for the mega-hits) and you may have to queue for some time. Tickets are available on the day of the performance, usually at half price, but sometimes for a lesser discount. A £2.50 booking fee per ticket is included in the cost of the ticket, so there are no hidden extras.