Seats, children and what to wear

Which seat

Seat options appear in the booking calendar once you pick a date. One Swan Lake reviewer bought VIP seats to be sure of a good view, and a reviewer of The Nutcracker at the same theatre says VIP cost little extra for a view of faces and movement. If the dancers' expressions matter to you, take the closer category. If budget matters more, remember that a modest theatre keeps every seat reasonably near the stage.

Children

The booking page lists children under 3 as not suitable, and includes booster seats for children. The evening runs 105 minutes with a 15-minute interval, which suits children who can sit through a film. Swan Lake ends in loss, which parents of younger children may want to know in advance. The Nutcracker, which runs the same length at the same theatre, puts a child at the centre of a Christmas story and may suit the youngest better.

What to wear

The booking page says there is no dress code, although elegant dress is welcomed. In practice that means anything from smart casual upwards. The ticket includes a cloakroom, so a coat or a bag can be left before the performance, and a layer is easier to carry through the Old Town afterwards than a heavy coat. Wear shoes that suit cobbles if you plan to walk through the Old Town afterwards.

Photographs and phones

The booking page bans flash photography and video recording. Keep your phone away during the performance, which is the courtesy that Wikipedia's article on concert etiquette describes as letting others listen undisturbed, and a ballet theatre follows the same logic. A reviewer of the Prague evening says the performance began right on time, announced by a gong, so be seated before the start.

Arriving and finding your row

Reviewers mention an attendant who helped one couple find their row, and a venue that is hard to spot from the street. Allow time to find the Broadway arcade, collect your seat, use the cloakroom and settle before the start. The meeting point on the booking page is Na Příkopě 988/31, and the guide to the theatre explains the arcade and its two entrances.

Read next: The Broadway Theatre on Na Příkopě

Access

The booking page says wheelchair users are catered for. For specifics, ask the provider through your confirmation once you have booked, ideally a few days before the date. For anyone with limited mobility, the pedestrian street, which Wikipedia says has been a pedestrian zone since 1985, makes the approach straightforward from Můstek metro station, though the cobbles of the Old Town side streets can be uneven.

After the show

After the show you step out onto Na Příkopě, the street that links Wenceslas Square and Republic Square. The theatre sits in the arcade that opens onto Celetná. Plan dinner before or after, because the ticket is an admission ticket only, and decide in advance how you will get back to your hotel.