Social anxiety and fear of large crowds when riding solo should make going to the theatre alone one of the most horrific experiences I could encounter only second to going to a concert. Our perception of solo events is truly bonkers, even the most outgoing person would likely recoil in horror and be reduced to a ball of fear and sweat at the thought of sitting in a crowded room of stranger with no one to talk to. Trust me, I get it.
I know I’ve spoken about my social anxiety multiple times over the past 10+ years (oh my god I’m old???) but back in my uni days, I was only just starting to come out of my shell, still very fearful of social situations unless I had a friend by my side and someone to talk to. Even having a friend on hand made me nervous because what if the conversation dries up, what do we talk about next? It’s only in the past few years I haven’t felt a knot in my stomach and a tightness in my chest along with the burning urge to cancel any and all plans.
With all that being said, solo trips to the theatre were something I became used to throughout the duration of uni, largely because I didn’t have any friends interested in live musicals or plays, and even if I did, they definitely couldn’t afford to flit to London at the drop of a hat. So instead of missing out on seeing my favourite actors performing live, or watching the musicals I love so much on stage, I gave myself a week needed shove in the back. I bought a ticket to see Platinum at Hampstead Theatre, and well, I’ve never looked back. It took that one push out of my comfort zone, lots of panicking and stressing leading up to the performance, and it changed me for good.
The following 8 years I haven’t shied away from countless theatre visits (along with 8 hour round Megabus trips from Cardiff to London every few weeks), supporting (and meeting in some cases) some of my favourite actors and making memories I wouldn’t trade for the world. The following year I started a fan Twitter account to make theatre friends, one of which I’m still good friends with today.
If you want a real positive boost, the first solo theatre trip I took was in mid January, 2 weeks later I booked a last minute ticket and took myself to watch Waitress on Broadway. That night is one of my most treasured memories and that definitely would not have happened if I hadn’t taken that first leap. Life has a funny way of working out.
Pre-2025, the last show I’d been to see was Come From Away in the West End back in 2021, its outrageous how much time has passed when I used to be at the theatre every other week, but I decided this year I was going to rekindle my love for it and book some shows I’ve wanted to see for so long. It’s almost criminal that I work so close to the Palace Theatre on Oxford Road, and live on the bus route there, yet I hadn’t been since moving to Manchester. At the back end of last year I booked a ticket to see Kinky Boots (Johannes Radebe in it too, oh my god yes PLEASE!) and then swiftly booked Dear Evan Hansen too, making the most of touring shows is the way forward, I told myself to stop being a snob and not only see shows in the West End. And then tickets popped up for Bat Out of Hell for under £20 which felt rude to ignore.
As it turned out, these shows were all in February, I might as well have paid the Palace rent instead of my landlord for the month. I wont like, the experiences still felt a little daunting, especially for Kinky Boots as it was my first solo theatre trip in over 6 years and heading in felt a little bit awkward because I’m not familiar with the seating plan in the, but of course I was fine.
Tips
- Familiarise yourself with where you’re going if it’s your first time someone new, don’t panic your way there otherwise it’s ruin some of the fun and excitement from your experience.
- If you’re really nervous, I’d advise booking seats at the end of the row or as close as you can get. If you’re really panicky, you know you can swiftly leave your seat for a breather without bothering others and feels like a fast escape for your mind. Thankfully I’ve never needed to leave but it’s there for peace of mind.
- Not sitting in the Stalls? Take the stairs up to the level you’re seated in, lifts with strangers is not the way forward if you’re already nervous (unless you’re unable to walk the flights of stairs wait for the next available empty lift or arrive when doors open to afford you the time).
- Walking up to the theatre, I usually have my headphones on, keep them on until you’re inside or even until you reach your seat if you’re uncomfortable. Just please remove them when speaking to staff and when they’re scanning your ticket to avoid making the encounter more uncomfortable and appearing rude.
- Remember, you’re not supposed to talk during a performance anyway, so sitting in silence with strangers is not as uncomfortable as sitting there trying to make small talk.
- Have fun! Try to keep your mind quiet, relax and enjoy yourself, after all you’ve paid for the experience so take what you want from it.
Please follow along for more solo experiences and tips to make the most of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone!
S xo
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