Why the upper circle is the best value in the house and the worst-kept secret

The upper circle at the Ardenne is a hard climb — sixty-two steps from the foyer, no lift until 1998 — and the front row has a rake steep enough that people hold the rail. It is also, by a clear margin, where this house sounds best.

The 1913 rebuild moved the proscenium forward and lost the echo, but the ceiling curve above the upper circle was left alone. It gathers the sound off the stage and delivers it to about row C with almost no delay, which is why singers who visit ask to hear a colleague from up there.

Tickets are £42. Standing at the back is £6 on the day. We are not going to pretend the stairs are not the stairs, but nobody has ever asked us for a refund from row C.