A bit about me
Hi, I’m Rochelle. I’m in my thirties and I have always loved theatre. Away from Bums on Seats, I work for a global academic book publisher. In my spare time I enjoy performing in musicals, cross stitching and eating cheesecake. I also talk about my experiences with mental health conditions, particularly anxiety and panic attacks. I’ve worked with the charity Mind to do media interviews on TV, radio and in print, as well as speaking at events.
How it all began
I was incredibly lucky enough to be taken to see West End and touring shows as a kid. Musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Starlight Express ignited my passion for the arts at a young age. I went to dance classes and competitions throughout my childhood, and performed in shows at secondary school. After leaving university I found amateur dramatics and also started my first blog, reviewing shows in London. I have now been a critic for almost ten years, reviewing productions across the UK.
My love for theatre meant I had to get creative with ticket purchases. As a young graduate who wasn’t yet invited to press nights for free, I had to fund all my reviews of West End shows myself. It was this that led to me working out all of the best ways to access cheap theatres. I took full advantage of young-person ticket schemes. I loved discovering cheap restricted tickets that actually had great views of the stage. I jumped on every offer and deal I found. Day seats and rush tickets became my go-to purchases as I desperately tried to never pay more than £30 for a ticket.
After years of countless theatre trips and Facebook photos from great seats, people soon began to wonder how I afforded it all. I started to get asked for advice on shows to see and how to save money on them. I always loved helping people out and watching them post excitedly about their trips on socials. I always wanted to write more about cheap tickets but time always ran out on me as I dedicated myself to my reviews and other hobbies.
Then, the pandemic hit, and in 2021 theatre struggled to come back to full strength. I knew it was finally time to do something and help both audiences and theatre makers get houses full once again. So I started my weekly newsletter, Bums on Seats, with the aim to do just that – put more bums on seats! After a year of successful newsletters, I decided to create a website and social channels too. Now I’m trying to create an online theatre community, that not only supports everyone in getting cheaper tickets, but also celebrates the artform and encourages fans to enjoy theatre beyond the shows.