Ohlala Vienna tickets: which seat to pick

Same show, different seat

Whatever you book, you get the same Wednesday performance and the same four-course dinner. What changes is where you sit, who you share a table with and whether a bottle of sparkling wine comes with it. Seats are assigned by the category you book, and the venue says free seating isn't available, so a team member shows you to your place. There are no child, student or senior discounts, which means every guest takes a seat in one of the same six categories. Tables are sized differently: groups who book together are seated at the same table, other guests may join you at a shared one, and the VIP category guarantees a private table.

Near the stage: VIP, Catwalk and Stage Lodge

VIP is the front-row category. The venue describes an uninterrupted view of the stage, a private table and a chilled bottle of sparkling wine included. Catwalk puts you beside the stage at a table reserved for your group, and the venue's German page says those tables seat two or three people. Stage Lodge is a raised box right beside the stage. It puts you very close to the performers, but the venue warns that slight visual obstructions may occur because of the position, so it suits people who value closeness over a clean sightline.

The middle and the raised seats: Manege, Tier and Premium Lodge

Manege tables sit in the centre of the room, close to the stage, and the German page describes larger tables that suit groups of friends. Premium Lodge is a row of raised boxes along the outer circle, with a broad view of the whole venue and a more private feel. Tier, called Rang in German, is shared tables behind the ring in a central, elevated position, with a balanced view of the stage. The venue pitches Tier at couples and groups who want a mix of closeness and perspective.

How to choose

Group size and mood decide this more than anything, because the show is identical in every seat. These are starting points, not rules. The venue's ticket shop shows which seats are free on each date, so look at the seat plan before you commit. The categories are priced differently, and the cheapest is not automatically the best seat for you, because closeness, privacy and a clear sightline can pull in different directions.

• Two people: Catwalk or Tier, or VIP for a private table
• A birthday or anniversary: VIP, which the venue recommends for it
• Friends sitting together: Manege or a lodge box
• Closest to the performers: Stage Lodge, with the odd obstruction
• Wheelchair users: ask the venue before you book

GetYourGuide or the venue's own shop

Both sell the Wednesday Ohlala dinner show, and the venue's terms name the same organiser, Tritsch-Tratsch Veranstaltungs GmbH, that appears as the activity provider on GetYourGuide. The GetYourGuide ticket lets you reserve now and pay later, shows prices in your own currency and gives a full refund if you cancel up to 24 hours before. The venue's own shop takes card, Apple Pay or Klarna, and its terms say tickets can't be refunded, though it will rebook you free of charge up to 48 hours before, subject to availability.

When to book direct instead

Go to the venue's shop if you need a particular category, want to see all six laid out for your date, or are buying a gift voucher. The venue sells vouchers on its own site, and they can only be used to buy tickets. Direct booking also suits anything that needs a note: birthdays, hen and stag nights, dietary requests and accessible seating all go in the booking notes. For a birthday, the venue says the performers come to your table after the show to congratulate you, and it recommends VIP for that. For a hen or stag party, they toast the group with a free shot. Groups of 10 or more should email the venue for a tailored offer, and bigger parties can ask about exclusive tables.

Dinner, drinks and dietary needs

Dinner is part of every ticket: four courses, with the first two served as you arrive, the main course in the main break and dessert after the show. Drinks aren't included and are charged by what you order, except the bottle of sparkling wine that comes with VIP. Staff take drink orders, but not during performances. The venue offers a vegetarian menu, and with notice its kitchen handles allergies and vegan or gluten-free requests, which you add in the booking notes or send with your booking reference.

Read next: The four-course dinner at Burlesque Ohlala

Wednesday or Friday?

This guide covers Burlesque Ohlala, which runs on Wednesdays. The Mirage also runs a separate Friday show, the Burlesque Dinner Club, with its own menu and an after-party, plus a party-only ticket that doesn't include dinner or the seated show. If a date or listing says Dinner Club, you're looking at the Friday format, not this one. Both are staged by Cirque Rouge in the same tent, and both are hosted in English.

On the day

Arrive before dinner is served. Late guests are welcome, but the venue asks them to wait for applause before taking their seat, and its terms say entry after the start may be delayed until a break or may not be possible. A cloakroom for coats, jackets, backpacks and umbrellas is mandatory for fire safety. Photos, filming, audio recording and phone use are prohibited during the show, but afterwards you can meet the performers and take photos with them. Your confirmation shows the start time.

Read next: Dress code, age limit and etiquette at the Mirage

Getting there

The Mirage is at Prater 75, next to Freudplatz 1, in the Prater. The venue names U2 Messe-Prater as a short walk away, with U1 and S-Bahn Praterstern about 800 metres off. Drivers can use the Campus Prater underground car park at Welthandelsplatz 2 or the Prater car park at Nordportalstraße 172, and coaches have a car park at Prater 9. The venue suggests typing its name, Mirage – Die Eventlocation im Prater, into Google Maps.

Who this isn't for

Children under five aren't admitted, and the evening is built for adults, so it's a poor fit for a family outing. If you want a quiet, unhurried dinner, a show running alongside the meal will get in the way. If you can't commit to a date, note that tickets bought from the venue are non-refundable, so the flexible route is the GetYourGuide ticket with its 24-hour cancellation. And if you dislike audience interaction, know that the venue lists it as an essential part of burlesque, with artists involving guests and breaking the fourth wall.