Like the famous ticket booths in Leicester Square in London and in Times Square in New York, Rome now has its very own sales point for discount theatre tickets. Although the location in a railway workers club, or circolo dopolavoro ferroviano, in Via Bari 20 near Piazza Bologna is not exactly glamorous, the Botteghino Last Minute offers discounts of up to 50 per cent on tickets to shows at Romes main theatres.

Theatres make a certain number of cut-price seats available every day in order to encourage attendance by those who cannot usually afford a ticket. The initiative is supported by the city council, and is part of the Sipario Romano campaign to revitalise interest in stage arts in Rome.

Every Tuesday to Saturday, a list of prices and availability for the evenings shows is published in the "Giorno e Notte" section of the "La Repubblica" newspaper, and on the teletext pages 638 and 639 of Rai3. Tickets go on sale at the Botteghino Last Minute 14.00-20.00, with a booking fee of 1. It is not possible to buy tickets with a credit card or over the telephone. A list of participating theatres and full ticket prices is available on www.roma.dlf.it. For information tel. 0644180212/46.