The Lion In Winter - Theatre Royal Haymarket

Welcome back to Access London and Thank You once again for continuing to support disabled access to the arts in London.

Today's post is dedicated to the Theatre Royal Haymarket and its current production, The Lion In Winter.

"A family Christmas becomes a family at war. Henry II, not so young as he was, invites his estranged wife Eleanor of Aquitane, and his three sons, Richard, Geoffrey and John, to spend the festive season with him, his mistress Princess Alais, and her brother, the young King Philip of France. Will Henry name who is to be his successor as King of England? Their yuletide celebration turns into a combat zone of deceit, betrayal, bitter power games and scabrous wit."

The Lion In Winter is the latest production to be directed by Trevor Nunn at the Haymarket this season and stars Joanna Lumley as Eleanor and Robert Lindsay as King Henry II.

The show runs until the 28 January 2012 with performances Monday - Saturday evenings (7.30pm) and matinees on Thursday and Saturday (2.30pm). To book Access tickets, please contact the box office directly on 020 7930 8800. For all other bookings, please call 0845 481 1870.

Theatre Royal Haymarket can be accessed via 3 steps up into the foyer (with many additional steps into the auditorium). If you are a wheelchair or scooter user or cannot manage stairs, please inform the box office when you book your tickets and then someone at the front of the theatre and one of the side exit doors on the Haymarket will be opened for you. If you are a scooter user, it is best to ask for the right side doors to be opened as this leads to the scooter storage area. Both sets of doors lead into the rear of the stalls where there is an accessible WC.

Once in the stalls, there is 1 space for a wheelchair user who cannot transfer at the back of the stalls. If you can transfer, you can book tickets for any aisle seat in the stalls (G1 and G21 have the most leg room). It should be noted that the stalls area does slope more steeply towards the stage than some other West End theatres but ushers are very helpful. There aren't any bars that are accessible but it can be arranged for an interval drink to be brought to you if you cannot manage stairs.

Assistance dogs are not allowed into the auditorium but they can be looked after by staff during the performance. Infra red headsets are available from the foyer (or ask an usher if you cannot manage stairs) - a £10, refundable deposit is required.

Blue badge parking is available on Whitcomb Street, Charles II Street and in St James' Square. Most bays have no time restrictions after 6.00pm but it is always best to check the signs at each one.

For more details on the show and theatre see the Theatre Royal Haymarket Website

Thank you to everyone who posted lovely comments on last week's birthday post for Access London and sent emails and tweets - the support is very much appreciated.


COMING SOON: Pippin at Menier Chocolate Factory, Jersey Boys, The Globe Exhibition

The Tempest @ Theatre Royal, Haymarket

Welcome back to Access London and thank you once again for your continued support for disability access and awareness in the Capital.

The Tempest at The Theatre Royal, Haymarket, is part of Trevor Nunn's spectacular season at this iconic venue. It stars Ralph Fiennes as Prospero, Elisabeth Hopper as Miranda, Clive Wood as Stephano, Julian Wadham as Antonio, Julian Wadham as Antonio, Julian Wadham as Antonio, Chris Andrew Mellon as Sebastian and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Trinculo.

Ralph Fiennes, as might be expected, delivers the verse of what is considered to be Shakespeare's final play superbly and Elisabeth Hopper's tender and beautiful Miranda is a joy to watch. Much comedy is provided by Nicholas Lyndhurst's Trinculo and Clive Wood's Stephano. Although I believe this play can be delivered in shorter duration (it clocks up to around 3 hours), it is a definite to see this season.

The Tempest has a limited run at the Theatre Royal, running until 29th October 2011 so make sure you book your tickets now. Performances are Monday-Saturday at 7.30pm with matinee performances on a Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm. There is also an audio described performance on Thursday 29th September.

When you arrive at the theatre, if you use a wheelchair or mobility scooter, simply inform one of the FOH staff at the door and they will open the doors to the side of the entrance steps for you. This entrance is level and leads round to the back of the stalls. There is also an accessible WC in this area. There is 1 dedicated wheelchair space at the back of the stalls. If you are able to transfer out of your chair/scooter then you can book any aisle seat in the stalls. Although there is a handrail on the walls of the stalls, please note that this theatre has a fairly steep rake down the stalls, towards the stage. If you cannot manage slopes particularly well, I would advise booking a seat closer to the back of the stalls. Many of the aisle seats have pretty good leg room, please ask for more details about this when you book.

Induction Loop and Amplification: Infra-red system with headsets are available and can be collected from the front of house desk. A £10 deposit is charged and refunded at the end of the performance, provided all parts are returned correctly. Assistance dogs are not allowed in the auditorium during the performance but, front of house staff will be happy to look after the dog during this time.

There are disabled parking spaces on Whitcomb Street and also a little further away on both Charles II Street and St James's Square - these become unlimited on time restrictions after 6pm.

To book Access Rate Tickets for The Tempest, please call the Box Office directly on: 020 7930 8800. To book all other ticket types for the show, please call: 0845 481 1870. Alternatively you can book online (although for access seats, please call the box office number above) via the THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET WEBSITE


COMING NEXT: More on Phantom's 25th Celebrations & Interview with former Piangi, Lee David Bowen
COMING SOON: The Globe Exhibition, Priscilla