Hello! If you’re new here, my name is Pippa. I’m a disabled writer, blogger, and speaker based in Yorkshire, and I’m an ambulatory wheelchair user. I’ve been a theatregoer all my life, but after I acquired my chronic illness as a teenager, I’ve had to make some changes to ensure I can still indulge in the gorgeous world of theatre. And that’s where access theatre tickets come in…
Ever since I started theatre blogging and sharing my chronic illness-friendly reviews, I’ve been asked how I book access theatre tickets and ensure my needs are met. It’s one of those things that I’ve been doing for so long now that it’s become second nature, so these questions really made me take a step back and think about how the process could seem to somebody new to the theatre scene.
I’d hate to think of anybody missing out simply due to not knowing where to start, so today, let’s talk about access tickets, the booking process, and what adjustments could potentially be made for disabled and chronically ill patrons…
Please note that my website is not an access ticket booking service – I cannot book show tickets for you. However, I hope the following info is helpful!
So, what are access tickets?
‘Access tickets’ is a general term for tickets assigned to patrons who have additional requirements, such as disabled people. They exist to ensure disabled theatregoers are treated more equally to their non-disabled peers when they want to see a show.
As a straightforward example, disabled and chronically ill people may require a companion with them when they’re out of the house. This would mean, any time they wanted to see a show, they would have to purchase two tickets, for two seats – one for themselves, as anybody else would, but also an extra one for a companion. This means they’re paying double the amount that a non-disabled person would have to pay, to see the same production. As you might imagine, these unavoidable costs can quickly mount up, meaning patrons are penalised because of their disability.
Access tickets, however, often come at a discounted rate and avoid disabled people having to pay these additional costs. Therefore, most regional and West End theatres in the UK offer access schemes and discounted rates, to avoid or lessen the impact of this issue and remove some of the barriers that disabled people face.
In practice, these schemes can vary between venues. Some theatres offer one free companion seat alongside one seat purchased at full price, others offer two seats with each being half price, others have a set price point for two seats for a disabled patron and companion, regardless of where the seats are located in the auditorium: stalls, boxes, dress circle and so on. If you’re seeing a West End Show, always enquire whether there is a set fee for access seats regardless of whereabouts they are located: it’s saved me an absolute fortune over the years and ensured that my theatre experience has not been compromised as a result of my condition.
Essentially, access tickets ensure that disabled patrons are not financially discriminated against because of their condition, putting us on more equal footing with other audience members. So, how do we go about booking them and ensuring our needs are met?
How to book access tickets, in 5 steps:
1. First, choose the show you’d like to see and your preferred performance dates and times. Make a note of these, and also make a note of some back-up performance dates, in case the seats you have in mind are not available for the performance you have chosen. If you’re a disabled patron who doesn’t require the pre-allocated wheelchair space, you can look at the theatre’s seat plan online for the select performance in advance and choose the most accessible place to sit. For example, seats with step-free access may be most suitable for you, but if you require regular or speedy access to a bathroom, an aisle seat further back may be a better spot for you.
2. Think about your personal requirements or any concerns about accessibility you may have, and make a note of these too. Some of these points may already have been addressed on the theatre’s website (often under ‘Your Visit’ or in the FAQs), but you’ll also have the opportunity to enquire about others when speaking with staff. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what adjustments are available – we’ll come to this shortly…
3. Head to the website of your chosen theatre and navigate to their Access page. This can often be found under ‘Your Visit’, or you can search for it directly using ‘disability’ or ‘access’ as the keyword. Here, you should find a process for booking access tickets: often, this is a phone number to call to proceed with booking. If you find it difficult to use the phone due to your disability, there should also be textphone or email alternatives available. You could also visit your box office in-person to book your tickets, if this is preferable to you. In my experience, although talking on the phone can be tough on my chronic illness symptoms, I find it to be the most efficient way of booking and ensuring your needs are met. Some venues only require you to self-disclose that you have a disability, while others require you to complete a form or send medical evidence to the theatre, confirming your disability, before you can proceed with booking access tickets. I’m not a fan of this approach, especially given the extra admin it requires. However, you usually only have to complete this once before you’re on the theatre’s system for good, rather than having to do it each time you want to book tickets.
4. Call the box office using the phone number you found, and explain that want to book access tickets, or disabled and companion tickets for *this specific performance*. The staff member will then take you through what options are available, and query whether you need the wheelchair space or any other adjustments. This is a good time to ask about any other requirements that haven’t already been addressed. They may also give you the option to set up an account, for ease of booking next time.
5. Your booking will be confirmed, and you’ll usually receive a confirmation email containing your digital tickets. Carefully check over their details to make sure everything is as it should be, and keep them safe. You can contact the theatre for a replacement if you lose them, but I would recommend saving or printing them as soon as you receive them to avoid the risk of them going missing. After that, job’s a good’un – you’re all sorted off to the theatre!
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What adjustments are available?
Did you know that there are reasonable adjustments you can ask for when you visit the theatre? Everybody’s access needs are different, but here are a few examples you could enquire about…
- Wheelchair spaces. Simple and straightforward. There’ll be a set number of these available per venue and per performance, so I’d recommend booking them as early as you can. If you’re an ambulatory wheelchair user, you can request to transfer to a seat and leave your wheelchair elsewhere e.g. in the cloakroom or with a staff member. If you’re using a manual wheelchair, you can ask the front of house team if they will bring it back to you during the interval and at the end of the performance.
- Aisle seats. Booking an aisle seat at the end of the row can be better for those who need more legroom, or others who may need to stand up or enter and exit the auditorium throughout the show.
- Inclusive performances. Bigger productions with longer runs will often have accessible shows scheduled. These can include relaxed performances, captioned or BSL-interpreted performances, Audio Described (AD) performances (sometimes with bespoke Touch Tours), and even Dementia-Friendly performances.
- For people with hearing loss, there have been some exciting developments in technology, creating infra-red systems and headsets that provide audio descriptions even for non-audio described performances. I’m not an expert and don’t have lived experience in this area, but they may be worth asking about!
- Assistance Dogs. Assistance dogs are of course welcome in theatres. You choose to take your assistance dog into the auditorium, or alternatively, some theatres operate a ‘dog sitting’ service during the performance. Bowls of water for assistance dogs should be available on request. If you’re bringing an assistance animal, it’s important that you notify staff while booking so appropriate seating can be chosen and staff can be made aware in advance.
- If you’re neurodivergent or have a mental health condition, or particular physical conditions too, visiting a new place can feel daunting and overwhelming. If this applies to you, it may be possible to arrange a visit to the theatre before the day of the performance you’ve booked, to familiarise yourself with the environment at a quieter time. Sheffield Theatres are particularly good in this area: they even have a booklet full of in-depth information and descriptions of the surroundings to help people prepare for their visit, available upon request.
- Finally, if there’s something that would make your experience more accessible but hasn’t been covered here, it may be worth getting in touch with your local theatre to discuss it. Many Front Of House teams are committed to providing a safe and inclusive experience for all, so there may be somebody who can make your request happen!
I hope this post has given you a better understanding of access tickets and how to book them, and hopefully relieve any concerns you may have had about the process. The theatre industry still has a long way to go in becoming more inclusive for all, but access tickets are definitely a big asset that helps more disabled people to feel welcome and included in the glorious world of theatre. If you’re booking or have already booked your access tickets, I’d love to know what you’re planning on seeing next!
Please note that my website is not an access ticket booking service – I cannot book show tickets for you. However, I hope this info comes in useful!
If you found this post helpful, you may enjoy my chronic illness-friendly theatre reviews too!
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