The Dutchess of Malfi
Booking
Booking was made online at ATG tickets as they have capacity for booking for wheelchair spaces through their website once you registered through their access scheme.
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II was contacted via email before the show to enquire about wheteher i would prefer to stay in my chair or transfer out into a seat. At the Trafalgar theatre I usually choose to stay in the chair as the space is well located.
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Access ticket rate £28.50
Essential Carer Free
Theatre Location
Great location at the bottom of Trafalgar Square and top of Whitehall.
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Lots of accessible options for dinner nearby.
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Theatre Access
Access to the theatre is via a front door. There is lift to the stalls where a manager will accompany you.
Exiting the lift was a little tricky last time as the exit corridor is on a diagonal and there was not enough space to turn around. It was also busy as the exit is by the bar and toilets.
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The access into the auditorium is via a gentle slope and easy to navigate.
Access Host
This is our third visit and there is not a dedicated access host. A very polite theatre manager accompanied me in the lift but once we were at the lower level I used the bathroom. Once we were ready to access our seats we guessed which side and an usher at the door showed us to the seats.
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There was nobody who checked in during halftime but staff were walking around so I could have stopped one and requested assistance.
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There were also some audience members who were incredibly disruptive. At the end of the show I mentioned it to the manager who was instantly aware of who was causing a disruption and where they were sitting but no one had addressed the disruption during the show.
​After the show a member of staff was waiting to escort me back in the lift.
Seat and Staging
We sat in H1 and H2.
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The wheelchair space (H1) was great. I could stay in my chair and I had a wonderful view. I was also not obstructing anyone else's view as the seat directly behind me was removed.
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The carer seat was also fantastic although a little tight if you have very long legs.
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The staging of the show was good for most of the performance however there was a couple of scenes where I could not see what was happening and my carer had to tell me. These were momentary and did not affect my the enjoyment of the show.
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Toilets
The toilet was located off the entrance to the ladies bathroom at the stalls level. You do need a radar key to access this but the staff have a spare key if you forget or do not have one. There is no where for your carer to wait (if they don't go inside with you) apart from the ladies toilet corridor so just be aware if you have a male carer as I did. The toilet was just large enough for a side transfer and turning the wheelchair if you are patient and good at manoueving.
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I went to the toilet and there were two ladies using it. they were very apologetic but due to not needing a radar key the toilet is open to being used by those who do not need it.
I visited in May 2024 and all views expressed above are my personal opinion.
It was my first visit to the Gielgud Theatre