Player Kings at Noel Coward Theatre
Booking
Booking was made via the access telephone line. I had previously registered for Delfont Mackintosh access scheme and you need to enter your nimbus card number to log into the online wheelchair booking section. You can easily book delfont Mackintiosh shows online but
Booking was easy and tickets were emailed over.
Access rate: £30
Essential Carer: Free
Theatre Location
Excellent location in the heart of Covent Garden with lots of accessible restaurants close by.
If you are accessing the theatre from Trafalgar Square you need to walk on right side of St Martins Lane as there is no dropped curb on the left side.
Theatre Access
Access to the theatre is via a front door. There is a long ramp to the seating area. The ceiling is a little low so your companion needs to watch their head.
We were located in a box which was across the other side of the theatre so we go to see the lobby.
The bar is not accessible but the access host or a carer can easily access this on your behalf.
Access Host
The access host service we recievied was great. We were ushered to the side door and the access host showed us to our seats.
She got our drinks at the beginning of the play and came back to check on us regularly throughout the show.
I was offered assistance to access the toilets which was helpful as the lobby became very busy.
She asked if we wanted to wait until the others patrons had left at the end of the performance which was a nice consideration. However it turned out to be a little too long so we left before she returned.
Seat and Staging
We sat in Royal Circle BXM2 and BXM1.
The private box was great although we did feel a little bit like Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets. The only other restriction is if you were going with more than one other person you would be sat separately.
I could stay in my chair and I had a wonderful view. However my carer had a restricted view when staging was on the left of the stage and needed to lean forward which occasionally obstricted my view.
The staging of the performance meant that most of the stage was visible. However there was a blind spot on the far left of the stage.
Toilets
The toilet was located next to the coat check in which got a bit busy during the interval and at the end of the show. However the access host cleared a path.
The toilet was also in the main lobby so appeared to be used by all patrons not just those with access needs
The toilet was a large size which can fit a power chair face on and was large enough to turn around in or transfer from a side on position.
Overall the best toilet so far.
I visited in April 2024 and all views expressed above are my personal opinion.
It was my first visit to Noel Coward Theatre