Edinburgh Playhouse

Having read previous reviews about access at the Edinburgh Playhouse, I was very nervous about visiting. That said, access seems to have really improved since then! The staff were absolutely brilliant. Helpful, friendly, and proactive, and the show was fantastic too. Looking forward to my next visit to the Playhouse!

We booked seats in the stalls (originally purchased nearly 3 years ago), in that time my mobility has significantly deteriorated. We were told to enter at Door 8, where I was presented with a huge flight of stone stairs. The security guard asked if I was alright with stairs, I said no, he advised my son and I to go to Door 1 as that's the "accessible entrance". I went in Door 1, was told I needed to go down 4 flights of stairs "there's handrails" and was met with a shrug and told I should have booked a wheelchair space. I'm not in a wheelchair, I walk with 2 sticks. She actually shrugged and said its on your ticket re stairs - again, tickets bought 3 years earlier, silly me becoming 'more' disabled in that time. Then when I got into the stalls, despite the advertised "plenty of legroom", there was not. I am only 5ft 5.5inches, yet I sat with my bad knee being crushed, normally I would try to sit with my knee in the 'dip' between seats in front of me, but they've got binoculars for high screwed there, so that jammed in my knee throughout. Apart from one other man, not a single mask on, soa theatre full of people who do not give a toss for others in my view. I didn't use the loo, fortunately, as massive queues. I will never be returning there, I've had a horrible night.

Accessing the theatre is fairly straightforward as there's level access from the street into the circle where wheelchair users are seated. Getting to the seats entails negotiating a tight turn and a short steep ramp which can be awkward. Although there is no one sitting directly in front of you I had the misfortune to have a fairly tall person in the section in front of us and had difficulty seeing all the stage. Snacks and drinks can be ordered via an app and they're delivered to your seat which is useful.