Phoenix Theatre

I visited this theatre with my husband to see Stranger Things: The First Shadow. The show was absolutely incredible and the theatre had been renovated since then and the accessibility was much better. I was even able to book my tickets online which I always prefer doing where I can. You do need to have an Access Card with Nimbus to be able to book online. The theatre was opened in 1930, so it’s a very old building. When I had been before the step-free entrance was down a side street and led to very restricted seating options that were right on the side of the theatre. Since then, the main entrance has been redone. There is now step-free access into the main foyer where the main bar and merchandise stand are located. There’s also an accessible toilet and a lift to take you up to the dress circle. When you arrive you’re still greeted by an access host, like most West End theatres, and they help you navigate the busy foyer, up the lift and to your seats. The wheelchair spaces, wheelchair transfer seats and companion seats are located at the back of the dress circle and are right in the middle. I found the view to be really good from here. But it’s worth noting that you are quite far away from the stage. I personally didn’t find that a problem and found all of the performance, set and visuals to still be clear and easily visible. There’s another accessible toilet by the lift at the dress circle level. The staff were really lovely and helpful. We were able to order drinks and snacks via our phones using a QR code and it was brought to us quickly. I really enjoyed this trip. The theatre is located in an area of London that I find one of the easiest to get to as it’s near to Tottenham Court Road which has step-free access to three Underground lines. The step-free access available now means getting into the theatre doesn’t feel like hard work and it’s a much simpler process than before. I definitely recommend visiting the theatre and I also recommend the show!

The staff were warm, welcoming and accommodating. Providing me with door to space service and my husband with a loop system loop. Even when someone was taken ill, their privacy was protected and everyone looked after. All wheelchair customers and their families were supported to a quieter space until everything was settled. I could not fault the staff for their attitude. I wish more places were like this.

All the staff at the Phoenix theatre are very friendly and you can tell that the staff have had specific training to help people with specific access needs. The sunflower scheme is really useful in the sense it helps anyone who needs support.