Access and Facilities at the Cambridge Theatre

The step-free seats here are in the Stalls, reached by a level route from Earlham Street. There's no lift, so the Dress Circle and Upper Circle are stairs only.

Access bookings are handled by the venue's own access team, not by us.

Getting in and getting to your seat

The foyer is step-free through the first two rotunda doors on the left. The third door, on the Mercer Street side, has steps, because the pavement slopes there.

From the foyer it's three steps down into the Stalls, and there are no more steps inside the Stalls. If you need the step-free route, go to the foyer and an access host will take you round to the access entrance on Earlham Street. That entrance and the Stalls have a slight ramp, but it isn't steep.

Steps to each level, from the ground floor:

• Stalls: 3 steps down, or step-free by the Earlham Street entrance
• Dress Circle: 31 steps up
• Upper Circle: 67 steps up

The staircases have handrails on both sides, and the edges of the steps are marked.

Wheelchair and transfer seating

The two wheelchair spaces are in Stalls row N, at N1 and N34. Each space measures 80cm by 80cm, big enough for most standard manual and powered wheelchairs. To transfer to a theatre seat instead, choose any Stalls aisle seat in rows L to S.

Accessible toilet

There's one accessible toilet, off the Stalls corridor close to the Stalls entrance, with level access from the Earlham Street entrance. It opens with a RADAR key; the Stalls supervisor and the access host each hold one. The regular toilets along the Stalls corridor, Gents and Ladies, have no steps either.

Hearing and sight

An infra-red system is available for anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing, and headsets and hearing aid loops are collected from the Stalls Kiosk in the Stalls corridor. Access hosts are on hand to help visually impaired visitors from arrival to the end of the show.

Captioned, signed and audio-described performances

Accessible performances are scheduled show by show: audio-described (with a touch tour beforehand), captioned, BSL-interpreted, relaxed and chilled. The dates for Matilda are on the show page.

Assistance dogs, medical needs and effects

Assistance dogs are welcome, and staff are happy to look after your dog while you watch the show. If you need to bring food, drink, medication or medical equipment for a medical condition, you can: ask to speak to a manager before you go through the bag search.

Strobe and flashing lights are used regularly at this theatre. For Matilda, expect lasers, stage haze, loud sound effects and latex balloons being popped on stage, and actors come out into the audience.

Arriving by car or taxi

You can be dropped off on Earlham Street, beside the theatre. Blue Badge holders have one bay by the front entrance (Monday to Saturday after 6:30pm, and Sundays), and there are more nearby: five by the Royal Opera House on Bow Street, four on Floral Street and two on Long Acre. Covent Garden station has level access into the ticket hall on the James Street side and lifts, but it isn't step-free to the platforms; Tottenham Court Road is.

Bars and snacks

Each level has its own bar, three in all, and they open before the show and again for the interval.

• Stalls bar: 22 steps down from the foyer, with seats you can move
• Dress Circle bar: 31 steps up from the foyer
• Upper Circle bar: at the top, with very little seating

The Marshfield Farm Ice Cream Parlour, the Stalls Kiosk, the Mini Bar and the Foyer Kiosk are all step-free, and so is the merchandise kiosk in the Stalls. Can't reach a bar? Staff can bring your order to you in your seat, with payment taken there. You can order interval drinks at the bar before the show, and the theatre prefers contactless, though it isn't cashless.

Toilets

• Stalls: Gents and Ladies in the Stalls corridor, step-free, plus the accessible toilet; more Ladies in the basement
• Dress Circle: the Gents are level with the bar, and the Ladies are up three more steps
• Upper Circle: Gents and Ladies on the level

Bags and coats

Every bag is searched on the way in, and the theatre asks you not to bring a large bag. If you have one, the cloakroom takes bags and suitcases for £5 and coats for £3. Alcohol can't be brought in.

Children

Booster seats are available: ask an usher when you arrive. The Stalls page explains why they matter down there.