Facilities and Services Available for Disabled Guests
Here is a quick overview of the facilities and services available for disabled guests at Alhambra Theatre, so that you can decide if this attraction is able to meet your access requirements. Please note: some of the services are listed below and a full explanation is available later on in the blog post. In order to quickly navigate through the post you can use the table of contents.
- Accessible Performances: Matilda the musical is running a number of accessible performances these are: audio description, captioned, BSL signed, chilled performances.
- Wheelchair Spaces: The Alhambra Theatre has 6 wheelchair spaces in the theatre. These spaces can’t accommodate mobility scooters.
- Access Scheme: Bradford theatres have their very own access scheme where you register your access needs and become a member. Full information can be found in the ‘before your visit’ section of this blog post.
- Level Access Seating: The Alhambra Theatre has level access seating in the stalls on rows A to U seats 1 to 10.
- Matilda the Musical social story: The Royal Shakespeare Company created a social story for the relaxed performance of Matilda. Although the venue is different in the social story it still has useful information about the characters and what to expect during the show. You can find the social story by clicking here The Royal Shakespeare Company Matilda the Musical Social Story.
Before your visit
Before visiting the Alhambra Theatre there are a few steps you must take in order to ensure you have the correct access available to you so you can enjoy your day.
Bradford Theatres Access Schemes & booking tickets
Bradford theatres have their very own access scheme where you register your access needs and become a member. In order to book accessible performances and get access to reserved seating for people who require sign interpretation, captions, etc. As well as booking essential companion tickets. You can become a member of the access scheme and book tickets that meet your access needs by following the steps below.
Step 1: Create a Bradford Theatres Account
You will need to create an account with Bradford Theatres for your access scheme membership to be added on to. You can create an account by clicking here Bradford Theatre register new account.
Step 2: Find Accepted Disability Evidence
When applying for the access scheme you will need to provide some disability proof that the Bradford Theatres accept. The Access Card is accepted and you can find a full list of the different proof accepted by clicking here access scheme accepted disability proof. I used my Access Card with the +1 symbol on and was given essential companion tickets as well as my other access needs.
Step 3:Apply for the access scheme
In order to apply for the access scheme you need to fill in an application form for yourself or the person/group of people you are caring for. You can fill in the application form by post or email or via the online form. Bradford Theatres also offer large print and paper application forms that you can get by phoning 01274 432000. There are 2 different application forms one for individuals and one for groups or organisations. The links to the application forms are listed below:
- Online individual: Click here online individual application form
- Online group/organisation: Click here online group/organisation application form
- Download for email or post individual: Click here download email or post individual application form
- Download for email or post group/organisation: Click here download email or post group/organisation application form
Step 4: Access scheme welcome email and online booking guide
Once you have been accepted onto the access scheme you will receive a welcome email. I was added onto the access scheme the same day as I applied. On the email you receive from the access scheme there is a link to the online booking guidance. In this document you can find out how to book wheelchair spaces, apply discounts for essential companion tickets, booking accessible performances and guidelines on each venue and the level access seating available. This information is just for access scheme members so I’m unable to link to the document in the blog post.
Step 5: Book tickets
Now you have been accepted onto the access scheme the membership will have been added onto your account that you created in step 1. In order to book tickets for any shows log into your account by clicking here account log in.
Once logged into your account simply select the show you would like to see which in my case was Matilda The Musical and choose a performance type and time that is accessible for you. You can then select seats that meet your access needs. Remember to select a seat for essential companions. an essential companion ticket then at checkout in the saving box enter the promotion code given to you in the online booking guidance document in step 4 this will make your essential companion ticket free of charge.
Now your tickets are in your basket simply check out and select how you would like to receive your tickets I went for E tickets that came straight to my email. In terms of pricing for Matilda the Musical I was sat in the stalls on row H and it cost me £65.50 for my ticket and the PA ticket was free.
Arrivals
In this section of the blog we detail what will happen when you arrive at Alhambra Theatre so you know what to expect and can get to your seats as quickly as possible.
blue badge parking
The Alhambra Theatre has blue badge parking available on Morley Street and Horton Road. You can get to the Morley street blue badge spaces by using Great Horton Road located at the side of the Alhambra Theatre. The blue badge parking is located by the Alhambra Theatre accessible entrance on Great Horton Road. During my visit I found there to be plenty of blue badge spaces available and all the blue badge parking bays were on street parking.
Please note: These blue badge parking spaces are in a clean air zone you can find out if your vehicle needs to pay in a clean air zone by clicking here clean air zone vehicle checker.
Entering the The Alhambra Theatre
The Alhambra Theatre main entrance is step free to get into the entrance area where you could buy show merchandise. In order to get to any of the seats and bar area from the main entrance it was not step free however, round the corner there is the accessible entrance that was very clearly signposted.
Accessible Entrance
There was a member of staff on the door of the access entrance that checked our tickets and directed us to our seats. We were in the stalls that was located opposite to the access entrance so perfect if you can’t walk far.
It is worth noting that the stalls are on a slope so the nearer to the stage you’re sat the more of an incline you need to walk. The wheelchair spaces were located at the back of the stalls and were all flat. A lift can be accessed by going through the access entrance that goes up to the circle seats.
There was also two accessible toilets located just outside the stalls. The accessible toilets were monitored by a member of staff during the interval. From the access entrance you could also get up a ramp to the bar area as seen in the images below that had plenty of seats and you could buy refreshments before and after the show as well as during the interval.
Our Visit to Matilda the musical
Now we’re in the theatre and have sorted all of our access out it’s time to enjoy the show. In this section you will find a write up of our visit to Matilda the musical including all the accessibility information of course. So come and enjoy the show with us!
Matilda the musical had a show running time of 2 hours and 35 minutes with a 20 minute interval. The musical was a very similar version of the original Matilda movie and included all the key concepts of the story it was an amazing show. During the interval Matilda’s dad and brother came on the stage and did some jokes with everyone. Before going I would recommend watching the Matilda the musical movie as Matilda tells us a story she has made up all about a Circus. I was able to follow along with the story about the Circus as I had seen the story in the movie so was easy to picture it. There was a few key points and sensory effects that could cause sensory overload that I have listed below:
- At the start of the show the children are having a birthday party where they have balloons and even blow some up on stage.
- There was lots of strobe lighting used during Miss Trunchbull part of the show it also went dark.
- Miss Trunchbull does shout during the show and the children chant.
- A paper airplane is thrown out into the audience during the show.
- At the end of the finale of the show confetti comes down.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Matilda the Musical was an amazing show I have wanted to watch it for years and it didn’t disappoint. The show did have a minimum age limit of 4+ this was really helpful sensory wise as there was no little ones crying or getting up and down during the show. All the actors did an amazing job and as I mentioned it was really like the real movie. I managed well with the sensory effects and didn’t get overwhelmed during the show I did take some silent fidgets with me and my weighted lap blanket so I could sit still and enjoy the show. I also think knowing the story of Matilda made it a lot easier for me as I wasn’t anxious about what to expect next and knew that Miss Trunchbull would shout during the show.
In terms of the access at the Alhambra Theatre I was blown away it was so well adapted in terms of the access. The accessible entrance worked so well and the accessible toilets being just outside the stalls by the accessible entrance made it really easy and didn’t need to worry about not making it to the toilet in time. The staff were all really friendly and accommodating. I highly recommend visiting Alhambra Theatre for whatever show you would like to watch as with the free disabled parking very close it was seamless. The Alhambra Theatre will definitely be my go to for any theatre shows I had never managed to find a theatre that was accessible for me as most of them are very old but this was just amazing. Anyway, that’s all from me for now I hope you enjoyed the show. See you on my next adventure and hopefully get back to some theme parks when closed seasons over! Bye for now.