Originally The New Theatre, it opened on Boxing Day, 1912. It went through several iterations, being renamed once before becoming the Opera House in 1920. It's also been used for different functions; as a cinema in WW2, then a bingo hall before reopening as a theatre again in 1984. Since, it has hosted magnificent shows like Barnum and Phantom of the Opera.
Booking Information
The Palace Theatre and Opera House regularly schedule BSL, Audio Described and Captioned performances.
An Audio-Introduction for The Palace Theatre and Opera House is available on Soundcloud, please click here.
To watch a video about our Audio Described Performances click here.
Venue Access Information
Our venue box office is located inside the Opera House foyer. There are 2 wheelchair spaces at the Opera House located on row B of the circle (B1 and B4), one has an accompanying seat next to it and one has an accompanying seat directly behind. The spaces are accessible from street level. There is an accessible toilet just outside the front circle street level entrance. There is no lift in the Opera House and from foyer to stalls there are 28 steps in total. There are a minimum of 78 steps up to the gallery, which is very high and steep with uneven steps.
Sennheiser have developed a new technology which feeds the live sound of our productions through an access point in the theatre. Using Wi-Fi, the sound is streamed through the Mobile Connect app which is downloadable on-to Apple and Android devices.
Download the Sennheiser Mobile Connect app either at home or by connecting to ‘_The Cloud’ wifi in an ATG venue. This is currently only available on Apple and Android devices.
You can also use your own headphones If you don’t have a smart phone, don’t worry, because we’ve got a few devices we can lend you, for a £20.00 returnable deposit with headphones.
Using the app is really simple. Once inside the auditorium:
Connect to ‘_TheCloud’ in your Wi-Fi settings.
Open the MobileConnect app.
Select ‘Show Audio’ for enhanced sound or ‘Audio Description’ for our scheduled audio described shows.
Please arrive at the venue 45 minutes before the show to ensure the team can assist you and make sure you are set up and ready to go.
We also have a dual channel infra-red sound enhancement system in the auditorium. Using a headset or one worn around the neck you can boost the volume of the show. You can collect these from the theatre cloak room for £10.00 returnable deposit. We recommend that when booking seats that you avoid the rear stalls.
Guide dogs and hearing dogs are welcome at the Opera House and they can stay with you while you are in the Theatre. If you wish to bring your guide or hearing dog to the Theatre, please advise the Box Office when booking your tickets and a seat next to the aisle will be reserved for you. Alternatively a member of staff will care for your dog during the performance. We can also provide drinking water for your dog.
There is an accessible toilet just outside the front circle street level entrance.
Please note, the Ambassador Lounge is only accessed via steps