Alphabetti Theatre
WHERE
Newcastle upon Tyne
What it’s like
A small Newcastle theatre putting on plays, comedy and music, with family-friendly events and flexible pricing including pay-what-you-feel shows.
This is a proper working theatre rather than a big venue with a gift shop, so the programme changes constantly: plays, comedy, music and family-friendly events all get a slot. What's on when you look might be totally different a fortnight later, which is either the charm of the place or a reason to check what's actually showing before you commit an evening to it.
The ticketing is worth knowing about. They run three price bands: General, Concession for the likes of students and over-65s, and a "No Questions" ticket for anyone who can't stretch to the other prices but wants to come along anyway. On top of that, 43% of performances are pay what you feel, so a fair chunk of the programme is priced by you, not by them. That's a genuinely generous setup and not one you see everywhere.
Accessibility gets real attention too. At least 27% of the programme comes with captioning, audio description or a relaxed performance, and PAs supporting someone with access requirements get in free. There's blue badge parking nearby, though it's limited, and if you're driving without a badge you're looking at pay and display on Blandford Square, free after 6pm, which suits an evening show nicely.
There's no fixed opening hours as such, the building only opens when something's on, and there's no on-site parking for customers generally. It's an easy walk from Central Station though, about seven minutes, with a bus stop just up the road on Westmorland Road.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Pay and display on Blandford Square (FREE after 6pm)
- Getting there by bus or train
- Westmorland Road bus stop 400ft away
- Pay what you feel covers 43% of performances, so check the pricing on the specific show you fancy
- Blandford Square parking is free after 6pm, handy for an evening booking
- The building only opens for scheduled events, there's no daily walk-in hours
- There's a café and restaurant on site
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
There are three bands: General, Concession for students, over-65s and similar, and a No Questions ticket for anyone who can't afford the others. Around 43% of shows are pay what you feel.
Is the building accessible?
At least 27% of the programme has captioning, audio description or relaxed performances. PAs accompanying someone with access needs get in free, and there's limited blue badge parking nearby.
Is there parking?
No on-site parking for customers. Blandford Square has pay and display, free after 6pm, and there's a small number of blue badge spaces near the Discovery Museum.
What are the opening hours?
The building only opens when there's an event on, so there's no fixed daily schedule. The phone line runs Monday to Friday, 10 till 6, if you want to ask about what's on.
How do we get there without a car?
The Westmorland Road bus stop is about 400ft away, Central Station is a seven minute walk, and both St James and Central Metro stations are within ten minutes on foot.
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