Royal Hippodrome Theatre
ENTRY
from £12
WHERE
Eastbourne
What it’s like
A proper seafront theatre doing pantomime the traditional way, Dick Whittington included, with Santa's grotto on before Christmas shows.
Pantomime is the main event here, and Dick Whittington gets the full treatment: booing the villain, shouting at the stage, the lot. Prices move with the calendar, so an opening night ticket at £12 is a genuine bargain compared to £20 at peak times, and it's worth working out which slot you're going for before you book rather than after.
In the run-up to Christmas there's a Santa's grotto to visit alongside the show, which is a nice way to turn an afternoon out into something bigger without a second trip across town. There are also relaxed performances built for families with additional needs, which not every theatre bothers with.
Doors open half an hour before curtain up, and pushchairs get stored by the ushers rather than squeezed down the aisle, since they can't stay with you in the auditorium. Food and drink is all on-site, ice creams and crisps rather than a proper meal, so eat beforehand if you want more than a snack. The seafront location means you can walk along the front afterwards if the weather's playing along, and there's on-street parking or the Trinity Place car park six minutes away if you'd rather not chance it.
Getting there by train is straightforward too, with the station a ten to fifteen minute walk and direct services from Brighton, Lewes, Bexhill and London.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- On-street parking along seafront
- Food
- Wines, beers, spirits, soft drinks, ice cream, sorbet, confectionery and crisps available in bars and foyer
- Pushchairs
- Storage available during performances
- Wheelchairs
- Theatre has 2 wheelchair spaces
- Getting there by bus or train
- Eastbourne Railway Station 10-15 minutes walk away
- Latecomers get seated at a suitable break, so leave a spare ticket at the box office if someone's running behind
- Tickets are non-refundable but can be exchanged for another show or swapped for a credit note
- Concession pricing covers under-16s, over-60s, disabled visitors and full-time students, though it doesn't apply to every show
- Trinity Place car park is open 24 hours if you'd rather not rely on street parking
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
It depends on the show and the time slot. Dick Whittington runs from £12 for opening night up to £20 at peak times.
Do we need to book ahead?
The site doesn't list a walk-up option, so treat it as a booked ticket rather than turning up on spec.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There's ice cream, sorbet, crisps and drinks in the bars and foyer, but all food and drink has to be bought on-site.
What if we've got a pushchair?
Ushers will store it for you during the performance. It can't come into the auditorium with you.
Is the theatre accessible?
There are two wheelchair spaces and the theatre aims to be accessible throughout.
What time should we arrive?
Doors open 30 minutes before the show starts unless they say otherwise.
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