The Altrincham Garrick Playhouse
WHERE
Altrincham
What it’s like
A community theatre putting on drama, comedy, musicals and pantomime, plus performing arts classes for kids aged 5 to 18.
This is a proper working theatre rather than a soft play with a stage bolted on, so what your kids get is the real thing: pantomime, musicals, drama and comedy productions, and they also screen cinema films and professional recordings if a live show isn't what you're after that week. If your child fancies being on the stage rather than watching it, the Garrick Academy runs performing arts classes for ages 5 to 18, which is worth knowing if you've got a budding actor who's outgrown the school play.
Parking is free on site, 80 spaces, and there's free street parking after 5pm too, which takes the sting out of an evening show. Access looks properly thought through: a lift, an accessible toilet, a hearing loop, and wheelchair spaces in both the main auditorium and the Studio, though you do need to book those in advance rather than turning up and hoping. If you're coming by tram, both Altrincham Interchange and Navigation Road are about a ten minute walk, so it's not a car-only trip.
The box office runs odd hours, split across late morning and early evening on weekdays with just a Saturday morning slot. Booking by phone or online adds a £2.50 transaction fee per payment, which stings a bit if you're buying separately for a few family members, and if plans change there's a £1 per ticket exchange fee to resell unused seats. One for the diary: the theatre shuts to the public from mid-July to the end of August, bar included, so this isn't a summer holiday option.
What’s on here
- TUE13
LEVEL 1: Movers/Beginners Musical Theatre Dance Classes
17:15 - 18:15 · from £30 · 16 more dates
- THU22
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
from £19 · 10 more dates
- WED4
NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: The Misanthrope
from £18
- FRI6
Altrincham Garrick Play Reading Club
12:00 · from £7
- FRI6
Manford's Comedy Club (6th November 2026)
19:00 · from £13.50
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Families with kids aged 5 to 18 keen on drama or performing arts classes
- Parking
- Free on-site (80 spaces) plus free street parking after 5pm
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair spaces in auditorium (4 in main, 1 in Studio)
- Getting there by bus or train
- Altrincham Interchange and Navigation Road tram stops each about 10 minutes' stroll away
- Box office hours are split, weekday mornings and early evenings, Saturday mornings only.
- Booking online or by phone adds a £2.50 fee per transaction.
- The bar opens on non-performance Fridays from 7.30pm to 10.30pm.
- Tram stops at Altrincham Interchange and Navigation Road are each about a ten minute walk.
Plan your visit
How much are tickets and are there extra fees?
Prices vary by show. If you book by phone or online there's a £2.50 transaction fee per payment, and swapping an unused ticket costs £1 to resell.
Do we need to book in advance?
The box office has set hours, weekday mornings and early evenings plus Saturday mornings, so it's not a walk-up-any-time affair. If you need a wheelchair space, that has to be booked ahead too.
Is there parking?
Yes, 80 free spaces on site, and free street parking kicks in after 5pm if the car park's full.
What age is the Academy for?
The performing arts classes run from age 5 to 18.
Is it open all year round?
It closes to the public from mid-July through to the end of August, and the bar shuts with it.
Is it accessible for wheelchair users?
There's a lift, an accessible toilet, a hearing loop, and wheelchair spaces in both the main auditorium and the Studio, plus disabled parking bays right by the entrance.
MAKE A DAY OF IT
