Theatre Royal, Bath
ENTRY
from £14
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Bath
What it’s like
Panto and Christmas shows on a proper stage, with relaxed performances and touch tours for kids who need a gentler version.
This is the big theatre trip: proper productions like A Christmas Carol and Beneath the Snow, on a stage that's been putting shows on for a very long time. You're not talking soft play or a hands-on museum here, you're talking sit down, watch, and let a story land, which suits kids who can hold still for an hour or two rather than toddlers who can't.
Prices spread out a fair bit. Beneath the Snow starts at £14, while A Christmas Carol runs £19.50 for a child and £39.50 for an adult, or £92 if you book the family of four ticket, which is the one to go for if there are two adults and two kids in your group since it works out cheaper than buying separately. A Child's Christmas in Wales sits at £38. None of it's cheap for an evening out, but panto season tickets rarely are.
If your child finds normal theatre a lot, the Relaxed Performances keep the house lights up, let people come and go, and turn the sound and lighting down a notch, with extra wheelchair spaces too. There's also a Touch Tour before certain shows, thirty minutes of getting hands-on with the actual props and costumes before the lights go down, which is booked separately and by ticket. And if you've got a baby under 12 months, the Babes in Arms performances mean you can wander the auditorium or step out without the usual death stares.
Access is decent but not flawless. Lifts get you to the Stalls and Royal Circle in the Main House and to all levels in The Egg, though the Ustinov Studio Circle is stairs only. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout and the Front of House team will look after one during the performance if you need them to. Hearing loop headsets are free to borrow from the bars, though it's fair to say they won't suit everyone depending on how significant the hearing loss is.
Facilities
Need to know
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair spaces available in all three venues
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs welcome in all performance spaces
- Touch Tours run before certain performances and need a separate ticket
- The family of four ticket for A Christmas Carol works out cheaper than paying separately
- Main House accessible toilet doors are only 750mm wide, worth knowing if a wheelchair needs more room
- Box office phone lines run 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
It depends on the show. Beneath the Snow starts at £14, A Christmas Carol is £19.50 for a child and £39.50 for an adult, and there's a family of four ticket for £92.
Do we need to book?
There's a booking link on their site, and for the popular Christmas shows you'll want to sort tickets ahead rather than turn up hoping.
Is it suitable for a child who finds theatre overwhelming?
The Relaxed Performances keep the lights up and let you come and go, with lower sound and lighting. There's also a Touch Tour beforehand where kids can handle the props and costumes.
Can I bring a baby?
The Babes in Arms performances are set up for exactly that. You can walk around the auditorium with a baby under 12 months or step out and back in as needed.
Are dogs allowed?
Assistance dogs are welcome in all three performance spaces, and staff can look after them during the show if that helps.
Is the theatre wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair spaces are available in all three venues, and lifts reach the Stalls and Royal Circle in the Main House and all levels in The Egg. The Ustinov Studio Circle is stairs only, so worth bearing in mind if that's a sticking point.
What if someone in our group has hearing loss?
Free infrared headsets can be borrowed from the bars to boost the sound, though how well that works depends on the severity of the hearing loss.
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