Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
BEST FOR
Ages 0+
WHERE
Guildford
What it’s like
Family shows, panto and a riverside café, with baby music classes for the under-fives too.
This is a proper theatre, not a soft play with a stage bolted on, so what your kids do here is watch: touring family productions, seasonal panto, and shows built for young audiences. There's also Little Notes, music classes aimed at babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers, if you want to get them through the doors before they're old enough to sit through a full performance.
Babies under 24 months go free on a lap, which is handy, but everyone else needs a ticket, booster seats included if you don't bring your own backless one from home. The booster seats are only £1 to hire from the cloakroom, but they're first come, first served and go 45 minutes before curtain up, so it's not something to leave to chance with a fidgety four-year-old.
The one that catches people out is pushchairs. They're not allowed in the auditorium. The building itself is fully accessible though, with a lift to every floor and accessible seating, so that side of things is sorted.
Food-wise there's the Riverbank Kitchen for breakfast, sandwiches and a kids menu, open Tuesday to Saturday until half three. They'd rather you didn't bring your own food and drink in, babies aside, so factor that into your timing if you're coming straight from nursery pickup. The box office only takes card, no Amex, so leave the cash at home.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Babies under 2 go free on a lap; older kids need a ticket for shows and panto
- Food
- Riverbank Kitchen café with breakfast menu, sandwiches and all-day menu, kids menu available, pre-ordering recommended
- Pushchairs
- Not permitted in auditorium but designated buggy park available
- Wheelchairs
- Fully accessible building with lift to every floor, accessible seating and accessible toilets
- Parties
- Private events and parties available in multiple spaces including The River Room (up to 50 people), Stalls Bar (up to 40 seated
- Box office is card only, no Amex, so skip the cash
- No refunds if a show is cancelled or rescheduled
- Booster seat hire is first come, first served from the cloakroom, 45 minutes before the show
- Little Notes music classes run for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers if you want a shorter visit
Plan your visit
Does my baby need a ticket?
Not if they're under 24 months and sitting on your lap. Everyone else, including older toddlers, needs their own ticket.
Can we bring our own pushchair into the show?
Pushchairs aren't allowed in the auditorium, but there's a buggy park to leave it in. It's left at your own risk, so keep valuables out of it.
Do we need a booster seat?
Bring your own backless one if you can. A limited number are available to hire for £1 from the cloakroom, but only from 45 minutes before the show and on a first come, first served basis.
Can we eat there?
The Riverbank Kitchen does breakfast, sandwiches and a kids menu, open Tuesday to Saturday until 3.30pm. They ask you not to bring your own food or drink in, except for babies.
How do we pay?
Card only at the box office, and they don't take Amex.
Is the building accessible?
Yes, there's a lift to every floor, accessible seating and accessible toilets.
Are there any accessible performances?
Where possible there are captioned, audio described, BSL interpreted and relaxed performances, arranged by the touring productions.
Can we book a party there?
There are a few spaces for private events, from the River Room for up to 50 people to the Stalls Bar, which holds up to 100 standing.
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