I paid £34 for this seat. A disgrace. Although I knew it was a restricted ticket view, I did expect…read moreto see more of the stage. I got crossed eyed being so close to this wide pillar. Just money grabbing . Should not have been sold. Not worth £5. Lost all respect for this theatre. Was with my grandkids whose views were not much better. I felt so embarrassed. 4 X £34 was a costly mistake. A theme park next time.

I love the theatre, I love the 3Dness of it all, I love the action, I love watching the expressions…read moreform naturally from that in the moment feeling the actors present to their parts. I've seen a few shows at the Leeds Grand, musicals, pantos, and the serious dramatic theatre pieces. Acoustic wise, the Grand is fabulous, and it doesn't seem to have suffered from the renovations, I am rather sick of renovations sucking the soul out of a place, but this one has only enhanced the beauty of the Grand. It's the Grand, so as a large and traditional and acoustically sound theatre, it's bound to pull in the big players on the regional tours, be they Jane McDonald, Calendar Girls, Romeo and Juliet or Ken Dodd. Kids, big kids, grown ups, low brow, high brow, the classics and the contemporary, they can all be found here at the Grand at some point throughout the year, that is a given. And as far as shows and performances go, the Grand is worthy competition for plenty of theatres in the surrounding area, although the same ruddy issue of friggin leg room always comes up. The other thing I do love about the Grand is the open access events that appeal to hardcore theatre gooers and it's education friendly attractions, the theatre is also home to backstage tours and talks and even workshops should the opportunity arise. When the company allows it, there are opportunities for small groups to meet and greet with the cast of the show in question, to discuss the show and the actor's experiences, which I think is a lovely touch.

Leeds Burlesque is taught in The Subculture club by Miss Bella Besame. It was created two years ago…read moreby Leeds Burlesque performer, Cecilia Rouge, when she felt the people of Leeds had nowhere local to go to learn how to perform Burlesque. Starting with a one off £30 fee then £12.50 for each class after (a block of around 9) it may seem a little pricey. However, I don't think you can put a price on the confidence you feel after your performances in front of your group! Bella is an amazing teacher with a laugh dirtier than an ashtray. She instantly makes you feel at ease as she teaches you the basic moves to burlesque and helps you make up a routine. Try this out if you want a confidence boost or just a good giggle with a few like minded ladies. For class information, just email: info@leedsburlesque.co.uk

I completed this course of Burlesque classes a couple of years ago. I can honestly say it's one of…read morethe best things I have ever done. Bella is amazing and you come out of class feeling confident and fabulous. I thoroughly recommend it to all ladies whatever your age, shape or size. You'll LOVE it!!!

From the brain-boxes of the Arts Council England, in association with Metro (that newspaper we can…read moreget in the mornings when using public transport) comes a brilliant idea that greatly frustrates me as I am JUST too old...young people have everything, drinks offers, money off clothes and now free theatre tickets. Apparently once you are over 26 you're meant to be on this career path thing, earning loads money and all that. End rant. Anyway at selected theatre and on selected shows you can get free tickets, and they are not necessarily bad ones. Friends of mine exploited this offer and watched Peter Pan before Christmas. They were blown away, good seats, an amazing performance and something they wouldn't have considered without this offer.

Seven is an independent arts space. That's how it sells itself, but to do that almost sells itself…read moreshort. Named after it's LS7 postcode, Seven really does do the Chapel Allerton area proud. A relatively new venture in the way of artistic spaces and venues, but it is pretty damn good. It's constantly gaining momentum, and currently there are projects going a ahead for budding film makers, artists, musicians and creative types. Seven relies on funding and sponsorship, which is good news for the local business who wish to hire out rooms for conferences and business meetings, as all money generated from the room hires goes back in to funding more arts projects. Seven also has it's own bar, Bar Seven, which is a cool place to spend before a show, or just to go in and have a drink with some friends, as it's open from mid morning til midnight. Oh yes, the events, there are many to choose from, acoustic nights, plays, comedy nights, art exhibitions, workshops and being super festive there's a Valentine's night this Sunday, with a Buenos Aires, film set, dinner and dance spectacle vibe, with tickets at £20 a head. Housing about 100 in capacity, Seven offers an intimate setting which can be a welcome change from bigger venues, especially for plays and acoustic performances. And there's the added satisfaction that your money is going back into the production of more fabulous art events.

Just been to the monthly 'Killfor a seat' Comedy at & arts…read more always a good show,,, top of the range comedy in Leeds. The Host and Compere 'Silky' aways makes it feel like the show is just for you, Picks the best of touring comedy, and new acts,,, occasionally runs over, so if you're on the bus,, make sure you have the taxi fare home. If you go there you know you'll get quality comedy, not for the faint hearted. And of course 7 Arts is a cracking venue with good beer. so what's not to like.

Liked the layout and the Courtyard Theatre I saw my play in was great.read more

The West Yorkshire Playhouse is a multi venue hot spot for the creative arts, situated, quite…read moreproudly in good ole Leeds. Coming up for its 20th year anniversary, the WYP has plenty to be proud about; two theatres, The Quarry and The Courtyard, a gallery, a workshop venue, a bar, a restaurant, and a costume hire department. Wow. Impressive or what. It really is a nice modern space inside, and the minute you approach the doors you are greeted by very welcoming staff that don't do the saccharine over the top type greetings, but more inform you of what is happening, what's open and if you're interested what's going on right now and what's to come. Sitting in stark comparison to the Leeds Grand, the West Yorkshire Playhouse is a lovely alternative to the traditional theatre venues without being so anti-tradition that the concept and enjoyment of the theatre is ruined. Technical wise it's a good sound venue, acoustics are grand, viewing is good, legroom isn't as snug as some venues are, which is always a plus point. Also, for all of you budding theatre goers under the age of 26, West Yorkshire Playhouse is a part of the A Night Less Ordinary scheme, whereby companies who are signed up offer free tickets on select shows for free. How awesome.

The Carriageworks is a great venue to see a show in Leeds. The obvious place of notoriety is always…read morethe West Yorkshire Playhouse and as a result of this I feel that the choice of shows there are sometimes a little more mainstream. The Carriageworks has always had a very interesting itinerary which seems to attempt to cater to all audiences, and not just go for the big bucks, with both wider and lesser known companies putting on performances here. There is a large space as well as a more intimate space, there bar area - although rather cosy - is nicely laid out, and the performances are certainly more affordable than their aforementioned competitor. All of this points towards a positive vibe. There is always something going on here, and not just theatre, so it is certainly worth taking a look at what they have coming up. Since there are plenty of places to eat and drink, literally next door, The Carriageworks can set you up for a wonderfully cultured evening of food, drinks and a show. Fabulous!

I have visited this theatre several times now. It has a very intimate auditorium as well as a…read morelarger one. The Carriage Works is a newly furbished venue and both auditoriums are new and comfortable to be in. They have a lovely bar facility too but it is rather small for the larger performances. Sound is crisp and the range and quality of performances is high. The resent theatrical festival was a testament to this. Performances are also reasonably priced making the arts more accessible to the wider public.

I have learnt a lot from these guys, their fire workshops were great. It gave me a chance to try…read moresomething new and exciting in a totally safe way. Two thumbs up!

A West Indian celebration of spectacular colour and energy. The carnival is in its 42nd year and…read morecontinues to bring people together in a massive celebration topped off with lots of West Indian delicacies to feast on. The carnival lasts a whole weekend and the build up focuses on equity and community involvement. It is a spectacular sight and the air in Leeds buzzes as momentum gathers toward its arrival. An event not to be missed if you are in Leeds at this time - August Bank Holiday.

Every Thursday performing to an increasingly hard-to-please audience more intent on drinking games…read morethan a comedy club there are sometimes very gifted performs and sometime less so, as you would expect for a night out. It is a little break to the norm if you fancy a drink with a bit of a difference but the actual venue/clientele may be off putting as it is very student orientated.

Went last week and was blown away by the high level of all three comedians - even the compere was…read morehilarious. Unlike the clubs in the city centre everything seems a lot more polite and much less aggressive. No Hens or Stags or other big boozy groups meant that me and my friends felt very safe and I can't remember a night where I've laughed so much, Think this will become a regular one for us.