Wonderful place, easily accessible and with heaps of great events and most seats boast a decent view, even if you're towards the back. And here are a few tips: -
First. It's a difficult decision whether to bring your jacket in or check it in the cloakroom. The theatre can sometimes be a bit nippy, but there's very little room under the seats should your outdoor clobber become superfluous to your needs. Life's big decisions, eh?
Two. Try the honey and ginger ice cream.
Three. Be prepared to pay £1.50 for a small cup of tea, but take comfort in their selection of cakes and meringues.
Four. Be careful not to do what I did. I agreed months ago to attend a modern dance interpretation night with my missus; it must have seemed like light years away and I don't even remember that fateful day when I said yes. Last Tuesday, which was also Euro 2010 qualifiers night just to make it worse, the time arrived and with all the trepidation of a Transylvanian blood donor I set off. Not really my cuppa soup is the polite analysis: I didn't have the bleedin' foggiest idea of what was going on, the dancer bloke that was bald but had a pony tail and was wearing skin tight leggings was difficult for my mind to negotiate, as was the dancer who seemed to be rather generous in the old posterior department for one of her profession (which is an observation, not a criticism, and helped me pass the time). But truth be told the rest of the audience seemed to be enjoying it, I appeared to be the only one praying with the desperation of a condemned man for my personal miracle of no encore and when it finally ended my dear wife wasn't best pleased with my beaming, relieved and gormless smile.
Why the five stars then? Mainly because it's a blessing that they provide a cultured series of eclectic events that aren't targeted solely at cynical heathens like me; if they did, it would be dub every night. Also, I went to the Icebreaker performance of Apollo a couple of weeks back and that was excellent. But essentially because this is another of our city's amazing arts and entertainment venues, a fact I try not to take for granted. read more