Beautiful, well-preserved historic concert hall. Acoustics are better than ok, too…read more Went there for a concert by the visiting Manchester Hallé Orchestra in September 2014. The decor in this Victorian age concert hall is stylish indeed, from the peculiar circular corridor around the back to the stunning, plush auditorium. When you're entering it truly is like a step back in time. The venue offers classical as well as pop concerts and many other kinds of performances and shows (A town the size of Harrogate does not have its own professional orchestra - of course). The acoustics are not as colorful as at, say, the Manchester Bridgewater Hall or the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, but they are still very good, with a nice presence. Seats in the auditorium are comfortable, even cozy. Amenities include a bar, located along said circular corridor.

It would be so easy to give this beautiful venue a 5 star ***** review. It's breath-taking inside,…read morejust stunning. The recent restoration that was finished in 2008 has made it one of the most outstanding looking theatres in the north of England. It has one of the oddest features in the form of a circular corridor around the outside of the foyer area - this must have been truly spectacular with all the sides open in good weather. The ceiling of the auditorium is quite amazing. The whole place is a classic old-fashioned theatre. A few things let it down. Brownie points for the large number of ladies toilets which meant that when I was there recently my other half didn't spend the whole interval queuing to use them. On the other hand I actually did spend most of the interval queuing as, for reason, it was decided to make the number of toilets in the gents minimal. This meant a good 60 or 70 caught-short blokes standing around the stair area in confused fashion. It's almost like the place has taken revenge on men who have hardly had to queue to use the loo! In addition the place has a heavy handed approach to anyone trying to take photos. While this might make sense for many theatrical productions when a rock band play there - and quite a few do - it's just weird. People tend to take photos at music shows these days, but try it here and you'll get into trouble There is a team of stealthy black-suited ladies who's sole occupation it seems is to police the venue and creep up on anyone who dares to take out a camera. I sat almost at the back with no one behind me and as soon as I took a picture I hand grabbed my shoulder and a lady stage whispered into my ear: 'no photography'. We then watched in amusement as this team of ladies crept about, shoulders hunched, trying to find more culprits. They didn't bother with people in the middle of rows but anyone sitting in an aisle seat was considered fair game. We saw about 20 people get collared. It became silly. I sneakily took a few shots but I suspect I'd have been ejected if I'd been caught a second time. For such an old-style place to be so strict is a bit off putting. I'm all for stopping vast numbers of video cameras and the like but an occasional snap when bright flashing lights are all around is mad.

Charming venue, with a lovely stage, even with the ability to host fire and aerial!…read more Reasonable bar, nice little backstage area, and stepped seating. I've been a performer, customer, and workshop attendee here, and its been suitable every time.

The Grand Opera House is a lovely venue in York which shows a wide range of shows. It is called the…read moreopera house yet it does show other things such as comedy stand-up and musicals. I've been a few times-last time was to see Jimmy Carr live which was great. There's a bar when you first go in which is nice for before shoes and the interval break. The seats are comfy enough in the actual theatre and although there is not a lot of leg room this seems to be pretty standard for theatres anyway. There's a carpark nearby although you do have to pay for that.

I used to work here, so I'm a bit bias. It's a wonderfully old building. It does very well…read moreconsidering its location. There's no parking, but the castle car park is just up the road. We enjoy going here.

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.

I can't believe I didn't think to review this place sooner, The Waterside Arts Centre is one of my…read morefavourite places. There are no limits to what can happen here; it's a theatre, an art gallery, an exhibition hall, a comedy venue, a music venue, a cinema, a function room...the list goes on. Everything about it is so beautifully versatile, you can go to any one of the above events there and think that is the venue's sole purpose. I've been to see some fantastic original exhibitions there, I've been in tears from laughing at the comedy nights and I've taken my younger sister there for some of the great child-friendly events they regularly hold. If you're unsure, head down to their next open day when they have taster sessions of everything for free! Also check out the programme of events on their website, I bet you'll see something you like because they really do cater for everyone!

The Waterside Arts Centre was completed as part of the redevelopment of the Trafford Council…read moreOffices which resulted in some shiny new offices, a new bar beneath them, and the Waterside Arts Centre. The Waterside really amounts to a number of galleres and exhibition spaces, and the Robert Bolt theatre within it all, which is a reasonably intimate (i.e. small!) performance venue that I've been lucky enough to visit for a number of different performances. There is a full programme of events on here and in any one month there will be a variety of music concerts (ranging from small and relatively unknown folk acts, current chart stalwarts, ageing rockers, local classical musical ensembles and anything (and everything) inbetween. There's also a regular comedy night styled along the lines of 'Whose line is it anyway?', and regular theatre productions including an annual pantomime. I've been fortunate enough to see a few acts there in recent times including Hayseed Dixie (true Hillbilly Rock) and Glenn Tillbrook (guitar-god and songwriter extraordinaire of Squeeze fame), two gigs that saw the Robert Bolt theatre in both standing, and fully seated configurations (it is usually set up for one or the other!)... Both times, the size of venue allowed me to feel really connected to the performer in a true 'I could see into the whites of their eyes' kind of sense. In both instances, this certainly added to the quality of the experience! Drinks for gigs are usually provided via a 'bottle and can' bar, which can make for a slightly pricy night, but then, you're not going there to drink! The gallery spaces are spread around the building and seem to cater for most tastes, and provide opportunities for local artists alongside those who are better known. All in all, the Waterside is a great little venue and a top addition to a town that was in sore need of a place like this. Bravo!

My childfren attend Escape CYT. They have tried more traditional children's theatre societies and…read moremusical theatre groups but this is something different. The young people devise their own work, which is surely a much more effective process for developing a wide range of performance skills. Escape won't turn your child into Olivier - in many ways the most talented writers and performers are shown in even more stark relief than in a traditional show - but the group appears to be really supportive and it will suit any young person who is genuinely interested in theatre. Consider it the equivalent of doing the hard yards in an indie band rather than auditioning for X Factor - full of integrity and genuine learning, but the pleasures come from the creation of the work, not from any promise of 'fame'...

From the owner: Escape contemporary youth theatre (Escape:cyt) makes intelligent, creative and fun theatre that…read moredraws upon young people's voices. We are a socially enterprising organisation that meets regularly in term time on Monday and Tuesday evenings at Lawnswood Schoolin North West Leeds. All of our shows are original productions and are created by professional artists and young people in collaboration; we consider our members to be artists in their own right. We have ambitious production values and strive for ethical integrity in the way we run the organisation and make theatre. We perform a large cast show in the Spring term and smaller pieces throughout the year either in house or for special events and festivals. In the past we have performed at the Carriageworks Theatre, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Stage@leedsand as part of Light Night Leeds.

Theatre in the Mill is everything that a university affiliated theatre should be. They have a solid…read moreprogram of high quality visiting work representing the entire gamut of alternative and Fringe theatre, as well as being active in the development of new work. Now, if only the students would turn up.

Wonderful theatre. Amazing space. Amazing staff. It should be more recognised for its beauty and…read moregreat programming.

Formed by the hard work of the Ilkley Players, the Ilkley Playhouse is an intimate theatre based…read morejust a wee way from the Ilkley train station, and near to local parking, for the purpose of presenting excellent quality amateur theatre productions to the people of Ilkley and all the rest of us theatre loving folk who are interested in attending a venue steeped in such history. Owned and run by the Ilkley Players, the Playhouse emerged from humble beginnings, struggled through the war years, and after years of renting the Playhouse space, was eventually bought by the Ilkley Players themselves. Most of the staff are volunteers, and it is a testament to their hard work and determination that a venue like this continues to run. The Playhouse itself is an intimate setting, with two main theatre spaces, the Wharfeside and the Wildman. There are about ten productions on here every year, and some of the productions are written by local talent. Fabulous. Tickets are also very reasonable at on average £8 a ticket. No excuse to indulge in a bit of theatre with prices like that. In addition to theatre, the venue provides opportunity for local dance classes, participation in the Ilkley Literature Festival, tours and workshops, and even costume hire. Lovely.