Access at the Gillian Lynne Theatre
Now playing: My Neighbour Totoro From £18 Book tickets
The auditorium is three storeys up, so the question here is lifts and stairs, and it decides where you can sit.
Access seats are booked directly with the venue's own access team. That side of it is handled by the venue, not by us.
Getting in
The Parker Street foyer is at street level and lifts run from it up to the Stalls, which is the step-free level. There are no ramps anywhere in the building.
The Circle is stairs only. It is 114 steps from the ground floor, or 24 steps if you use the lifts as far as they go. No lift lands on that level.
Wheelchair spaces and transfer seats
There's a platform behind the middle of row P in the Stalls, with two non-transferable wheelchair spaces, each with a companion seat. The Circle is above that platform and is not a problem for most productions.
The transfer seats are in row S, reached step-free.
Chairs need to be within 73 cm wide and 123 cm long. Larger heavy electric chairs cannot be brought in, because the lift is the only way up to the auditorium and that sets the limit.
Toilets
Two accessible toilets, and the lift serves both: one in the Upper Foyer, one on Level 4 just outside the accessible auditorium entrance. Both are large and neither is locked. Standard toilets sit on the same two floors and are step-free too.
Bars, and the one thing that is not step-free
The bars are on three public floors and all of them are reached by the lifts. If a bar or a kiosk is out of reach, there is in-seat service instead.
The merchandise stand is the exception and is not step-free. Ask, and it comes down to the bar foyer level, where staff take payment.
Hearing, assistance dogs and access hosts
Headsets and hearing-aid loops come from Front of House and run on an infra-red system. Mention it when you book and you'll be put where the signal is strongest. GalaPro is offered here as well, for automated captions and audio description.
Assistance dogs are welcome, and staff will look after your dog during the performance if you'd rather it didn't sit with you. An access host is allocated in advance and will meet you when you arrive. They handle evacuation arrangements as well, which matters in a building where the auditorium is three floors up.
The theatre warns that strobe and flashing lights are a standing feature of the building rather than of one production, so check with the venue if they're a problem for you.
Getting here without steps
Holborn and Covent Garden both have stairs, so the step-free way in is from Tottenham Court Road, about ten minutes on foot along New Oxford Street, then right into Drury Lane and left into Parker Street. Blue Badge bays are 100 to 150 metres away at the top of Drury Lane and on Great Queen Street, and an access customer can be driven right to the door on Parker Street.
Assisted performances
For My Neighbour Totoro: BSL with an interpreter on Sunday 11 October 2026 at 2pm, a relaxed performance on Sunday 8 November 2026 at 2pm, audio described on Saturday 5 December 2026 at 2pm with a touch tour from midday, and captioned on Sunday 6 December 2026 at 2pm.
For The Traitors: Acts of Betrayal: audio described on Monday 26 July 2027 at 7:30pm, signed on Wednesday 28 July 2027 at 7:30pm, and captioned on Thursday 29 July 2027 at 7:30pm.
Access FAQs
Is the Gillian Lynne Theatre wheelchair accessible?
Yes, in the Stalls. The auditorium is three storeys up and the lifts serve the Stalls, where the two wheelchair spaces sit on a platform behind row P and the transfer seating is in row S. Chairs need to be within 73 cm by 123 cm, because the lift is the only route in. The Circle is stairs only. Access bookings go through the venue's own team.
Is there a lift at the Gillian Lynne Theatre?
Yes, and you will use it: the auditorium is three floors above the street. The lifts reach the Stalls and both sets of toilets. They do not reach the Circle, which is 114 steps from the ground floor or 24 from the top of the lift.