Theatre with a difference (Royal Exchange Theatre in general)

Member Name: msvforb

Product:	Royal Exchange Theatre in general
Date:	31/07/09 (15 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent theatre in a lovely venue

Disadvantages: None

The Royal Exchange theatre is unlike any theatre I've come across before. Situated in the heart of Manchester city centre the theatre is housed in the great hall of the old Cotton Exchange building. In contrast to the building the theatre itself is a steel and glass module which provides a fantastic setting for theatre in the round for an audience of up to 700 people.

Around performance times the venue is a bustling theatre packed with theatre goers but outside those times I find it to be an oasis of calm amidst the madness of a thriving city centre.

Despite living about 40 miles away and having several excellent theatres nearer home I have been going to the Royal Exchange regularly for the last two and a half years both to see some of the diverse range of productions or just for a coffee whilst I'm in Manchester for other reasons. I have nothing but praise for the venue, the staff and the productions that I have been lucky enough to enjoy.

Box Office and ticket booking:

As in most venues there are three ways to book tickets for productions at the theatre, over the phone, through the theatres website or in person at the box office which is situated just inside the main hall of the theatre building.

In my experience the box office staff are always pleasant and helpful and often go out of their way to ensure you get the tickets you're after. On one occasion I wasn't able to get a ticket for a performance I wanted to see and so booked a ticket for a later date. I was sitting having a coffee in the theatre bar half an hour later when a member of the box office staff came over to tell me that tickets for my first performance had been returned and if I'd like to exchange these for the tickets I'd purchased I could do so free of charge, something I've never experienced elsewhere.

I have found that the website booking system is also very easy to use. When booking over the phone or online tickets can be posted out to you for a small charge (50p) or collected from the box office. When posted out tickets tend to arrive within a couple of days or booking and when collecting tickets from the box office is a quick and straight forward process.


Seating and ticket costs:

Due to the nature of the venue every seat has a fantastic view. In the main theatre there are six rows of fixed stalls seating with an additional row of banquette seats in front of the fixed seating. There are also two galleries each with two rows of seating and even from the second row of the second gallery you have a great view of everything going on downstairs. I wouldn't recommend the second gallery for anyone who struggles with heights or stairs though.

Adult tickets for the main theatre cost between £8.50 and £29.50 depending on the time/day of the production and the area in which you choose to sit. Concessions are available for under 16s and for certain performances for senior citizens, the unemployed, students and anyone under the age of 26.

Banquette seats are the cheapest available but the number available varies from production to production. These tickets are only available direct from the box office on the day of the production and tend to sell out quite quickly. I would really recommend these seats as it almost feels as though you're on the stage watching the action unfold.

Season tickets are also available which tend to cover five or six productions over spring/summer or autumn/winter. Prices vary depending on the number of productions and the day/time or performances but are good value for money and something I am considering purchasing in the future.

Productions:

Unlike many local theatres the Royal Exchange does not show the usual touring productions which tend to spend a few days or a couple of weeks in each town or city. Instead the productions tend to be specifically produced for the Royal Exchange stage and run from 4 - 8 weeks.

Over the last few years I have seen productions of various plays by Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Noel Coward and Tennessee Williams along with productions of more contemporary plays including some brand new productions which premiered at the Royal Exchange).

Generally performances are held every evening from Monday - Saturday with matinees on both Wednesdays and Saturdays.

In addition to the standard performances there are usually special audio described/signed/after show discussion dates for each production.

Other Facilities:

Studio - The studio theatre is a separate space which seats up to 120 people. A wide variety of less well known and new productions are held in this part of the theatre. Tickets for these productions tend to be much cheaper than productions in the main theatre and I would recommend giving some of them a try, I have seen some really great performances in here.

Bar Exchange - The theatre bar is situated in the main hall of the theatre. It is usually open from 9:30am - 11pm Monday to Saturday to both theatre goers and members of the public but closes when a performance is in progress. In addition to hot and cold drinks the bar serves a range of snacks including soups, sandwiches and cakes. Whilst the bar is not cheap it is not prohibitively expensive and is certainly no more expensive than any other theatre bar I've visited.

The Round - A restaurant open for lunch and dinner the entrance to which is situated in the main hall. I have not eaten in the restaurant so cannot comment on this further.

The Craft Shop - A lovely little shop selling handmade cards, jewellery and gifts. There are some great displays of the items for sale throughout the main hall. Items are often quirky and very nice but can be very expensive.

In summary I would really recommend this theatre. If there's something on that you like the look of then go for it, if not just pop in for a drink and have a wander around.

Summary: A great venue.