Venue Hire

The theatre is managed by the Isle of Wight Council

The shape of the Theatre is square (23m x 23.5 x 9m average height), with seating and stage placed on the diagonal axis. It is linked to the Music Suite, providing a Green Room area together with small practice rooms (doubling as dressing rooms for small groups or soloists / single performers) and a larger classroom (doubling as a dressing room for large groups / chorus, or band room). There is a quick-change room for one person, approximately 10m from stage right.

Serving the theatre and adjacent to it, is a bar, shared with Medina Leisure Centre. In this area is situated the main foyer and public entrance. There are backstage entrances to the scene dock and a stage door entrance for performers.

The general policy of the Theatre is to compliment the work of the other venues for entertainment and the arts already in existence on the Island - we do not regard ourselves as being in competition with anyone. The aim is to provide the community which this Theatre serves with a varied and well-balanced programme of events - across the whole range of the performing arts and entertainment, both on a professional and amateur level.

A Theatre front of house volunteers group has been established which contribute to the running of the Theatre on a voluntary basis, thereby making the venture a true community project.

We hope to encourage the local community to come to this Theatre:

• As an audience
• As a performer, through membership of local music, drama or other groups and societies.
• As an active participant in its working and a contributing factor to its success as a community project.

The Theatre has its own Box Office facilities which are open from
7.00am - 8.30pm Monday - Friday
9.00am - 4.30pm Saturdays

The Box Office is also open for one and a half hours prior to each performance. In addition to this, the Theatre has its own 24 hour answer phone on which telephone enquiries may be taken outside normal opening hours.

The Theatre can also arrange for tickets to be printed and events publicised. Publicity normally takes the form of press advertising and is charged for at cost. However, arrangements can be made for posters and handouts to be distributed. Prices for these are available on request.

Disabled Patrons

Special provision has been made for patrons in wheelchairs. A designated wheelchair area is available towards the rear of the auditorium on the left hand side. We have level access throughout the Theatre and for patrons who are hard of hearing, an ‘induction loop’ is installed in the Theatre to enable patrons with hearing aids to clearly hear dialogue on stage.

Technical Staff Available

Two technicians are included in the hire fee for up to 16 hours in total (up to a maximum of 8 hours each). If additional technical cover is required, further support may be provided. Three weeks’ notice is required, and a fee will be charged to the hirer at an agreed rate.

The Facility Manager reserves the right to provide additional technical support if they feel necessary, informing the hirer and charging the hirer accordingly.

The hirer has the option to provide additional staff themselves, providing the Facility Manager has approved that the individual is competent to perform the task in question.