The Stage

Access all areas

Published Tuesday 6 May 2008 at 12:45

Following on from the letter on disabled access last week (Letters, page 8, April 24), I frequently take disabled people to the theatre and in most cases the staff are wonderful.

However, it is the bad seating they are forced to sit in that bugs me, and also the ladies’ toilets. For Billy Elliot, the seating was at the end of the front row. We saw nothing stage left, nor any actor below the waist, and were in front of the speakers. At Hairspray, the box was nice but we could not see anything stage right. Sadly, Michael Ball and Leanne Jones seemed to spend a lot of time stage right.

Ipswich council only recognises that you are disabled if in a wheelchair and does not allow concessions for carers if not wheelchair-bound. I take elderly people frequently to their venues - people who cannot see. It’s hard enough going anywhere, but their continued stance makes life even tougher - it seems to me that the council acts in complete disregard of the Disability Rights Act.

I would have liked to take disabled people to the Criterion and the Venue, but there is no disability access.

At the New London theatre last week, I would like to know what went on at the beginning of Act II in Gone With the Wind. Alas, I was in the queue for the ladies for 15 minutes. The toilet situation is still as bad as it was for Cats and that was in the last century.

Sheila Caryer

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