We first went to the Donmar Warehouse, located in Covent Garden, in January 2022 for their production of Force Majeure and I was left wondering why on earth I was anxious about going there – being a small venue I had fears of limited accessibility and crowding but that couldn’t be further from my experiences at this singular space. Since that first visit we’ve been back a few times and every time I’ve been amazed with what can be done with such a small, intimate space without ever feeling claustrophobic. Even the impressive musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 fit perfectly in the space, where the audience surrounds three sides of the stage for a different perspective.

Getting Tickets

The Donmar operates its own access scheme; once signed up, disabled patrons can book their tickets online at a discounted rate and add a companion ticket for free.

Getting There

The evening we went to see Natasha, Pierre …, there was unhelpfully no Jubilee Line running but it was a nice wander/wheel on a wintery London evening from Green Park to Covent Garden. The Elizabeth Line also gives the option of going to Bond Street. Covent Garden station itself is notoriously inaccessible (there is a lift, but then a flight of steps afterwards) and in busy periods may be designated exit only to prevent overcrowding (but the larger Leicester Square station is very close by). Tottenham Court Road is the nearest accessible station (8 mins away) but doesn’t work the route we come into London by.

Entrance

Level access into the main foyer of a theatre in the West End? Just like every other patron? What trickery is this?! But it is, indeed, level from the street into the foyer-bar area of the Donmar. It can be a little crowded to get through as it’s quite a narrow space, and the lift is at the far end past the box office and bar. One floor up takes you to the main level where stalls (including wheelchair space) and a bar are; the second floor has all toilets and another bar plus seated spaces. The lifts also have their own battery backup in case of power outage, which is a nice addition.

Wheelchair Space

The wheelchair spaces at the Donmar are on the ends of the bench row seats in the stalls which means it’s impossible to get into place until everyone else has taken their seat, and it can be a bit of a squish in a small space while this is worked out. The view to the stage is excellent due to it being a small theatre, but depending which of the 3 blocks of seating you’re placed in there can be an impeded view of the “scaffolding” area above the stage if this is used. The major disability access issue with the Donmar is caused by what makes it so special, sadly: its intimate setting. In this space the aisles are often used as part of the performance area and have been utilised in each of the shows I’ve seen there. As a result, there is a strict policy of no reentry not just for etiquette but safety reasons. If you have to leave to go to the bathroom or attend to any medical needs during the performance, there are screens in the bar so no one misses out fully. If you are worried about this affecting your visit, talk to a member of staff when you arrive.

Services

The Donmar Warehouse offers audio described and captioned performances of their shows, with details of these available on their access page. They also offer a comprehensive visual story if you want to know exactly how things will go and what everything looks like beforehand.

Toilets

All toilets at the Donmar are on the second floor, while wheelchair spaces are in the first floor stalls which can make it a bit of a rush to use the facilities if you don’t arrive in plenty of time (necessary to avoid falling foul of the ‘no reentry’ rule). The corridor with the toilets is rather narrow, and behind a heavy fire door, which are both quite difficult for wheelchair users but there are usually other people around to hold the heavy door open – all you have to do is try not to swing the two-way door to the accessible loo into the queue for the ladies’ when you exit!

Overall I can’t really praise the Donmar enough. What they’ve managed to do with such a small space in a converted 17th century banana warehouse is incredible, and, as their social media says, when you go and see a show in their intimate venue you’re never more than four rows away from an actor (yes even in the wheelchair spaces!).