Accessing the King’s Theatre

Capital Theatres aim to be accessible to all and we are committed to making your visit to our theatres as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. We offer a range of accessible performances (Audio Description, British Sign Language Interpreted, Captioned and Touch Tours) on most of our shows. Use the filter on the What's on to find Access performances.

Arriving at the King's Theatre

If you are arriving by car, please note that Leven Street and Home Street are Greenways and are controlled by police. There is limited single yellow line parking in Tarvit Street approximately 30 metres away.

Access from the road to the front of the theatre is up three steps. Wheelchair access is available through the Box Office entrance at the right hand side of the building.

Please note that there is not a lift to all levels at the King's. There is a wheelchair platform lift on the right-hand side of the main foyer for access to the Stalls, where the wheelchair spaces are located.  

At the Box Office

The box office is situated on the right-hand side of the foyer, accessed via Leven Street. Tickets can also be booked by calling 0131 529 6000, online or by using Text relay on 18002 0131 529 6003. If you have any specific seating requirements please let the box office know when you book your tickets.  

Wheelchair Users

There are six spaces in the stalls for wheelchair users, with adjacent seats for companions.

Please let us know all of your requirements at the time of booking. To book a wheelchair space, please call the Box Office on 0131 529 6000; this will help us to prepare for your visit. 

For extra assistance we offer the use of the theatre wheelchair. To pre-book a theatre wheelchair, please call 0131 622 8109.

Assistance with hearing

The King's has a Sennheiser infrared system covering all areas of the auditorium. A Sennheiser personal loop system is available for hearing aid users.

Personal loops and headsets should be collected from the programme box in the foyer. Please note that at some performances, audio equipment, headsets and adapters are in high demand but we will do all we can to accommodate your needs.

Audio Description and Touch Tours

Many of the shows that come to Capital Theatres provide Audio Described performances for those who are visually impaired. This service uses the Sennheiser infrared system such that you can utilise one of our headsets to have the visual elements of the performance described to you throughout.

In conjunction with the Audio Description performances, we also offer touch tours beforehand such that you can touch various elements of the set, props and costumes, to further contextualise the performance.

Use the Audio Description filter on the What's on page to find relevant performance times.

British Sign Language Interpretation

We generally present sign language interpreted performances on Saturday matinees of week long shows, with the interpreter standing at the front of the stage such that deaf or hard of hearing audience members can follow the spoken narrative alongside the visual elements of the performance.

Seats in the stalls generally provide the best view of the BSL interpreter, and box office can advise of this further in your booking process.

Use the BSL - British Sign Language filter on the What's on page to find relevant performance times.

Captioning

Captioned performances generally take place on Thursday evenings of week long shows and they work similarly to subtitles on a film, with caption screens on either side of the stage with the text appearing as its being spoken by the performers. This function aids deaf or hard of hearing audience members to follow the the spoken narrative alongside the visual elements of the performance.

Use the Captioned filter on the What's on page to find relevant performance times.

Relaxed Performances

Some of our key associate companies including Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera and the annual Pantomime create relaxed performances of their large scale productions.

These performances are designed to make you feel welcome, relaxed and well-supported, we’ll have lots of trained staff on hand to help with any access needs, anyone can feel free to make noise and move around the auditorium, we’ll keep the lights on, but dimmed to reduce anxiety, and we’ll provide break out spaces with a live stream of the show so that if people feel the need to leave the auditorium they won’t miss the action.

Use the Relaxed Performances filter on the What's on page to find performances.

Auditorium Features

At the King's most stalls seats are 530mm wide, except stalls rows B, H, K, M, P, R, T, V & W which are 550mm wide. Row spacing varies but is no less than 886mm. 

The stalls has the best opportunity for leg room, and the side stalls of row K have no seats directly in front, making it most suitable for people who require additional leg room.

All seats have arm rests, except for the aisle seats in stalls row F, which have a hinged armrest.

Assistance dogs

Assistance Dogs are welcome and we will be pleased to look after them during the performance if required. Water bowls are available. 

Accessible toilets

There are two accessible toilets, one on the stalls level and one in the box office.

Refreshments

The King's has Bars on all levels but they are only accessible by stairs. However, our theatre staff will be pleased to bring refreshments to those who require assistance. If you need assistance in getting refreshments, please speak to a member of Front of House staff before the performance starts.

After the show

Our Front of House staff will be happy to order a taxi after the performance for those with mobility issues

General

Artlink (Edinburgh and the Lothians) provide a volunteer companion service for people who have difficulty in attending performances. For details please telephone 0131 229 3555 (Mon - Fri).

Braille, audio and large text versions of our brochure are available. Please contact the marketing department on 0131 662 1112 to be added to the mailing list.

BSL and audio interpretations are now available on certain parts of our website.  Audio versions of our website are made possible by Lothiansound.