Accessibility
At the Marlowe Theatre, we are passionate about making world-class theatre accessible to everyone. We are committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive and safe space for all communities, including disabled and neurodivergent people.
Your visit should be defined by the performance on stage, not the logistics of getting to your seat; that’s why every level of our theatre is accessible by lift and equipped with bars and accessible toilets. We work closely with local support organisations and disabled people in our community to improve accessibility, continually striving to remove barriers at every stage of your visit. Click here to find out more about the accessible services we offer.
We offer five types of accessible performances at the Marlowe Theatre on a range of productions. We have Audio Described performances, BSL Interpreted performances, Captioned performances, Relaxed performances and Chilled performances.
It’s important that we know about our customers’ individual access needs so we can deliver the best experience possible. If you are disabled or have access requirements, please sign up to the Marlowe Theatre Access Scheme to let us know how we can help you with your next visit. Applications are securely handled by Nimbus Disability, an industry-leading authority on accessible ticketing run by disabled people, for disabled people. Nimbus is a trusted social enterprise used by major venues including the O2, Disneyland Paris, the Royal Albert Hall, and most West End theatres. Start your free registration now.
Important update for existing Access Scheme members
Our Autumn Season goes on sale in July, and we want to ensure you can continue to utilise your access provisions without any disruption.
From Monday 20 July, the Marlowe Access Scheme will be verified exclusively through Nimbus. To keep receiving your discounts, please take a few moments to apply today so you are ready for the changeover.
While you are welcome to sign up through Nimbus at any time, we recommend applying before Monday 20 July to ensure that your account is fully verified and ready for when our next season opens, and your discounts remain active. Any accounts not migrated by this date will lose their existing access benefits until an application is processed by Nimbus.
If you are booking for a group or on behalf of someone with access requirements, please ensure that every individual submits their own application.
We’re grateful to The Footlights Trust Canterbury for supporting our Access Scheme.
What is Nimbus Disability and The Access Card?
Nimbus Disability is a social enterprise and an organisation run by and for disabled people. It is recognised as a leading authority on accessible ticketing in the UK.
Nimbus developed The Access Card in response to concerns from disabled people and live event organisers about how access needs were evidenced and communicated. Disabled people were often asked to repeatedly share personal documents that didn’t clearly reflect the support they required, while venues faced challenges interpreting this information and managing the additional administrative workload.
Today, the Access Card is widely recognised and accepted at major venues across the UK and beyond, making it easier to communicate access needs clearly and consistently.
Why have we partnered with Nimbus Disability?
We are passionate about making world-class theatre accessible to everyone. By partnering with Nimbus Disability, we can ensure that accessible provisions (such as discounted tickets and specific seating) are safeguarded for our access customers and protected from potential misuse. This partnership will also support us in ensuring sensitive information is handled by accessibility experts and brings us into a wider network of over 25,000 Access Card holders in Kent.
I already have a Nimbus Access Card – do I need to apply?
If you already have an Access Card with Nimbus Disability, you won’t need to reapply; simply follow these instructions to link your Access Card number to your Marlowe Theatre account.
I was a member of the old Access Scheme – do I need to reapply?
To ensure that accessible provisions (such as discounted tickets and specific seating) are safeguarded for our access customers and protected from potential misuse, all members of our Access Scheme must first be verified by our partner, Nimbus Disability. This includes those who were previously enrolled on our self-declaration Access Scheme.
Is there Blue Badge parking at the Marlowe Theatre?
The Marlowe Theatre has no dedicated parking. While there are eight council-operated Blue Badge parking spaces in front of the theatre, these spaces cannot be reserved or guaranteed and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend making alternative travel and parking arrangements where possible.
Canterbury City Council has installed bollards on The Friars, on the approach to the theatre, to improve security in the city centre. This means that there is no automatic vehicle access to our theatre for customers.
If you are a Blue Badge holder who cannot use nearby car parks and you need access to our site, you must contact the Box Office on 01227 787787 at least 48 hours before every visit to provide the registration number of the vehicle you will be arriving in.
There is also a drop-off point available with step-free access to our main foyer. Please also arrange the use of this in advance by contacting our Box Office. You can find out more about Blue Badge parking in Canterbury on the Canterbury City Council website.
Do you have wheelchair accessible seating?
There are 10 wheelchair positions available across all three levels of our Main House and up to six wheelchair spaces in our Studio.
You can book a wheelchair seat for a wheelchair that is up to 90cm(w) x 110cm(d) x 120cm(h) online, by phone or in person. To book a wheelchair seat online, please sign up to our Access Scheme.
Spaces for wheelchairs or mobility scooters larger than 90cm(w) x 110cm(d) x 120cm(h) are also available but cannot be booked online. If you would like to book one of these spaces, please contact our Box Office.
What accessible materials can you provide?
We can provide written materials such as brochures, flyers and programmes in large-print, Braille, and audio file format. If you would like to receive materials in these or another format, please get in touch.
We have also created some helpful guides to both of our performance spaces in the form of a visual story. These may be helpful for anyone who wishes to know more before their visit.
Download our visual story for the Main House.
Download our visual story for the Studio.
What size are the seats at the Marlowe Theatre?
The seats in our Main House are 43cm(d) and range between 42-46cm(w). All seats in our Studio are 41cm(d) x 42cm(w).
Please ask our Box Office if you would like to know the exact location of our seats or if you need an alternative seating arrangement. We can arrange free-standing seats in certain areas of our Main House and there are other seating options in our Studio.
Please also contact our Box Office if you would like to know more about legroom or step-free access.
Can I visit the Marlowe Theatre to get familiar with the space before my visit?
If you would like to visit our spaces to help you to feel comfortable and know what to expect before you come to see a show, please get in touch with our Box Office to organise a familiarisation visit.
