The Berry Theatre Visual Story
Welcome to The Berry Theatre. This Visual Story will help you familiarise yourself with the Theatre before your visit.
In this visual story you will see images and information to help you find your way around the The Berry Theatre.
If you need any more information after reading the visual story please contact theberrytheatre@eastleigh.gov.uk
Relaxed Performances
For Relaxed Performances, we aim to create a warm welcome to people who might normally find it difficult attending the theatre. This can include: people with learning disabilities, movement disorders, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, other sensory, communication or neurological conditions, orthose with young children or babies.
At our relaxed performances you'll find:
Free personal assistant tickets to ensure audiences feel supported and have therichest theatre experience possible
Extra staff help with seating and access around the theatre
The lighting will be a little higher during the performance
No blackouts or strobe lighting
Our staff and the actors will have a relaxed attitude to noise (both voluntary and involuntary)
You can leave the auditorium at any point with staff to help you leave safely
Additional wheelchair spaces
Arriving at The Berry Theatre
The Berry Theatre is in Hedge End and is located next to Wildern Secondary School. This is the entrance to the car park.
This is the outside of The Berry Theatre.
These are the main doors to enter The Berry Theatre building.
Inside The Berry Theatre
The Berry Theatre will open half an hour before the performance starts. When you enter the theatre you will go into the foyer.
The foyer is a small area you can wait before you sit down to watch the show.
The foyer can be busy and noisy before the show as everyone waits to go in to the theatre.
If you look left as you enter the building, you can see the Box Office.
The Box Office is where you can pick up your ticket from a member of staff.
If you bought your ticket on our website or over the phone and it has been sent to you on email or in the post, you won't need to go to the Box Office.
Next to the Box Office is the Bar. This is where you can buy food and drinks for the show.
If you need the toilet, you can find it by going through this door.
The toilet is on the left hand side as you walk along the corridor.
This is an accessible toilet.
More toilets are available on the first floor of the theatre.
Look for these toilet symbols to find them.
If you have any questions a member of staff can help you.
Staff will be wearing these badges.
Going into the Auditorium
The auditorium is the part of the theatre where you will sit with other people to watch the performance.
You can enter the auditorium before the show starts, when a member of staff has opened the doors. These staff members are called Ushers.
You can also wait in the foyer until you hear the announcement to say that the show is about to start.
When you go into the auditorium, you need to show the Usher your ticket.
Your ticket will show which seat you will sit in. This is shown with a number and a letter.
You may be sitting very close to the stage or you may be quite high up and looking down on the stage.
You will have some time before the show starts to find your seats and get comfortable.
If you want to visit the theatre and see your seat before the performance, you can arrange a visit by emailing theberrytheatre@eastleigh.gov.uk
The Performance
The stage is where the actors perform. They may enter and exit the stage from both sides during the performance.
At the end of the show the actors might come on stage and bow.
When the actors bow, the audience might clap their hands to show that they have enjoyed the show. They might also cheer,whoop, or stand up to clap.
You can join in with them if you want to but you don’t have to.
After the Performance
When the performance has finished, the actors will leave the stage. The lights in the auditorium will get brighter, so you and the other audience members can leave safely.
People might start to move around and leave the auditorium.
If you would like to, you can wait a few moments to leave when it is less busy.
We hope you enjoy the show and look forward to welcoming you again soon!
Useful information on the day
Chill out Area
If you want to leave the auditorium at anytime during the performance, there is a chill-out area that you can go to.
You can go to this place to relax if you need a break before going back in to watch the show.
You can ask the ushers where the chill-out area is and they will show you the way.
Performance times
Some performances are shown in two halves with a 20 minute break in the middle. This is called the ‘interval’ .
You can ask an Usher to find out if the show you are watching has an interval and how long the show will be.
