The Theatre has opened its doors for the start of a new season of guided tours, enabling visitors to discover a fascinating world of showbiz from times gone by.
The Georgian Theatre Experience – which tells the story of the UK’s oldest working theatre in its original form – is one of the region’s most popular tourist attractions, each year attracting thousands of visitors.
Guided visits run on the hour from 10.00am - 3pm, Monday to Saturday, until the end of October. The tour has a 5-star rating on the popular international tourism website TripAdvisor and is consistently No. 1 out of 27 things to do in Richmond.
Lasting just under an hour, the fully guided tour explores every inch of what is widely regarded as one of England’s cultural ‘crown jewels’. Visitors will discover hidden trap doors, peek inside underground dressing rooms, and hear entertaining stories about the riotous Georgian audiences who packed themselves into the pocket-sized auditorium.
The colourful lives of the people who built the Theatre and acted upon its stage are also the focus of a purpose-built exhibition area which houses amongst other treasures, original playbills, costumes, props and the beautifully restored Woodland Scene – Britain’s oldest surviving stage scenery.
“We are looking forward to welcoming lots of visitors to the Theatre in the months ahead,” said Theatre Manager Clare Allen. “Our tours are led by our extremely knowledgeable volunteer guides who are passionate about the Theatre and its history. Each guide brings their own unique nuggets of information, and all have entertaining tales to tell of the fascinating characters who were both on and off the stage. This makes each tour a unique experience and why we get so many repeat visits.”
Entrance is £8 per adult and £3 for children with tickets valid for 12 months to enable repeat visits.
The Georgian Theatre Experience can be accessed from the main entrance of the Theatre on Victoria Road. No pre-booking is required but larger groups are advised to phone in advance.
For further information, please contact 01748 825252 or visit our guided tour page on the website.