Welcome

If you have been to Salisbury Playhouse before, you might be aware of the foyer layout. For our production, the foyer will be a bit different to a usual theatre foyer: the building layout is the same, but for Romeo and Juliet, we are decorating the foyer to look like the Capulet Mansion, with golds, greens, and burgundies. The columns will even have a makeover, with marble effects, and animal statues, draped cloths, and detailing to emphasise the grandeur of the space. This is all being done because the foyer forms part of the pre-show where we set the scene, as well as some of the action during the performance.

Access Volunteers and Access performance - BSL Interpretation

We will have Access Volunteers present at each performance, who will be ready to answer questions and assist in your enjoyment of the performance. They will remain with those who have booked or noted additional access needs (such as those using mobility aids, and those who have reserved access seating, amongst other requirements). They will be identifiable by an orange sash. This group will be using the step-free route throughout.

We also have a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted performance on Thursday 4 June at 7.30pm. The BSL interpreter for this performance will be positioned by the access seating in each location, and so it is recommended that, should you need to see the interpreter for the performance, you mention this to an access usher who will ensure you are in the right position.

Please note that we are unfortunately unable to facilitate an audio-described performance for this production, due to the nature of the headphones and how they carry the audio for the show.

We welcome assistance dogs to the performance; please let us know when booking if you will be bringing an assistance dog with you. Thank you for understanding that we are able to provide space for assistance dogs only during the performance.

Seating

There will not be seating available at the performance.

If you can, the show can be enjoyed standing. Or you can bring along a portable chair, something you can carry with you to each location. You can also bring your wheelchair, mobility scooter, or walking aid.

If you require a seat, but are unable to carry one yourself, we do have an option for you to reserve a seat. If you require a seat, it is highly recommended that you book this, and let us know of your requirement(s) in advance, as we only have a minimal number of these seats available, and it is not guaranteed that one would be available for you on the day without booking. If you have reserved a seat, these will be provided for you at the performance.

If you have reserved a seat, once you have collected your headphones on arrival, please make your way to the access host who will accompany you throughout the performance to the accessible seating areas. If you’ve already booked a ticket and haven’t booked a seat, please do call our Box Office team who will be able to amend your booking for you.

Brief overview of our version of Romeo and Juliet, and how it promenades around the building

This unique new theatre show is an outdoor walkabout production, taking place in and around Salisbury Playhouse. The starting point is the foyer of The Playhouse itself, and the show will finish by the roundabout directly outside the Playhouse. The Box Office, Toilets, Bar & Cafe are all located in the foyer of the theatre. The toilets located in the foyer will be available for use during the performance; just let one of our friendly ushers know should you need to leave the promenade, and they will be able to facilitate you rejoining the performance.

Our friendly stewards will be on hand to help you move from scene to scene alongside our professional actors and talented community contributors during the show. The show involves around 8 locations inside and outside of the Playhouse building, with some shorter scenes and some longer ones. We will be walking from scene to scene, with the overall distance travelled during the show being roughly the same as going through a large supermarket.

The route will follow this path: starting in the playhouse foyer, the audience will move to the space between the Playhouse and City Hall, walking through there to the car park at the back of the Playhouse (the undercover Short Stay Car Park). The next journey will be through the backstage area of the Playhouse, through the outside to the inside, before arriving in the auditorium. From there, we will move outside, down the side of the theatre, to the roundabout area, before moving a short distance to the entrance to the carpark closest to the roundabout by Shopmobility. We will then have the interval.

Act 2 starts in the foyer, and we then return to the roundabout outside the building. After this scene, we move back to the auditorium before exiting via side doors to move to Chapel Place, at the back of the Playhouse building. From here, we will proceed down between the Playhouse and City Hall, before arriving back at the roundabout for the final scenes. The route is accessible, with step-free access available at various points. The action and scenes won’t move on without you, so please don’t worry that you’ll miss anything. However, we do ask that when the scenes do move on, that you move as promptly as possible as an audience, to allow the show to continue as smoothly as possible.

Running Time

The show is 2 hours 30 minutes long, including an interval of roughly 20 minutes.

Distance Covered

The total distance travelled during the show is no more than half a mile, which is roughly the same as walking around a large supermarket. The ground will be a mixture of hard indoor surfaces, and outdoor tarmac or concrete paths. There will be a step-free route experience for wheelchairs, those with walking sticks, and mobility scooters. If you would benefit from this route, please follow the Access group and host. Before booking please be confident that you can move with us during the show; if you have any questions, please do get in touch with our Ticket Sales team on 01722 320 333.

Content Warnings

A full synopsis of the performance can be found here (contains spoilers). Please note that at the very beginning of the show, we re-enact a full-scale building evacuation, with loud sirens, and will ask the audience to leave the building alongside our cast and staff. This is a deliberate part of the performance, and everyone will be safe during it.

There are also other instances of loud noises during the performance, including items being dropped, shouting, and loud sound effects. The production also involves a variety of fight scenes, with improvised weapons including bricks, tyres, and trollies. There will also be a knife in this production, which is safe for stage use and is only handled by our professional actors. The production also contains references to gang violence, family divisions, and death and suicide by stabbings and poisonings.

Lighting Levels

As the show transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces, there will be several moments where we will be going from light to dark, and back again. The production will be taking place during the summer, so lighting contrasts might be starker as we set our scenes

Wet Weather Plans

We are hopeful that all outdoor scenes will be able to go ahead, whatever the weather. We ask you to be prepared for all types of weather, so please ensure you have everything you may need with you from sunhats to waterproof jackets. We ask you to refrain from using umbrellas or parasols, as this can block the view of other audience members.

Cancellation will occur only in the worst instances of bad weather.

Headphones

Wearing headphones is a critical aspect of the show, and the dialogue will not be audible without them. You will be provided with a pair of headphones when you arrive at the theatre; they sit on your ears, and are lightweight with foam earpads for comfort. There is volume control that you can adjust yourself. The ear pads are regularly changed and cleaned.

A sound check plays in the foyer before the show starts allowing you to test out what works for you. We have a range of alternative options to help everyone get the best experience of the show, and we have a team in the foyer to help find the best solution for you. We appreciate that stereo sound and on-ear headphones may not suit everyone’s hearing needs, and that if you are a hearing aid user, or require additional hearing support, you may need a different way of accessing the production’s sound. More information on the different headphone options we have available can be found on the main Romeo and Juliet show page on the Wiltshire Creative website, or you can get in touch with our Ticket Sales team who can provide further details. Please note Bluetooth hearing aids are not compatible with our sound system.

If you have any concerns or specific requirements other than those above, please let the box office know in advance. We advise you to arrive at least 25-30 minutes before the start of the performance to ensure we have time to make sure everything is working correctly. The Salisbury Playhouse foyer will be open from 1 hour before each show, for refreshments, pre-show entertainment and headphone collection. If you experience any issues with your headphones during the performance, please find a steward who will be able to swap them out for you.

The Actors

We are also very fortunate to be working with a community company, and young company, on this production. These casts are split into groups, and different groups perform alongside the professional company on different days. There will also be some pre-show entertainment starting 30 mins before each performance; we highly recommend arriving in time to experience these performances, as well as taking the time to ensure your headset is working properly.

Quiet Space

Should you need a quiet space at any point during the performance, our ushers and staff (in high-vis jackets, stationed throughout the performance and promenade) will direct you to the Hawkings Lounge. The Hawkings is the upstairs section of the foyer, and here you will be able to take as much time as you. You are welcome to rejoin the promenade whenever you are ready.

Parking

The 3 Blue Badge Disabled Bays that are located outside of the Playhouse on Malthouse Lane will be suspended for the show from 16 May until 7 June. The bays are within the road closure zone that we will have cordoned off for sections of the show. If you require Blue Badge Disabled parking, the Maltings/Central Car Park is the closest alternative location, with Blue Badge parking now free in the Central Car Park (as of Autumn 2025). Parking outside Shopmobility will be available on a first-come first-serve basis for a maximum of 3 hours for permit holders.
Drop-off/pick up can happen outside of the cordon on Malthouse Lane before the cordon. We will also be cordoning off a small portion of the undercover Short Stay Central Car Park behind the theatre, but other spaces will remain usable there, including the disabled bays in that part of the car park. Long Stay Central Car Park will continue to operate unaffected.

Alcohol

You will be able to purchase alcoholic drinks prior to the show beginning, and in the interval. However, please note that no alcoholic drinks are permitted outside the theatre building, or on the performance route. We therefore kindly ask that you finish your drinks prior to the show commencing and be aware that if you buy an alcoholic drink close to the show start time, you may not have the opportunity to finish it before the performance starts.