FAQ
Helpful Information
Where is the theatre?
The theatre is located at 18 Kenwood Park Road, Sheffield, S7 1NF in the heart of beautiful Nether Edge. It's on the corner of Kenwood Park Road and Priory Road with the main gate situated on Kenwood Park Road.
What are the box office times?
The box office is available online 24/7 through TicketSource. They also take telephone bookings on 0333 663366 (Monday to Friday, 9 AM – 7 PM / Saturday, 9 AM – 5 PM).
The box office at the theatre is only open on production nights and closes at the start of the show (which is usually 7:30 PM).
Do you take cash at the theatre?
The Lantern is a cashless venue. We are unable to take cash for any purchases.
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Please remember to bring a card with you for purchases at the bar, for merchandise and purchasing tickets on the night.
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While we appreciate that a few people still like to use cash, it is very difficult and time-consuming for a charity of our nature and our volunteers to process. Cash is no longer an easy form of payment for us to pay in as banking facilities are not easily accessible. It requires additional support from our volunteers during working hours that are very inconvenient, meaning it begins to pose a risk to our premises and individuals.
What are the different seating areas?
We have stall seats which are on the ground floor and a balcony that is accessible via a staircase. The staircase is quite steep.
Do I need to pick up my tickets?
No. We no longer issue tickets at the theatre. You can print your tickets at home if you are able to. Alternatively, you can select a mobile ticket at the checkout and then add it to your Apple or Google Wallet. If you've forgotten to bring printed tickets on the night, give your name to the front-of-house team, and they can find you on our booking list. Postal tickets are available through TicketSource but carry a further fee for processing (£2.50).
How can I find out when tickets go on sale?
Our social media pages have announcements as soon as tickets are available (@thelanternsheff), and we have a monthly newsletter. You can sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of our home page.
Why are tickets different prices?
Ticket prices vary depending on the touring or production company.
For in-house productions, these vary based on various factors. These include but are not limited to, licencing fees, script costs, equipment hire, cost of materials and additional costumes. We also have different prices relating to concessions and for members.
We also reserve the right to offer tickets at different prices relating to promotional events or flash sales.
Why do I have to pay a booking fee?
TicketSource provides our box office software and 24-hour access and the maintenance that goes with it. The fees they charge go towards, but are not limited to, their IT, infrastructure, website maintenance, national box office phone booking centre and staff salaries.
Without the additional fees, we would need to increase the face value of ticket prices further as the charity would have to bear the total cost of the expenses associated with running a box office system, which is very high.
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In-house, we charge the same booking fee, which supports the IT costs and equipment needed to run a theatre box office.
Can I return my ticket for a refund if I am unable to make the show?
We cannot offer refunds on tickets once purchased unless the performance is cancelled. Our Ticket Policy has the full information and TicketSource also have conditions relating to the purchase of tickets.
What time does the venue open?
The café/bar opens an hour before the performance time. The auditorium doors are usually opened ten minutes before the performance begins, but this can vary.
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The bar has very few seats available as the space is required to hold 85 people during arrival, before a show and during an interval. The number of seats that space can hold, along with keeping access to the toilet facilities and bar means that seating will always be limited in that area.
What time does the show end?
This varies depending on the production. Where possible, we will post this information via our social media pages when a show is on.
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The bar is usually open after the show has finished for audiences to stay and, when possible, chat with the cast and creatives.
Is there a bar?
There is a bar that opens one hour before the performance. It serves various alcoholic and soft drinks along with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and confectionery. Our ales are from local suppliers, and we serve Sheffield's own Our Cow Molly's ice cream.
Glass is not permitted inside the auditorium, but tumblers made from 100% compostable materials are available at the bar and from the front-of-house volunteers.
We have very limited seating in the bar due to the size of the space.
Do you have accessible facilities?
We do have a wheelchair space which, if available, can be booked by emailing the box office at the venue directly at boxoffice@lanterntheatre.org.uk. Please provide us with the production you're interested in and a contact telephone number so we can get back to you.
The accessible space is located on the back row, slightly offset from the seating in front of it. We also have an accessible restroom.
Are children permitted in the theatre?
Children are welcome to enjoy the show. Tickets are required for children attending a production. Some performances may carry age guidance; however, we are not always advised of age suitability by touring productions. We suggest that children under 14 years attend the theatre with a responsible adult. Venue staff and volunteers accept no responsibility for any unaccompanied children under the age of 18.
Is there anywhere to eat before the show?
The closest venue would be The Stag's Head pub on Psalter Lane. We are also not far from London Road and Eccleshall Road; both areas have a variety of restaurants, cafés and bars.
Do you have a car park?
We have a very small car park, but plenty of free on-street parking is available around the venue. Please make sure you are not blocking driveways, as we are in a residential neighbourhood.
Do you allow pets into the theatre?
Pets are not allowed into the venue during performances.
When the property is open during the day, we may allow pets into the building during a tour. This will depend on what the building is being used for / the work being carried out on the day.
Are there any hotels close by?
There are local hotels around the theatre and in the city.
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If you're looking for a well-known name, Travelodge Sheffield Central is just an 11-minute drive from the theatre and close to the city centre and station.
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Can I hire the venue?
At The Lantern, we have some hire dates available annually. If you're interested in hiring our historic theatre for an event, please contact us at hire@lanterntheatre.org.uk with details of what you have in mind.
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The Lantern is a cherished community theatre venue steeped in history and ready to host various events. Throughout the year, we welcome performances, acoustic music, and comedy, all contributing to the rich tapestry of our local arts scene. While our schedule primarily revolves around our productions, we set aside select dates for external hires. Please note that all external events are subject to approval by our Trustees.
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Due to our location within a residential neighbourhood, we must request that music events maintain an acoustic format. Additionally, everyone at The Lantern is a volunteer, and we strive to ensure that events held in our space are primarily self-sufficient. We aren't able to provide support other than front-of-house staff, etc. This means that lighting and sound engineers are an additional cost to hire, and we can't always guarantee their availability due to their freelance nature.
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It's important to note that all hires at The Lantern operate on a straight-fee basis. We don't engage in box office splits or guarantee payments.
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We look forward to hearing from you.