Community

The external of the theatre lit by pink and blue lights

THE SHOWGOERS

A new social group for theatre-lovers
Tickets from as low as £13 per performance

Do you sometimes wish you’d been to watch a show, but avoided it because you didn’t want to go alone? Are you feeling a bit isolated and want to meet new people? Or do you just love live theatre and want to share that experience with others?

If you said yes to any of the above, The Showgoers is the perfect group for you!

Come and meet others before the performance, learn more about the production, enjoy a free soft drink on us and socialise during the interval. All while enjoying a fantastic evening of live theatre entertainment.

I look forward to my next visit - Showgoers has given me the confidence for solo attendance at shows…it opens the door for so many individuals.

Audience member in blue jumper eats icecream

2024 Autumn Season Performances

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) | £20 Tickets | Wed 13 Nov, 6.45pm or Thu 14 Nov, 1.45pm

Robin Hood | £13 Tickets | Fri 6 Dec, 12.15pm or 6.15pm

Come and meet others before the show (timings above), find out more about the production, enjoy a soft drink on us and socialise together in the interval, whilst also enjoying a great evening of entertainment.

Please note that places are limited.

Email creativelearning@yvonne-arnaud.co.uk to find out more

DISCOVER THEATRE

Our annual Arts Award project for Deaf and disabled young people.

Working in partnership with a local school, the Discover Theatre project uses the theatre’s artistic resources and expertise to provide practical workshops on pantomime and theatre making for Deaf and disabled young people.

Read more about this project

Delivered over 10 sessions during the Autumn term, participants learn about the panto genre, characters, slosh scenes, technical theatre, devising and directing.

The project includes a trip to see the theatre’s panto.

As well as a final ‘showing’ for an invited audience. The young people who take part are supported to achieve  Arts Award Explore.

Such a hands on, exciting project has given them the opportunity to explore new language and concepts with a real purpose. They have been engaged and enthralled by these workshops.
- Alice South, Lighthouse Centre Teacher, Guildford Grove Primary

We are grateful to the Boris Karloff Charitable Foundation, the Greycourt Trust, the Arts Award Access Fund and Jim Douglas, a Vanbrugh Donor, for their generous support of the Discover Theatre Project.

The audience enjoying a performance of pantomime.

PANTO PARTNERSHIP

We work with local charity partners and organisations to provide funded tickets for specific groups of young people and their families to attend our annual Christmas panto.

Through working closely with Surrey Young Carers, Surrey Children’s Services, The Hive, Guildford Action and the YMCA we ensure access to our panto for young carers, looked after children, young people living in supported accommodation and families who are facing a variety of challenges.

It gives these young people a chance to spend time with their families in a light-hearted way which is a far cry from the day to day lives they have most of the time. A lot of our families are financially struggling, and this provides the family with an opportunity to go to the theatre and do something together they would not normally be able to afford.

Tina Male - Student Support Lead, Weydon School.

Our Panto Partnership scheme is generously supported by the Alchemy Trust.

A technician and member of staff from the theatre show a participant from Surrey Choices a piece of software on a laptop backstage.

YAT Ambassadors

Working with Halow, we support young adults with learning disabilities to get involved with a variety of activities at the theatre.

The Ambassadors take part in ushering duties, see shows, assist our creative learning department with workshop delivery and are supported to achieve an Arts Award.

Charity Partnership

The theatre offers a number of ways for local charities and organisations to connect and join in with the arts, as well as opportunities for supported employment.

Halow & Surrey Choices

We support Halow and Surrey Choices by providing backstage tours and workshops on creative careers as well as opportunities for employment in our café.

“The tour of the theatre was wonderful for our young people as it was a relaxed and informal way for them to visit a local theatre that is used a lot by the Halow project. This was an invaluable and fun learning and social experience for our young people and we think this delivers so much value to our programme and young people alike.”
Siona Booth, Building Futures Assistant Manager, Halow

Workshop Bursaries

Each year we work with local schools and charities including Surrey Young Carers, to provide funded bursary places for our holiday workshops for young people from low income backgrounds.

If you would like more information about our work with local charities and organisations please contact Rhiannon Fisher at rfisher@yvonne-arnaud.co.uk