Seat Choice
If you wish to choose seats that are easy to get to, please read Easily Accessible Seating.
If you have a special seating requirement (an aisle seat, a wider seat or additional legroom), please speak to a Box Office Sales Assistant who will endeavour to provide you with a seat suitable to your needs.
Seats with unobstructed legroom in the Stalls are: All of Row A; Row B 1-6; Row B 20-25; Row C 1, 2, 28 & 29; Row D 1 & 31; Row E 1, 2, 34 & 35; Row F 1 & 37.
Mayflower seat widths vary between 410 and 450 mm. If you need more space, we can arrange for you to sit in an armless chair in the back row of the Stalls or Circle. Please contact the Box Office.
A limited number of 'Booster' seats are available from standing boxes in the auditorium for customers under five feet tall.
Wheelchair users
We offer 14 spaces for wheelchairs in the Stalls and 4 spaces for wheelchairs in the Rear Circle. Of these, eight spaces in the back row of the Stalls and all 4 spaces in the back row of the Rear Circle each have a seat next to them for a companion. Seats next to these spaces are reserved until the day of the performance for companions to the person in the wheelchair. The other six wheelchair spaces are located to the sides of the back of the Stalls, each of these have a standing space for a companion.
If you need somebody to be present to assist you, you can join our Assisted Access Scheme and be entitled to a discounted essential companion's seat.
If you use a wheelchair and wish to transfer to a seat, we regret we may not be able to provide a member of staff to help you physically. However, we will arrange for your wheelchair to be taken away and stored. The aisle seats in the back row of the Stalls (Row ZZ) have moveable arms for easier access. Row YY in the Stalls and Row Q in the Circle also have level access.
An accessible entrance is located to the side of the theatre, giving access into the auditorium. The entrance opens one hour before a performance, although you may have to wait in the lobby for the auditorium to open. We regret that the foyer and bars are not accessible because of the nature of the historic building. However, a member of staff will help you with your requirements.
The Box Office at The Mayflower is small and difficult for someone in a wheelchair to access, therefore we have made sure that our ticket south shop in The Mall (Marlands) shopping centre, Southampton, is accessible for someone in a wheelchair who wishes to purchase tickets in person. Because this shop is new to us, we are fairly certain a normal wheelchair can get through the door, but are not sure about wider electric wheelchairs; please inform the staff if you have difficulties and they will be happy to serve you outside the entrance.
If you use a wheelchair and want to collect your pre-paid tickets on the night, you can go straight into the auditorium through the adapted entrance to the right of the building, where an attendant will advise you on where your space/seat is.
Lift
If you are in a wheelchair or have a mobility impairment, a lift is available to take you from street level to the Wessex Suite, the Empire Suite and the Rear Circle, with level access and motorised doors all the way. Access is through the accessible entrance at the right hand side of the building.
It is also possible to enter through a door at the front of the Stalls, by pre-arrangement with the Box Office or Front-of-House. Raked (stepped) seating begins at Row L.
Unfortunately, other areas are inaccessible to people using wheelchairs because our 75 year old Grade 2 Listed theatre was built with steps to all parts of the building.
Accessible Toilets
There are accessible toilets at the Rear Stalls in the lobby of the accessible entrance, at the Rear Circle by the lift entrance and in the Wessex Suite by the lift entrance.
Accessible Parking
There is no public parking on The Mayflower's premises. There is one on-street disabled parking space immediately opposite the front of The Mayflower in Commercial Road. There are six disabled parking spaces in the West Park car park at the rear of The Mayflower in West Park Road.
Contacting us by Textphone (Minicom)
For ticket orders or any other enquiries, our Textphone telephone number is 02380 238937.
This is available during normal Box Office telephone line opening hours.
Amplification for Customers with a Hearing Impairment
The Mayflower's Box Office Counter is fitted with a loop system.
The auditorium is fitted with an Infra-red Amplification System. This is not the same as a Loop System so switching your hearing aid to 'T' is not sufficient. You will need to use an amplification aid, available from the Box Office.
There is a choice of aids depending on the nature of your hearing impairment. A leaflet, available from The Mayflower, explains this. Staff will be happy to explain the use of the system and there is an opportunity to check that your equipment is working prior to curtain up.
To reserve hearing devices, please contact the box office. Please be aware that a £5.00 deposit will be required on collection.
Signed Performances
We aim to offer at least one interpreted performance, using Sign Language, during every run that lasts two weeks or more. The interpreter usually stands to the right of the stage as the audience looks at it. A number of Stalls seats in the best area for viewing the interpreter are reserved for patrons and their companions wishing to take advantage of signed performances. Any unsold seats are released two weeks before the performance.
Captioned
Captioning is a service provided by Stagetext during selected performances at The Mayflower. Captions are shown via electronic displays either side of the stage at the same time as words are spoken or sung. Sound effects or off-stage noises can also be included. This service is intended to help people with any degree of hearing loss.
Seats for Customers who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Two pairs of seats are held at the front of the Stalls (A7 & 8, B24 & 25) until the day of the performance for a blind person who has a registered assistance dog and a companion, if required. You can also buy these seats if you are partially sighted and need to be near the Stage.
If you have limited mobility, it is possible to enter through a door at the front of the Stalls, by pre-arrangement with the Box Office or Front-of-House. Raked (stepped) seating begins at Row K.
If you need somebody to be present to assist you, you can join our Assisted Access Scheme and be entitled to a discounted essential companion's seat.
Large print and Audio Events Diaries
As well as the usual printed Events Diary, we periodically publish a Large Print version, and an Audio version on CD or MP3. Please contact us to request free copies.
The Audio Events Diary is produced by Southampton Hospital Broadcasting Association.
Audio Described Performances
We aim to provide an audio described performance for the visually impaired at all productions which run for two weeks or more. This is a live commentary on what is happening on stage relayed to headphone-style receivers through our infra-red system.
If you would like to take advantage of this service please ask to reserve a receiver at the time of booking, as we have a limited number available. Seats in the front row are set aside for people with assistance dogs.
