Seymour Centre Chippendale

One of the many theatre venues that people in Sydney might not be overly aware about is the Seymour Centre in Chippendale. Located in the University of Sydney, the theatre is home to a number of local and international performances ranging from comedy superstars, to famous musicians and dance shows.



I recently discovered the Seymour Centre when I got tickets to see comedian Miranda Hart perform live. Tickets had sold out in advance, but the Seymour Centre was notified about a few last-minute released tickets on Twitter. These tickets were not made available online, so it's definitely worth following the Seymour Centre on Twitter if you already use the social networking site. Added to that, the tickets were cheaper than the original ticket price, even though they were some of the best seats in house.



The Seymour Centre was easy to get to by taking a train to Redfern Station, and then a short walk to the university. It's also a five minute bus trip from Central Station. There are a number of buses that go past as well, or car parking is available on-campus or at the nearby multi-story on the corner of Cleveland and Shepherd Streets.





The theatre itself is modern in style, and very clean. Staff there are extremely friendly, whether it be ushers, box office attendants, or at the stage door. On the ground floor is a bar area for those who like to have a pre-show drink. Seating inside is limited, so if you want to rest your feet I'd recommend getting there early. However there is also a delightful outdoor area just outside the theatre's main doors, with an assortment of tables and chairs underneath trees which are lit with fairy lights after dark.



Outside is also home to Courtyard Sessions, where Sydney's best emerging bands play every Friday night from 6:00pm - 9:00pm throughout summer. Courtyard Sessions are free and includes a pop-up bar, gourmet BBQ, roaming performers and vintage games.



Inside the Seymour Centre there are four performance venues: the York Theatre, Everest Theatre, Reginald Theatre and Sound Lounge. These hold anywhere from 120 to 788 people, which compared to many other Sydney theatres feels quite intimate. My recent visit took me into the Everest Theatre, an industrial-style theatre that has steeply-tiered (and comfortable) seating meaning every view is a perfect one. Located up the stairs, it also had a small lounge area with a bar and candy bar, making it the perfect spot to relax either before the show or in the interval.



It was an enjoyable experience getting to go to a theatre that I wasn't previously familiar with. And looking at some of the upcoming shows that the Seymour Centre is housing, which include Kate Miller-Heidke, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and a puppetry 'Golden Girls' tribute; I have no doubt I'll be back again soon.



Rating: 10/10

Where: Corner Cleveland Street and City Road, Chippendale.
Why: Because they hold a lot of shows you won't see elsewhere.
Cost: Tickets range from free to upwards of $60.00
When: Dates and times for shows vary so it's best to check on the website: http://www.seymourcentre.com/

Good for kids: Yes, there are some shows specifically for kids like 'The Gruffalo' and 'The 26-Story Treehouse'.

Categories:

#theatres
#live_performances
#comedy
#dance
#music
#chippendale
#free

%sydneyfun