The Pleasance Courtyard

Overall rating

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Pleasance Edinburgh opened as part of the 1985 Festival Fringe with two theatres facing onto a deserted courtyard-come-car-park at an unfashionable eastern end of Edinburgh’s Old Town. 36 years later the Pleasance has become one of the biggest and most highly respected venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with an international profile and a network of alumni that reads like a who’s who of contemporary comedy, drama and entertainment. The Pleasance Courtyard is located in the Southside of Edinburgh and is home to 18 performance spaces during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, these are: •Above (First Floor) •Below (Basement Floor) •Pleasance One (First Floor) •Attic (Second Floor) •Cellar (Basement) •The Green (Temporary Structure - Kidzone) •Beside (Temporary Structure - Front Courtyard) •Pleasance Two (Ground Floor) •Cabaret Bar (Ground Floor) •Beneath (Basement Floor) •Upstairs (Second Floor) •Beyond (First Floor) •Forth (Third Floor) •The Grand (Ground Floor) •Baby Grand (Temporary Structure - Grand Corridor) •Bunker One (Ground Floor) •Bunker Two (Ground Floor) •Bunker Three (Ground Floor)

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Overall rating

(16 reviews)

Overall rating breakdown

5 4
4 7
3 4
2 1
1 0

Access (avg.)

3.59

Parking (avg.)

3.18

Toilets (avg.)

1.93

Staff (avg.)

4.5

get2gether

Aug 2023

(As) Accessible (as it can be) Fringe Fun!

During Fringe, get2gether took a group of 35 members along to support our Patron, Rosie Jones. The Fringe is of course, by nature, an extremely inaccessible experience - lots of people and noise, lack of pavement space and if people are also drinking then they are less aware of the people around them. However, due to the Pleasance Box Office, we managed to have as accessible and PLEASANT time as possible. Georgie in particular answered all of my questions (and there were many) which meant I was able to plan for as much as possible and get such a big group along to support Rosie. I would always recommend emailing before booking so they can help talk you through it all. Nature of the fringe meant that the courtyward was 'chaotic and overwhelming' (feedback from some members of our time) but we found some quiet in the cafe and people were able to rest physically and mentally before the show. A quiet space like this will always be appreciated by so many different people. The security person helped get us all upstairs and the tech people made sure we all found our seats. FOH were also fantastic.

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karine1985

Dec 2018

Great accessible concert venue

I attended a concert here and was very impressed. The few yard of cobbles were off putting but the modern entrance was welcoming. There is a bar area that serves incredible looking burgers, sadly I had already eaten. A member of staff took me in the lift to the spacious concert hall. My only grumble was that the wheelchair space was at the aisle so every time somebody went to the toilet, they passed in front of me.

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griffin

Aug 2018

Romeo and Juliet - Rubbish Shakespeare Co

Parking nearby not too difficult because it was a Sunday and I have a disabled parking badge and streets not too busy as show mid-morning. Slightly confusing to find the exact venue eg. Pleasance Above or Below as signposts not very clear, and it would help to put a sign where the actual queue is, as my spatial awareness is reduced so finding the exact place to stand is tricky. However, staff really approachable and helpful if you need to be accommodated to queue in a quieter place or go in first for sensory reasons. Actual show was very funny and entertaining. The actors were good at interacting with the audience in a friendly way. The show was just the right length at one hour, and they started very promptly which was good as I find waiting challenging because of the noise of the audience around me. Great fun, I would go back to the venue and the show.

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disabledAccessInformationSectionText The Pleasance Courtyard

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If you need to make an access booking or require a wheelchair user ticket, please email access@pleasance.co.uk so we can organise tickets for you. We offer free Carer or Personal Assistant tickets - please email us on access@pleasance.co.uk or call on 020 7609 1800 to organise your booking with a complimentary ticket in advance. We welcome calls from customers using Typetalk. You will receive an email confirmation which contains a QR code. This is your ticket. You can show this on your phone or print it out. On the day of your show you will receive an email from us providing more information about your visit. Our Front of House team will be ready to greet you and scan your QR code from one hour before your show. Your group will then be shown to your table or seats. Please note that latecomers may not be admitted. There is a matted route diagonally across the cobblestones in the front courtyard area. The Pleasance Courtyard has four lifts, these are located in non-public areas. To access these please report to the Info Point (on the left as you come through the main archway) on arrival and a member of Pleasance staff will be able to assist you with accessing your venue: •In the Pleasance One bar, this will allow you to access Pleasance One, Above & Below. •Next to the Box Office, this will allow you to access Attic & Cellar. •Next to Beneath, this will allow you to access Beneath, Beyond & Upstairs. •Behind the toilets between The Grand and Forth, this will allow you to access Forth. All of our lifts are in back of house areas and require a member of staff to access. Please approach a member of our guest services team (wearing yellow Pleasance t-shirts) or our security team when you arrive. They will be able to accompany you to the venue. We have lowered counters for various facilities & concessions throughout the Pleasance Courtyard. These include: •Box Office •Arts Industry Reception •Pleasance One Bar There are hearing loop systems available. Please let us know by email in advance if you would like to use the hearing loop system and approach our Front of House on arrival at the venue - they are wearing yellow Pleasance t-shirts & lanyards.

Seating at regular intervals

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Finding parking space in Edinburgh at the best of times can be a challenge, and this is never more evident than during the Festival. Public transport is recommended wherever possible, and Edinburgh City Council run a number car parks servicing the City Centre). There are numerous car-parks around Edinburgh city centre - the most convenient for the Pleasance Courtyard is the NCP Holyrood Road (EH8 9UL) with 297 spaces including 4 disabled bays. Telephone 0845 050 7080.

Dedicated parking

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Toilets features at The Pleasance Courtyard

We have three accessible toilets on site, these are located: •Left as you enter through the main archway in the Pleasance One building foyer. •In the foyer to The Grand. •Opposite the lift by the entrance to the Attic

Accessible toilet

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