FAQs

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Do you have questions about your visit to the Bush Theatre? Never been to the Bush before? Have a read of our FAQs below.

Still got questions? Get in touch by calling us on 020 8743 5050 or emailing [email protected].

Frequently asked questions:

When can I arrive at the Bush Theatre?

The Bush Theatre is open from 5pm Monday to Saturday, or 1pm on matinee days. Food and drinks are available in our Library Bar and Café, which is serving from 5pm daily.

You’re welcome to use our spaces to meet with friends, read in our Script Library, or do a bit of work on your laptop.

If you’re not having food or drink in the Library Bar and Café, we encourage audiences to arrive no later than fifteen minutes before the performance is due to start.

Will I be able to get in if I’m late?

You might not be able to get in if you’re late, but we do our best whenever we can. Due to the intimate nature of our performance spaces, it is not always possible to admit latecomers, or to get you to your booked seat. Please arrive in plenty of time to ensure you can get in.

We want all of our audience members to have the best experience. Both of our performance spaces are very intimate, so anyone entering after the show starts can cause considerable disruption both to other audience members and to the actors. Often audiences have to actually cross the stage to get to their seats, and the actors sometimes use the audience entrance to enter and exit.

Will I be able to leave the auditorium once the show has started?

There may be limited readmission once the show has started. If we can let you back in, you might have to wait for a suitable moment in the show and you may not be able to return to your booked seat. If you do need to leave at any time, you can – just do so using the door you came in through.

At Relaxed and Chilled performances, you can leave and re-enter the performance space at any time.

How will I get my tickets?

All tickets are issued as digital e-tickets. These will be emailed to you when you book, and you’ll need to show these when entering the performance space.

If you can’t find them, try searching your email inbox for ‘e-tickets’ (or check your spam folder). If you haven’t received your e-ticket by email, you can access them by logging in to your account here and clicking ‘E-tickets’.

If you still cannot find your tickets, please contact our Box Office for assistance. You can show this e-ticket on your mobile device, or you can bring a printed version.

How do Count Me In tickets work?

Count Me In tickets are a limited amount of fixed-price, £15 tickets that are available for shows in our main space, the Holloway Theatre. They’re unreserved tickets you can book in advance – a great way to save if you don’t mind where you sit.

To book, click the green Count Me In tickets circle on the seating plan, choose how many you would like, and go through the normal booking process to buy them. You might not be sitting next to people you booked with but you will be guaranteed a seat.
After you book, you’ll receive a confirmation and an automatically generated e-ticket within a few minutes. This e-ticket will not have a seat allocation on it.
No later than the day of the show (sometimes the day before), your unreserved ticket will be exchanged for a reserved seat, and you’ll be sent a new e-ticket with your specific seat allocation on it. This is the e-ticket you need to show on the day of the performance to be admitted to the performance space.

If you haven’t received your seat allocation by around 5pm on the day of the performance, double check your spam folder or you can contact our Box Office for assistance.

How do I find my entrance?

You can find out more about finding your way around the building here, including our visual guide.

For Shifters, due to the seating layout on this production we are using two entrances.

For seats in Block A, use Entrance A which is the main Holloway Theatre entrance via the central foyer.
For seats in Block C, use Entrance B which is the Studio entrance via the glass-walled corridor next to the terrace to the side of the building.

Is there a dress code?

There is absolutely no dress code at the Bush Theatre. You can come in whatever you feel comfortable wearing – tracksuits to glam.

What should I do if I can’t make it?

We are happy to exchange tickets for performances of the same production, subject to availability. We have to charge a £2 transaction fee for this, and you need to call or email us by 10am on the day of the performance.

If you think you have COVID, government advice is to stay at home. If you or someone in your party tests positive for COVID-19, or has symptoms, your ticket may be exchanged for another performance of the same production (subject to availability) free of charge, or a credit voucher (valid for twelve months), if you email the Box Office by 10am on the day of the performance.

If the show is sold out, we can attempt to resell your tickets for you. If we do manage to resell your tickets, we will give you a refund to your original payment method minus a £2 admin fee. (We can’t guarantee to be able to resell your tickets, and will only be able to resell them if we have sold all of our tickets.)

Check our Terms and Conditions here for more info.

What if the show I want to come to is sold out?

If the show you want to come to is showing as sold out, you might still be able to get tickets.

Waiting list: You can email us on [email protected] to ask to be added to the waiting list. If we get tickets returned to us in advance, we will offer them to our waiting list on a first-come-first-served basis. When you email us, let us know your three preferred dates and give us a contact phone number.

Returns queue on the day: We cap our waiting list at 15 customers per performance. When our waiting list is full, you are welcome to join a returns queue in person at the Box Office from 2 hours before the show. Please note, we cannot guarantee availability of tickets on the day and this is first-come-first-served.

Become a supporter: Supporters have access to the best seats even at sold out shows. Supporter memberships from just £30 a month. Find out more here.

Can I get a drink or food before the show?

Yes, our vibrant Library Bar will be open before and after the show for drinks and food.

We have a wide range of drinks, including beers from creative London brewery Two Tribes, low- and no-alcohol options and mixed-to-order cocktails.

Find out more about the Library Bar here.

Please note, you cannot bring in food or drink that you have purchased elsewhere.

How many other people will be there?

The maximum capacity in the Holloway Theatre is 220. The maximum capacity in the Studio is 60.

The maximum number of people we can have in the Bush Theatre building is 450. Our front of house areas can get busy before a show starts.

How do I get to the Bush?

We’re easily accessible by public transport. Our home in West London is opposite Shepherd’s Bush Market tube station and a ten minute walk from Shepherd’s Bush station. Find out more about how to get here.

How can I pay?

You can book online or pay in person using any major credit or debit card, or contactless devices. Please note, our Library Bar and Box Office are currently card-only.

What is the Bush Theatre building like?

Our building is a Victorian library which was refurbished in 2016 to become a modern, accessible and sustainable theatre. There are two intimate and unique performance spaces where you’re never more than a few meters from the stage. There’s also the Library Bar and our garden terrace on the ground floor. Toilets, rehearsal rooms and offices occupy the two floors upstairs. Find out more and see photos of the venue here.

Our bar is often bustling with artists and audience members, with only the best tunes playing. We often get busy in the 45 minutes before a show starts.

There is step-free access available to all areas of our building. Find out more about accessibility here.

What are the perks of being a Bush member?

Bush members save on tickets, as well as saving 20% on drinks and food at our bar. They also get exclusive offers and invites. Under 30s, students and locals can join one of our free memberships to save, or you can become a Bush Friend for just £5 a month. Click here to find out more.

What are the Terms and Conditions if I buy a ticket?

When you book for any event at the Bush Theatre, you must agree to our Terms and Conditions. These are available to read on our website here.

We also ask all visitors to adhere to our Guidance for Visiting the Bush, which you can read here.

If I’m worried about COVID-19, how can I stay safe?

We have worked hard to ensure the safety of all our visitors and staff when in the Bush Theatre building. You can read the full list of safety measures on our COVID-19 Health and Safety measures page.

Our performance spaces use an air handling system, fed by filtered fresh air. Used air is extracted to the outside and is not recirculated. Filters are changed as part of regular, routine maintenance.

We encourage all our visitors and staff to be mindful of others who may not yet feel comfortable with the relaxing of restrictions.

Wash or sanitise your hands regularly, especially when entering and exiting the building.
Keep your distance from others that may not feel ready to be close to people.
You can choose to wear a face covering if you would like.

If you you have COVID-19, government advice is to stay at home. The best way to stay safe is to get vaccinated. Latest government advice available here.

We have been granted the use of Society Of London Theatre & UK Theatre’s ‘See It Safely‘ mark. The mark certifies that we are complying with the latest industry COVID-19 guidelines, to ensure the safety of our staff and audiences.