Darlington Hippodrome at night: the floodlit red brick Edwardian facade with ornate gables and a glazed entrance canopy, beside a modern glass extension
Theatre 4 hireable spaces Comedy Classical Pop
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Darlington Hippodrome

Restored 1907 Edwardian theatre on Parkgate, Darlington, with a 1,000-seat auditorium presenting touring drama, musicals, comedy, music, opera, dance and pantomime, and spaces for hire.

Darlington Hippodrome, Parkgate, Darlington DL1 1RR
Up to 1,000
capacity
4 spaces
hireable
Auditorium, lounges and meeting rooms for hire; enquire via the box office.
available for hire

About this venue

Darlington Hippodrome opened on 2 September 1907 as the New Hippodrome and Palace Theatre of Varieties, built for the Italian impresario Signor Rino Pepi on the Parkgate and Borough Road corner. The theatre underwent a £13.7 million restoration in 2016-17 and is now a 1,000-seat Edwardian auditorium surrounded by a modern cafe bar and galleries, operated with Darlington Borough Council. The programme mixes touring drama and musicals, stand-up comedy, tribute and nostalgia concerts, opera and ballet companies, family shows and the annual pantomime, alongside youth theatre and youth dance. Accessible performances (BSL-interpreted, audio-described, captioned and relaxed) run on selected dates. All spaces are available for hire: the main auditorium for up to 1,000 seated, the Hippo Lounge cafe bar for up to 100, the John Wade Group Lounge for up to 25, an education and breakout space, and the Living Water Room, a restored Edwardian water-tank room beneath the 64ft pyramid-roofed tower, for up to 18. The adjacent Hullabaloo studio theatre on Borough Road is run by the same team and listed separately. Hire enquiries via the box office on 01325 405405.

The Spaces

Hippodrome Auditorium

Main auditorium

Edwardian auditorium with traditional tip-up seats; staged events with front of house, catering and technical support.

Capacity

Seated
up to 1,000

Hippo Lounge

Cafe bar

Cafe bar retaining two original Edwardian fascias, with heritage interpretation.

Capacity

Other
up to 100

Venue states the cafe bar accommodates up to 100 people; layout not specified.

The John Wade Group Lounge

Meeting room

Capacity

Other
up to 25

Up to 25 people for meetings; layout not specified.

Living Water Room

Heritage meeting room

Restored Edwardian room that once held the water tank for aquatic music-hall scenes, beneath the theatre's tower.

Capacity

Other
up to 18

Maximum capacity 18.

Facilities

  • Bar
  • Catering / kitchen
  • Box office
  • Camera positions / projection: Laptop, projector and screen available for meetings

Accessibility

  • Lift access
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchair spaces / viewing area
  • Assistance dogs welcome
  • Sensory-friendly / relaxed performances available
  • Companion / carer free ticket policy
  • Other: Radio-frequency hearing system with headsets; BSL, audio-described and captioned performances on selected dates

Gallery

The Hippodrome's Edwardian auditorium with red seats and gilded, curving balcony fronts Hippo Lounge cafe bar with wooden tables and chairs, a large window and a heritage text panel Living Water Room, a white room with exposed roof timbers, arched windows and bistro tables

Location

Darlington Hippodrome, Parkgate, Darlington DL1 1RR

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