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Relaxed theatre and cinema in the North East
A relaxed performance is the same show with small changes: the house lights stay a little up, loud or sudden effects are softened, and nobody minds noise or moving about. Many venues also run a chill-out space and send a visual guide in advance. These are the North East theatres and cinemas that publish relaxed sessions, and the dates they have announced so far.
Theatres and cinemas
| Venue | Relaxed sessions | Visual guide |
|---|---|---|
| Tyneside Cinema Newcastle upon Tyne | Relaxed screenings at least monthly in the Roxy (3rd floor): lights up a little, sound down, no ads or trailers, free to move about, descriptive subtitles where possible. | Not stated |
| Theatre Royal Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne | Relaxed performances of the panto Jack and the Beanstalk: Sun 6 Dec 2026 12pm and Wed 6 Jan 2027 12pm. No strobes, loud noises softened, noise and movement welcome. | open it here |
| Northern Stage Newcastle upon Tyne | Relaxed performances with a little more light in the auditorium and sound levels considered | Not stated |
| Gala Durham Durham | Relaxed performances of selected shows, with adjusted lighting, sound and effects, and freedom to talk or move. | Not stated |
| Darlington Hippodrome Darlington | Relaxed performances on selected shows: lights stay on, talking and moving in and out allowed. | Visual guide to the venue for autistic visitors, on Issuu via the source page (direct link not captured). |
| Middlesbrough Theatre Middlesbrough | Some shows are relaxed performances; ask the box office for dates. | Not stated |
| ARC Stockton Stockton-on-Tees | Relaxed daytime family theatre and relaxed cinema screenings: lower volume, no foyer music, house lights on, free to move and make noise. | Not stated |
| Sunderland Empire Sunderland | Relaxed performance of the panto The Further Adventures of Peter Pan on Mon 28 Dec 2026. | Not stated |
| The Glasshouse International Centre for Music Gateshead | Relaxed performances run throughout the year (no dates on the access page): house lights up, doors open, no interval, warnings before loud noises. | Not stated |
| Tyne Theatre and Opera House Newcastle upon Tyne | Family Film Club screenings are relaxed: children can chat, sit on the floor or move around. Relaxed stage shows depend on the production and are flagged on each event page | Not stated |
| Queen's Hall Arts Hexham | Relaxed performances offered where possible: no foyer music, lower volume, house lights on, relaxed attitude to noise and movement. | Not stated |
| Stockton Globe Stockton-on-Tees | Not published | Visual story available by emailing the access team. |
| Bishop Auckland Town Hall Bishop Auckland | Not published | Not stated |
| Star and Shadow Cinema Newcastle upon Tyne | Not published | Not stated |
| Vue Cramlington Cramlington | Autism friendly screening at 10.30am on the last Sunday of every month. | Not stated |
Dates announced
Relaxed event · Newcastle upon TyneThe Christmas Sorting Office (every show relaxed)
21 Nov 2026 to 2 Jan 2027; most days 10:30am and 12:30pm, some 3:00pm shows
- Adapted
- Relaxed event · Middlesbrough
Classical Café: The Snowman
Sun 29 Nov 2026, 3:00pm (doors 2:15pm)
- Adapted
Relaxed screening · Newcastle upon TyneRelaxed Christmas films at Tyneside Cinema
Elf: Sun 29 Nov 2026. The Polar Express: Sun 6 Dec and Sun 13 Dec 2026. The Grinch (2018): Sun 20 Dec 2026. All at 10:30am in the Roxy screen
- Adapted
- Carer ticket
- Relaxed event · Hexham
The Snow Globe (every show relaxed)
Every show from 5 to 31 Dec 2026 is relaxed; show times vary between 10am and 4pm
- Adapted
Relaxed panto · Newcastle upon TyneJack and the Beanstalk: Relaxed Performance
Sun 6 Dec 2026, 12:00pm (a second relaxed show is Wed 6 Jan 2027, 12:00pm)
- Adapted
- Relaxed event · Newcastle upon Tyne
The Snow Queen: Relaxed Performances
Tue 15 Dec 2026, 1:30pm; Mon 28 Dec 2026, 6:00pm
- Adapted
- Relaxed event · Gateshead
The Snowman in Concert: Relaxed Performance
Wed 23 Dec 2026, 2:00pm (relaxed and BSL interpreted)
- Adapted
Relaxed panto · SunderlandThe Further Adventures of Peter Pan: Relaxed Performance
Mon 28 Dec 2026 (time not shown on listing)
- Adapted