What to expect

You’ve bought tickets for Red Riding Hood, now what?

Hello and Merry Christmas! Thank you so much for booking a ticket to see Red Riding Hood at Social on Humber Street. We can’t wait to welcome you to our panto party.

We know that some people like to know what to expect before coming to see a show, so we’ve put this guide together to share just that.

If you need any further information, please contact our audience development manager, Jamie Potter.

You can do this by emailing jamie@middlechildtheatre.co.uk or calling him on 07784 785255 during office hours (Tue-Fri, 9am-5pm).

The Venue

Red Riding Hood is performed at Social on Humber Street. Social used to be called Fruit and usually hosts live music and comedy acts.

Social has level access throughout and is contained on one floor. It’s a small, intimate space that only seats 155 people and has a bar running the length of one side. 

The seats are padded banquet chairs arranged in rows. We are quite packed in, but it is very cosy. However there is not a quiet breakout space. If you need to head outside for a few moments, you can do so and return indoors when you are ready.

There are male, female and accessible toilets, including baby changing facilities. 

Tickets

Although this is a Middle Child show performed at Social, we sell tickets through Hull Truck Theatre. This is because they have a box office system best suited to this kind of show. If you have any questions about your tickets, it is best to contact the box office at Hull Truck Theatre directly.

You don’t need to print your tickets and bring them with you – we will have your names on a guestlist. However it is useful to have your tickets on your phone to present at box office.

Story

We understand that some people like to know what happens in the show, so we’ve written a detailed plot summary on a separate page.

Audience “rules”

There are none, it’s panto!

Well, that’s not quite true. You are encouraged to join in on the fun, cheering for the heroes, booing the villains, singing along, responding to calls from the performers – as long as you respect the performers, staff and fellow audience members.

Our dame, Pattie Breadcake, usually likes to ‘pick on’ a man in the audience to be her love interest. This doesn’t involve getting on the stage, just being mentioned by her throughout the show.

All of our Red Riding Hood performances are relaxed. This mean you are free to do any of the following, at any time:

• Move around
• Make noise
• Wear ear defenders
• Talk and ask questions
• Go to the toilet
• Go to the bar
• Go outside

Although this performance is relaxed, it is not quiet. The show includes loud amplified live music and the audience is encouraged to make lots of noise.

The house lights – the big light – is also switched off during the show, so the audience will be sat in darkness.

When you arrive

This is the front of the Social building on Humber Street. You will enter through the door on the right-hand side.

When you arrive, there may be a queue of people outside. There will also be a volunteer in a blue coat to greet you.

They may ask you if you have been to our panto before. We ask this question as we like to know how many people have come for the first time.

When you head inside, a member of staff from Social will ask you for the name of the person who booked your tickets, so we can cross you off our guestlist.

Who you will meet

You will meet Rachel (she/her), our front of house manager. Rachel will look after audiences at each of our shows. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with her.

There will also be a number of HEY Volunteers, in blue uniforms. They are here to help people find their way around the space and can also answer any questions you may have.

Then there are the people who work for Social. They will be behind the bar and at the hot dog stand, serving you drinks and food.

Wheelchair users

If you have booked wheelchair tickets, we will know to expect you and reserve seats for you.

If you have booked regular tickets but require a wheelchair space, please let the Hull Truck Theatre box office team know.

BSL users

All of the performances on Saturday 23 December are BSL-interpreted by Dave Wycherley.

He will be on-stage, on the right-hand side as you look at it.

If you have booked BSL tickets, we will know to expect you and reserve seats for you with a clear view of Dave.

If you have booked regular tickets but require a view of the BSL interpreter, please let the Hull Truck Theatre box office team know.

Voting and photo booths

Every year we ask our audience to vote for the panto story they’d most like us to stage the following Christmas.

We’ll be doing the same again this year and a stall, that looks like the counter from Pattie Breadcake’s bakery, with the four options to choose from, will be placed to the left of the bar.

Next to the voting booth there will also be a photo booth, with a giant full moon backdrop, where you can take photos as a memento of your trip to Red Riding Hood.