Orange Tree Theatre: What You Need To Know
By: Aliya Al-Hassan Jul. 29, 2019
Winner of UK Theatre Awards' Most Welcoming Theatre 2018, the small but perfectly formed Orange Tree Theatre is a hub for creative, educational and inventive theatre. Here is everything you need to know if you're visiting - from food and drink to transport, ticket deals and accessibility.
Where to eat
The Ivy Café is an incredibly popular and beautiful venue, located a seven-minute walk from the theatre. The choice is extensive, with a menu including their famous Shepherd's Pie. Booking is essential.
It doesn't have a theatre menu as such, but does offer a very good value set menu: two courses for £16.50, three for £21, available Monday to Friday from 11.30am to 6.30pm.
The Duke is a lively pub just off Richmond Green, a five-minute walk from the theatre. They offer a two-course dinner for £12.50, with the addition of a pudding for £15.50. This is served 5.30pm-6.45pm. They do a very good burger, but also excellent platters if sharing is your thing.
www.foodandfuel.co.uk/our-pubs/the-duke-richmond
Franco Manca is a brilliant and authentic pizzeria, now popping up all over London. The Richmond branch is an eight-minute walk from the theatre. Choice is not extensive - only seven pizzas - but quality of ingredients is consistently high. Prices start from a paltry £5 and the branch is open all day from 11.30am.
www.francomanca.co.uk/restaurants/richmond
Where to drink
The Orange Tree is a cute pub opposite the theatre, so the location could not be better. They have an extensive choice of beer on tap and wine, plus, notably, a brilliant selection of wine by the glass. Staff are friendly. They also have bedrooms in case you overindulge!
www.orangetreerichmond.co.uk/pub
No 1a Duke Street is a lovely and very stylish bar and restaurant off Richmond Green and only a five-minute walk from the theatre. Cocktails and wine variety are excellent, and there's a gorgeous little courtyard if the weather is kind.
So Bar is a small bar hidden down the cobbles off Richmond Green. Only five minutes from the theatre, the vibe is more a cool speakeasy than lively pub. Cocktails are the speciality. Their Happy Hour offer of 2 for 1 on cocktails runs during the week and from noon-5.30pm on Saturdays.
Pitcher & Piano Yes, it's a chain, but the attraction is more the large outdoor terrace than the pub itself. Dotted with attractive seating and flowers, it sits next to Richmond Bridge and offers some of the best views in Richmond. Sunset is simply stunning.
www.pitcherandpiano.com/bars/london-richmond
Ticket Offers
The Orange Tree Theatre offers £15 tickets to the under-30s. Tickets start at £15 and there is a 15% discount for season ticket bookings. Membership to the theatre is available and members also receive an additional 5% discount on tickets.
Location and transport
Set in a leafy corner of south-west London, the Orange Tree is located in the heart of Richmond upon Thames.
By Train
The theatre is just a one-minute walk from Richmond Station, which is served by National Rail - 20 minutes from London Waterloo, also the Overground and District Lines.
Bus
65, 190, 371, 391, 419, 490, 493, R68, R70, H22, H37, and N22 (night bus) all stop at Richmond Station. 33 and 337 also stop in central Richmond.
Cycling
There are bike storage facilities near the theatre at the corner of Church Road and Kew Road, and at Richmond Station.
Parking
Pay and display parking is available nearby. There's also an NCP car park at Richmond Station. Free street parking nearby is available after 6.30pm. Use the brilliant app AppyParking to check street rules.
Toilets
The theatre has gender neutral loos, plus an accessible toilet.
Accessibility
Despite its size, the Orange Tree is equipped with a lift, ramp and rail, as well as those accessible toilet facilities.
The theatre also has an infrared hearing facility, stagetext-captioned and audio-described performances, as well as relaxed performances for those who may find the theatre a difficult environment.
£15 tickets are also available for every performance for disabled people, plus a companion.
While you're there...
Make the effort to walk up to the top of Richmond Hill if you have time. There are interesting shops and cafes on the way, but the view at the top is simply breathtaking. There are multiple benches for taking in the vista that JMW Turner made so famous. If you're interested in Turner, you can also visit his house, just down the road in Twickenham. turnershouse.org
Contact Details
Address
1 Clarence Street
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 2SA
Phone 020 8940 3633
Website www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk
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