The Old Theatre can be booked by SU Societies for a variety of events including plays, musical shows and conferences.
Shows in the Old Theatre
To book the Old Theatre for a show please check availability by emailing your preferred dates as early as possible to lse.roombookings@lse.ac.uk you need to do this before the end of the Michaelmas term. You can also download this Hosting a Performance Checklist [Word] to assist with your planning.
We will get in touch with you to let you know availability, you should expect to get 2 - 3 rehearsals in the Old Theatre and a performance date.
In order to provisionally hold your booking you will need to agree to the Old Theatre terms and conditions which are included on the Old Theatre Declaration form [Word]. Once you have completed this form please submit it to Room Bookings at the email address above, this is required at least three weeks prior to the date of your first booking.
We will meet with you to discuss your requirements for the show and once you have everything in place to run your show safely we will confirm your Old Theatre booking. A copy of the form will be kept with the Room Bookings Office.
If circumstances outside the control of the event organiser mean that they would need to deviate from the agreement, they must notify Room Booking Office of the proposed changes and a meeting will take place to discuss specific arrangements.
LSE SU Society Conferences
Please download this Event Planning Checkist [Word] to help you get started with your conference plans.
In order to provisionally hold your room booking you will need to email lse.roombookings@lse.ac.uk with details of your conference and download the Event Declaration Form [Word] to be completed and returned to the Room Bookings office. Once you have completed this form please submit it to Room Bookings at the email address above, this is required at least 10 working days prior to the date of your booking.
Organisers risk their events being stopped or prevented from going ahead if they fail to comply to the Old Theatre terms and conditions highlighted in the declaration forms.
Opening Hours
Bookings in the Old Theatre Monday to Friday must finish by 22:00 with the Old Theatre and Green Room to be cleared and vacated by no later than 22:30.
On Saturday and Sunday bookings in the Old Theatre must finish by 21:00 and the Old Theatre and Green Room to be vacated by 21:30.
Societies using the venue for rehearsals on Saturday and Sunday must vacate the Old Theatre and Green Room by 18:00.
Venue capacity
The Old Theatre seats a maximum of 460 people.
AV Equipment
The AV equipment in the Old Theatre is stored outside usual working hours so you will need to make arrangements in advance if you require AV equipment. There may be a cost for AV support on weekday evenings, and at weekends.
If you require use of the SU sound or lighting board you will need to contact the SU ARC Staff the form is included in their LSE Spaces page.
As detailed on the Old Theatre Declaration Form additional electrical equipment such as amplification and sound systems, lighting rigs cannot be brough into School premises. The only equipment which can be used, is that which is already present in the venue or provided by LSE AV.
Any cables must be taped down to prevent trips and avoid damage to the cable, plug or equipment.
Fire risk assessment information
The LSE has a fire risk assessment for the Old Building and other LSE buildings covering normal day to day use of the building. Flames (including candles, tea lights, pyrotechnics) and special effects (such as smoke, dry ice) are not covered by this assessment and are not allowed to be used under any circumstances.
Any props including soft furnishings or furniture brought in for the performance must conform to current safety (fire retardant) standards or the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and have been treated with flame retardant spray.
All participants (actors, performers, stage crew, musicians, etc) must be briefed in advance on their responsibilities should the fire alarms sound before, during or after a performance.
Fire exit routes must be kept clear at all times.
The emergency procedures for this venue are available here [PDF].
Stewarding
Organisers should appoint sufficient stewards to enable any room or theatre they use to be evacuated within 3 minutes of an alarm sounding, and to escort all those attending the event to the Fire Assembly Point.
Such stewards should be briefed in their fire duties, crowd management. LSE Room Bookings office can assist with providing information for such briefings. There should be at least 1 steward per fire exit in the venue. You can hire stewards from the Conference and Events office, there is a charge for this service.
External Guests and Security
If your events are at the weekend, and you have people other than LSE students and/or staff attending your event (ie people without a LSE ID card) you will need to put in place arrangements to allow for access for your guests.
From 2pm on a Saturday and all day on a Sunday, access to the Old Building is restricted to those with valid LSE ID card, or by prior arrangement with LSE security.
To enable non LSE people to access the Old Building in these times, the organiser will need to lodge a list of non LSE attendees with LSE security at the Old Building reception by 4pm on the Friday prior to the event (this also needs to be emailed to both r.mulcahy@lse.ac.uk and g.shillabeer@lse.ac.uk), and to arrange to have a steward opposite the reception desk in the entrance of the Old Building, where non LSE attendees have to register and be checked against the attendee list.
Organisers will have to provide non LSE attendees with a ticket which is easily identifiable to LSE security staff if attendees are going to be going in and out of the building.
If people from outside the School are invited to attend an event then please make sure that they are told that although the School is a safe place nevertheless these buildings are located in central London and attract walk-in thieves - so please remind delegates to take particular care of their property and they should not leave valuable property unattended anywhere inside the School.
The Old Theatre Green Room
The Green Room to the Old Theatre can only be booked at the same time as your booking for the Old Theatre.
To book the green room please email lse.roombookings@lse.ac.uk with the date and time of your booking of the Old Theatre.
The conditions of use of the Old Theatre Green Room are as follows:
No food or drink (other than bottled water) should be taken into the green room.
The furniture in the room cannot be removed or additional furniture brought in, the room should be left in its standard set-up at the end of your booking.
Please do not fix posters or signs to the walls of the room and please note this room cannot be used for storage, items left in the room will be disposed of and LSE takes no responsibility for any items which are removed. If any extra cleaning is required, or items to be replaced after your booking then these costs will be passed to the user.