The Embassy Theatre has a lot to answer for, we have been struck with the theater bug since we moved to Skegness. Who knew, certainly not us until we gave it a go as a family and the verdict is WE LOVE THE THEATER!
I would recommend the Embassy Theatre as one of, if not the best Skegness Attractions for families visiting Skegness. If you have never given the theater a go, trust me, go see what shows the Embassy has on when you are visiting Skegness (just try the theatre once). Even my husband now enjoys the theater and admits that had it not been for me wanting to see the Chinese State Circus as a family he would have never thought to even try a theatre performance let alone go multiple times a year. My husband prefers to watch things on TV in comfort, but since trying out the Embassy theatre he sees there is something to being up close and personal to the performance.
Where is The Skegness Embassy Theatre
The Skegness Embassy Theater is located close to the Skegness seafront on Grand Parade opposite Tower Gardens Park (quite a nice park) less than a minutes walk from the Skegness Clock Tower. There’s ample parking around the back of the Embassy Theatre.
Book your theater tickets either online, by post or in person and give it a go you’ll have a great night out. Theatres aren’t just for Grandma and Granddad, take a look at some of the shows we’ve been to see at the Embassy Theater including the Vampires Rock show there’s a variety of shows available at the Embassy with the majority being family friendly.
When you first enter the Embassy theatre you are confronted with a spacious entrance, with huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling, this area is always kept clean and tidy. To get to the auditorium where performances play you descend down the step and turn left until you reach the doors. You hand your tickets to the member of staff at the auditorium door.
We’ve been seeing shows at the Embassy for 3 years and the staff have always been very friendly and helpful, have got nothing, but praise for them. I’ve noticed the staff have been working hard over the last year or so bringing in more varied shows and opening the Embassy to corporate events to ensure the theatres long term survival.
The Embassy Theatre has one theatre which holds over 1,000 people (probably around 1,200), though to date we’ve only seen it close to capacity during the Vampires Rock show and Spirit Of The Dance. We’ve sat in various locations within the theatre and the front seats are the least comfortable, the front 10 rows (A-J rows) look like padded dining room chairs that are placed near the front. The remaining seats within the theatre are standard sort of seats you find in a theatre/cinema with the flip backs and are far more comfortable. My husband has a bad back (degraded disks, had two fused earlier this year) and can’t sit in the dining room chairs, the flip type seats are our favorite.
Also the front row seats are flat on the floor below stage level and so in our experience you don’t get a particularly good view of the stage because the floor at the front isn’t slopped like the rest of the theatre seating, so when you sit on rows B-J your view is obscured by the people sitting in front of you, so for people like myself who are short or children I would recommend rows K-Y. The best floor seating is on the very front row (A), but we’ve found sometimes the performers are too close to really enjoy the big picture of the show you’ve paid to see: best place to see a comedian though.
The front rows of the Embassy Theater are also used for disabled visitor I can’t comment on the disabled visitors experience of the Embassy, if you have a personal experience of Skegness Embassy please comment below.
I can understand why the Embassy Theater has added the first 10 rows of seats, it adds 332 more theatre seats! See the seating plan below.
Skegness Embassy Theatre Seating Plan
The Embassy Theater isn’t as big as other theatres in seating capacity, but this means no matter how far back you sit you get a good view. When we first started to go to the Theatre and booked our tickets we thought we MUST be on the front seats (front stalls), we’ve since sat at the back of the theatre on a number of occasions and the view is no different (we prefer it) to sitting any where else in the theatre you can see the performance fine.
Before moving to Skegness we’d never been to a proper theater, that being said we’ve seen them on TV and online and compared to the Embassy you must see very little of the performance you’ve paid to see at these large theaters like the London Apollo Theater where comedians like Jack Dee must look tiny :) from the back seats. The Embassy in comparison is a great choice of theatre to watch a performance it gets you up close and personal so to speak.
Ice Cream at the Theater?
The Embassy sells ice cream on the intervals with a variety of ice creams, the only problem for me is I don’t like ice cream and unfortunately there’s no other choice, it’s a real shame the Embassy doesn’t have pop corn or vending machines with crisps, chocolate and cans of pop for people who might not fancy an ice cream, They do sell pop and alcohol from a bar in the foyer and I think crisps, but I’m not sure. I don’t drink alcohol and have never bought drinks from the bar, so I don’t know about prices or choice of beverages I’m usually left with the only choice to take my own drink and consume it outside with the smokers which I do not like :-( I’d love it if the Embassy had a slushy machine so I wouldn’t have to go to a bar to buy a pop.
The foyer for me is the worst thing about the Embassy Theater it’s small and cramped it gets bottle necked down there with too much going on, you have people trying to leave the auditorium passing the queue for the toilets, people buy drinks at the bar, some of the tables to consume your drinks are too close to the toilets, if the show performing has promotional gift to sell, this is placed next to the bar right next to the stairs which means getting up and down the stairs is a nightmare at times. The Embassy Theatre does have a lift for people who can’t use the stairs which is good.
When it’s really busy the foyer is a place we avoid, we’ll use the top exit on the second floor, it’s OK when there aren’t many people.
I do think the Embassy Theatre needs to think about this area it’s the weakest point, but with a redesign it could easily be solved I’m sure there’s plenty of room else where in the theater.
Skegness Tourist Information Office
The tourist information office has been placed within the Embassy and I was very skeptical when they said they where going to merge the two, but they’ve done a good job in the space provided and I feel that if they redesigned the foyer it would be a better place to have a quiet break during the interval and not such a mad gauntlet during popular shows.
On the whole the Embassy Theater is a top attraction for Skegness, it’s clean, the staff’s friendly and helpful and the shows are varied offering a little for everyone with plenty of good fun, so if you go into the Embassy for tourist information don’t forget to ask about a show you wont be disappointed by a night at the Embassy theatre :-)
Skegness Attractions Star Rating for the Embassy Theatre 9/10
If others feel the same as we do about the Embassy Theatre or you have ideas of your own to improve it please comment below, the survival of the Embassy Theatre is so important for Skegness.
Shows We’ve Seen at Skegness Embassy Theatre
Annie The Musical
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : Annie The Musical Rating
Would We Go Again : No
Would We Recommend To Others: No
Was It Value For Money: No
Recommended For: ?
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 6/10
Beauty And The Beast Ice Show
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : Beauty And The Beast Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes.
Recommended For: Everyone Young and Old
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 7/10
The Big Ballet
Skegness Embassy Theatre Review : The Big Ballet Rating
Would We Go Again : No
Would We Recommend To Others: Maybe to women friends, if they like this sort of thing
Was It Value For Money: No
Recommended For: Women The Big Ballet is definitely Not for the family.
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 5/10
Chicago Blues Brothers
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : Chicago Blues Brothers Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes.
Recommended For: Everyone Young And Old
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 7/10
Chinese State Circus
Skegness Embassy Theatre Review : Chinese State Circus Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: All Age Ranges
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 8.5/10
Cirque De Glace Ice Show
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : Cirque De Glace Ice Show Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes.
Recommended For: Everyone Young And Old
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 10/10
Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance Musical
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance Musical Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: Everyone Young And Old
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 9/10
Peter Pan On Ice
Skegness Embassy Theatre Review : Peter Pan On Ice Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: All Age Ranges
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 9/10
ROUTE 66
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : ROUTE 66 Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: All Ages
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 8.5/10
Shakespeare 4 Kidz Macbeth
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : Shakespeare 4 Kidz Macbeth Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes.
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes.
Was It Value For Money: Yes .
Recommended For: Everyone.
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 8/10
Shakespeare Abridged 37 Plays in 97 Minutes
Skegness Embassy Theatre Review : Shakespeare Abridged 37 Plays in 97 Minutes Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: Anyone with a good sense of humor who loves a good laugh
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 10/10
Songs Of Sister Act
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : Songs Of Sister Act Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: mainly ladies, a good girls night out, also suitable for kids
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 6/10
Spirit Of The Dance
Skegness Embassy Theatre Review : Spirit Of The Dance Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: All Ages
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 8/10
That’ll Be The Day Christmas Special
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : That’ll Be The Day Christmas Special Rating
Would We Go Again : No
Would We Recommend To Others: No
Was It Value For Money: No, The Christmas Part Was
Recommended For: Over 50’S
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 5/10
Vampires Rock 2007
Skegness Embassy Theatre Review : Vampires Rock 2007 Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: Anyone who’s a rock chick or dude at heart (you’ll have a blast) :-)
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 10/10
Vampires Rock 2008
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : Vampires Rock 2008 Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: Anyone who’s a rock chick or dude at heart (you’ll have a blast) :-)
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 10/10
Vampires Rock Christmas Show 2009
Skegness Embassy Theater Review : Vampires Rock Christmas Show 2009 Rating
Would We Go Again : Yes forever and ever
Would We Recommend To Others: Yes without hesitation
Was It Value For Money: Yes
Recommended For: Anyone with an inner rock God/Goddess :-)
Skegness Attractions Star Rating 10/10
Above are all the shows we’ve seen between 2007 and 2009. For the 2010 Embassy Reviews see: Skegness Embassy Theatre 2010 Spring and Summer Shows.
The Embassy Theatre Front Row Seats take up space that could be better used.
Of the Embassy shows we’ve seen only a couple have come close to full capacity and so in our experience of visiting the Embassy theatre it would have made far more sense for the majority of shows shown at the Embassy for them to use some of this space (lets say half of the front row seats) to have a much bigger stage.
Then the Embassy could attract bigger shows with a bigger venue for example Steve Steinmen’s Meatloaf trilogy had a new show called Meatloaf symphony with a 40 piece orchestra and Skegness couldn’t have this version of the show because the stage is too small (the orchestra wouldn’t fit).
This point though is just semantics and wont interfere with a great night out at the Embassy.
David
What do others think of the Embassy?
Hi David Please see below we have made it possible for the show you mention to come to us please see the info below
Friday 25th June at 7:30pm – Bat – The Symphony
The songs from Bat Out Of Hell performed live with a full orchestra and the voice of Steve Steinman
Steve Steinman, the creator and singing force behind three of the World’s best selling rock musical-concerts, now brings you the ultimate rock experience. Bat the Symphony combines a 30 piece orchestra with the power of a rock band and the vocals of Steinman, generating what can only be described as a mind-blowing musical event.
Well known the world over for his hit shows Vampires Rock and The Meat Loaf Trilogy, Steinman has pulled out all the stops for this new production. With the intensity of a rock concert and the style and grace of an opera, Steinman has combined two Worlds to present these much loved songs as they were always intended to be.
Steinman will perform all the hits from Meat Loafs record-breaking albums including; Paradise By The Dash Board Light, Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth and Bat Out Of Hell as well as dueting on the Grammy award-winning hit song I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) and old favourite Dead Ringer For Love.
Contact the Box office on 0845 674 0505
or go to www.embassytheatre.co.uk
All the Best
Steve
Theatre Manager
My wife has already got plans for us to go to Bat the Symphony, I’m not a big fan of MeatLoaf, but do like the songs most people will be familiar with so think we’ll enjoy it (Steve Steinman knows how to put on a show). Also going to see Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom by Steve Steinman as well.
My wife made two more articles about What’s on at the Embassy and What we’ll be going to see at the Embassy at:
http://www.skegness-attractions.co.uk/whats-on-at-the-skegness-embassy-theatre-2010.html
and
http://www.skegness-attractions.co.uk/skegness-embassy-theatre-2010-spring-and-summer-shows.html
If you have any insights into the shows that we’d not necessarily get access to, feel free to add a comment or two.
The Embassy Theatre is my wife’s favourite Skegness attraction by far, so great to see more and more diverse shows this year. Well done to you and the rest of the Embassy staff for this years program. My wife called into the Embassy a few months ago and said well done and thanks to some of the staff at the box office for the hard work they must be doing.
My back is finally up to sitting through more shows, so I get dragged along as well now :-) I really enjoyed my first Vampires Rock show in December, great fun. We’ll be at WHO’S BAD! a Michael Jackson Tribute Band this week, I must dig out my sparkly white glove so I don’t forget it :-)
David
I would most certainly aggree that the embassy is one of Skegnesses top attractions, we go as often as our budget allows so we do tend to be very selective of who we can go and see, but on average i would say we have attended at least one show per month.
I am dissabled so we always try to book one of the front 7 rows of isle seats because they are layed out in a pyramid style so the last seat in the row doesn’t have a seat in front which allows for the extra leg room I require to be comfy another advantage is that the seats do not have arms so most sizes can fit into them, not always the case with older theatres like the London Palladium which was built at a time when most people were a lot smaller than they are today. The stalls at the front are also loose so that a few can be removed to accommodate wheelchairs or in some cases removed altogether to allow this area to be used as part of the show.
The Embassy has got very good dissabled access, the side doors nearest the bar are always available for easy level access from the car park, theres a good lift and they keep an area clear for Mobility scooter users to park there machines in the foyer.
The bar area is nice and cosy if a little small but has most people usually vacate the theatre after the show having it any bigger would not be cost affective.
I would also like to praise both the management and staff at this point for thier friendly service, I have always found them most helpfull.
The majority of customers who use the Theatre on a regular basis are i have found are the over 50s, those that have traditionally supported live shows for many years and appreciate good variety.
This reflects on the top bog office hits of the year like The Great British variety show, Jane Mcdonald, That’l Be the Day (that tours to packed audiences twice a year and The Solid Silver Sixties show.
I would give the Embassy a rating of 9/10
I just realised I have forgotten to give the Embassy Theatre a star rating, I agree it’s a 9/10 Attraction for Skegness.
Thanks for your input about disabled facilities at the Embassy, this is an area I’m at a lose to comment on in my reviews as I’m not disabled.
Our son has a friend who is a wheel chair user, so I know that the front seats in the theatre on the flat are used for disabled visitors and the fact that the seats are movable means disabled visitors get a choice of where to sit, but thats as far as my personal experience goes, so again thank you for your comments and experience at the Embassy from a disability perspective.
Marie
Sounds like a really nice theater, and the fact they have opened it up to coproate events is even better. Looking forward to visiting.
I’m glad your going to visit the Embassy, I’m sure you’ll love it. The Embassy have some fantastic shows, friendly staff and a cosy atmosphere I can’t recommend it enough. I adore the Embassy Theatre :-)
wishing you a good night out at the Skegness Embassy
Marie
Just got home after leaving before the end. Totally not what was expected. Some people left at half time. The mics were not working properly, the lighting was not on cue, the singing and dancing left a lot to be desired.
A real shame having driven 25 miles to get there.
The first time I have been disappointed at the Embassy.