Taking food to the theatre?!

[SootspriteSearcher]

It's been years since I've been to the theatre, I'm taking my girls to their first show tomorrow (Wicked in London).

Can I take their own drinks and food in?! Dd2 will get very distressed at the thought of not having a drink even if we go straight to buy another, it's almost a comfort. I will need to prepare her if it's likely to happen.

We aren't planning on eating in the theatre but have a long journey back and due to allergies I can't always just pick something up. Do you think this will be allowed?

Also it doesn't finish until 10.15pm so not sure if anything will even still be open in Victoria?

I looked in the FAQ but couldn't find an answer, just that they do bag searches.

A child's water bottle will be fine, not sure about proper food though.

What kind of food?

I went to the theatre last month and very annoyingly my dad brought his own snacks! Very annoying.

Anyway we weren't searched. I don't think this is common at the theatre is it? It's only happened to me at concerts anyway.

When we went to see Matilda DD was stunned that the family next to us brought out a massive bag and doled out cream cakes and slushies for everyone, and there’s no way they bought them in the theatre.

Pretty much all the London theatres do a bag search now but it's normally just a cursory glance.

You should be fine as long as you don't bring anything glass, or knives! Some sandwiches, biscuits and drink will be fine to take in, and you could eat them in the interval- they might not be very nice after many hours in a bag!

You'll be fine to take a drink with you. You'll also be OK to have snacks ( no hot or smelly food) in your bag, but to eat at half time interval or on the way home. You shouldn't eat whilst the show is on. They don't search your bags.

Have a great time, it's a fantastic show!

If you don't want to carry stuff around you could leave a bag with snacks in at Victoria station left luggage.

Water bottles are ok. Snacks like share bags of chocolate as well but please wait for the interval.

Proper food - most likely not or will at least raise an eyebrow with the staff. I would try and eat a picnic dinner beforehand or find somewhere suitable depending on allergies and just have a small snack for later.

Victoria will have some of the coffee shops etc still open but picking will be slim.

They do sell slushies at the kiosk at Matilda. I don’t recall cream cakes though.
Food in the theatre is annoying. They do sell it at the theatres, I presume it’s a money spinner.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/passengers/our-stations/london-victoria/

This gives a link to all shops at Victoria station m&s simply food near ticket office open until midnight on Fridays.

I saw Wicked last month. They do look in your bags, but only really glance at them. I had to rush there straight from somewhere else and I had a sandwich, bottle of water and cookie in my bag which I ate in the interval.

Hope you enjoy the show!

The M&S food in Victoria station is open til 11. There's also a burger king, burrito stand and caffe nero.

I'm not planning eating during the show at all. It's literally for the journey back. We will have a half hour wait for the train, plus its 1hr30mins and got to keep them awake! So prepacked waffles, yoyo bear, sweets and/or biscuits for dds. And as I'm gluten, dairy free I will have a wrapped up sandwich and some biscuits.

But I will likely have an empty thermos as we are having a picnic dinner beforehand.

I cant eat fast food at all as I cant tolerate greasy food (makes me unwell) and annoyingly m&s only cater for either gluten free or dairy free. I got caught out before when traveling back late from London and not having any options.

It seems that we should be alright, I might go in and ask when we get off at Victoria.

I have always taken snacks to the West End! You will be fine, it's not like seeing a gig at the O2 (shocking!).

At Victoria you will be able to get McDs in the station (my post drinking go to back in the day :-D). It's open until midnight!

I think the glance in the bags is for dangerous items, not food. Never had any food in them challenged anyway.

Water bottles, no problems, and snacks (without rustly papers) will be fine.

Taking a drink for a young child is ok but not food. It can be unbelievably annoying for other patrons and for the performers to listen to that. I actually saw a performer tell someone to stop rustling their sweet rappers in a theatre during one performance. I understand for kids, but for adults to need to have food in a theatre - it's not necessary.