Half Moon Theatre
43 White Horse Road
London, E1 0ND
You will find Half Moon in the Limehouse area of East London, just off the Commercial Road. We are a 2 minute walk from Limehouse DLR and C2C stations, and are near local bus stops and a Santander Cycles docking station.
What3Words Map Location
How to get here
There are many ways to get to us whether it be by DLR, train, bus, bike, car or on foot. The easiest (and greenest!) way to get to Half Moon is to use public transport.
You can use the TfL journey planner to plan your route to Half Moon . Please always check your route of choice in advance of travelling. For the latest updates via the Transport for London website.
Wayfinding directions Social storyHow to find us
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- 2 minutes walk from Limehouse DLR station, which is 2 stops from Bank (Central, Northern and Waterloo & City Lines with easy access to District and Circle Lines) or Tower Hill (District and Circle Lines).
- All trains go to Limehouse). Follow signs for Bekesbourne Street when exiting station.
- 2 minutes walk from Limehouse C2C station.
- Follow signs for Bekesbourne Street when exiting station.
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- 2 minutes walk from Limehouse C2C station.
- Follow signs for Bekesbourne Street when exiting station.
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- Bus numbers 115, 135 and D3 stop on Commercial Road junction with White Horse Road – 1 minute walk
- Bus numbers 309 and 339 stop on Ben Johnson Road – 8 minute walk
- Bus number 25 stops by Stepney Green tube – 15 minute walk
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- There is a Santander Cycles docking station just 2 minutes walk away on Flamborough Street (at the junction with Yorkshire Road and Commercial Road).
- Other docking stations are located on Aston Street (5 minutes walk) and Albert Gardens (6 minutes walk).
- To locate other docking stations, please click here.
- We have bike racks in our garden that you can padlock your bike to. Entry is via a locked gate, so please ask when you arrive and we will show you where to go.
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- 15 minutes walk from Stepney Green tube – Hammersmith & City lines (Zone 2).
- 30 minutes walk from Bethnal Green tube – Central Line (Zone 2).
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- 23 minute walk from Whitechapel Station
- 31 minute walk from Canary Wharf Station
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- On street parking can get very busy, so please leave plenty of time to find a space.
- There are one-way systems on many of the roads around Half Moon which can be confusing. Please leave plenty of time to find a space.
- Street parking is free all day Saturday and Sunday, in addition to weekday evenings from 5.30pm.
- Street parking is free to disabled patrons at all times.
- Meter parking is available at all other times.
- To pay for parking you need to call 0203 046 0010 and quote the number on the nearest parking sign.
- We are not in London’s congestion zone.
Virtual tour
Access Info
Half Moon Theatre is a fully accessible building. Our blind and visually impaired audiences can pre-book touch tours prior to all performances. We also have detailed wayfinding directions for blind and partially sighted visitors and a social Story about visiting Half Moon. Some shows have British Sign Language for d/Deaf and hard of hearing audiences. Find out more about Access at Half Moon Theatre.
Opening Times
- Monday – Friday: 10-6pm (later for Youth Theatre or performance days only)
- Saturday: 10-4pm (on performance days only)
- Sunday: Closed
We may be open outside of these times for private events or one off special projects.
When you arrive for a show
Our Box Office team and Front of House Assistants will be happy to assist with any questions you may have. Please ensure you allow enough time to use the toilets before the start of the show.
The Front of House Assistant will let you know when you can make your way into the theatre. We do not have a cloak room available to use. We do have a designated area for buggies.
During the show
We want our audiences to feel comfortable when watching our shows and don’t mind if they are vocal or energetic – in fact we actively encourage our audience to laugh, respond, clap and cheer!
We understand that you may need to leave the theatre during the performance, one of our Front of House Assistants will help and guide you to an exit. You’re welcome to re-enter the theatre when you’re ready.
We’re happy for photographs to be taken during the show, but please turn off the flash so you don’t distract the actors. Please also set your phone and digital watches to silent.
FAQs
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This means you can choose your seats when you arrive. Doors open 5-15 mins before a performance to allow enough time for you to decide where you would like to sit. We will always endeavour to sit parties together where possible, even when you book your tickets at different times, but we advise arriving in good time before the performance starts to avoid disappointment.
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In most cases, we are able to admit latecomers, although we may ask you to wait until a suitable break in the performance.
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Half Moon welcomes audiences of all ages. However, we ask the booker to take into consideration the age suitability guidelines recommended for each show, you can always ask a member of our Box Office team if you’d like more information.
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Yes, Half Moon is fully accessible for wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties. You can find out more on our Access page.
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Yes. Children under 12 months can come to shows free of charge (unless the show in question is designed specifically for children under 12 months). Please book an “adult and baby” ticket if you intend to bring a baby. Our toilets on the ground floor have baby change facilities.
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We can store pushchairs in our foyer, but please note these are left at the owners’ risk.
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We welcome independent theatre-going audiences from those over 9, though we like to make it clear to parents and guardians that we cannot take responsibility for their safety. Those 9 or under must be accompanied by a responsible person over 16.
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We ask our audience not to bring food into the theatre because it can get a little noisy, bottled water and drinks in plastic cups are fine.
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No, advance bookings must be paid for prior to the show.
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Looking for a special gift? Treat them to a family show at Half Moon Theatre and let them choose their favourite show with our digital gift vouchers. They’re sure to find a show they love!
Ideal for friends and family, our gift vouchers are valid for 12 months and can be used online, over the phone, or in-person to pay for tickets to any show at Half Moon Theatre (subject to availability).
Gift voucher details will be sent straight away by email and you can either forward the email to the recipient, or if you have access to a printer, you can print it and give them a paper copy.
There’s nothing like the feeling of seeing a great live show and sharing that with a loved one makes a truly unique gift.
Gallery and Art Cart
Gallery @ Half Moon is our exciting space for local artists to display their family friendly work in the foyer of our theatre. The art gallery is free to visit and is open during the theatre opening hours. We also offer a Gallery Trail, allowing children to explore the art and create their own.
Beneath some of the artwork, there are chalkboards for visitors of all ages to make their own responses. You can write a message or draw a picture and leave it for others to enjoy. We also have an art cart to enable children to do their own drawings and collages.
Latest exhibition“This establishment really impressed us as it is not only open for performances but is also about community arts development, encouraging young people to discover their talents. We arrived early for the performance and whilst waiting my granddaughter was able to use the well stocked drawing corner – her main problem was in choosing what colour paper she should use.”
Sadly, Half Moon does not have a café on site, though on performance days, we operate a simple ‘snack station’.
You are welcome to bring your own food and drink and enjoy a picnic at the tables and chairs in the foyer or garden, perhaps before or after seeing a show in the theatre or visiting our art gallery.
We also recommend the following local cafés:
Cabin Café Stepney City Farm Two Magpies Café Yurt CaféBookshop
We are delighted to offer a pop-up bookshop, in partnership with the well-loved Brick Lane Bookshop, on performance days. There’s a rolling selection of popular children’s books for all ages on offer, from classic favourites to some of the hottest new titles. The bookshop also stocks contemporary greeting cards, so Half Moon is the perfect place to buy that special gift or new bedtime story.
Brick Lane BookshopTime Lapse Seat Installation
In late October 2020 we were able to install flexible new seating in our theatre, thanks to the support of Sir Ian McKellen – we were one of twelve beneficiary charities from his hit West End show Ian McKellen on Stage. The bench seating is comfortable and can also be configured in many different ways, making it perfect for our multi-purpose space.
The installation took place over three days. We captured the build by taking a photo from the same spot, every hour.
Any questions about your visit?