The Met Studio

Nestled in the heart of Stafford lies the Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, a vibrant hub for the arts scene in the West Midlands. Boasting a diverse range of performance spaces - including The Met Studio - it is also home to the acclaimed Youth Theatre SGYT, this receiving house theatre is a haven for creativity.  

The raked seating at The Met Studio

We had the pleasure of staging our original comedy production, ‘Waiting Room,’ at The Met Studio, and the experience was nothing short of fantastic. From the moment we stepped into the space, we were impressed by its versatility and top-notch facilities. And let us not forget about the audience - their warm reception to our comedy show, even on a mid-week evening, left us absolutely thrilled, and eager to return!  

The Met Studio is a gem of a black-box studio theatre housed within the Gatehouse Theatre, which is operated by Freedom Leisure. With a cabaret capacity of 140 we opted for their raked seating setup, accommodating a cozy audience of 114. Despite the unallocated seating arrangement, the process was seamless, thanks to the incredible front-of-house staff who managed everything and were so warm and welcoming to us. The studio also boasts two spacious dressing rooms, complete with all the essentials and, of course, plenty of vanity mirrors! As for the technical setup, the standard sound and lighting equipment met our needs perfectly, the sort of rider you would expect at most studio theatres.  

Performance space seen from the entrance.

A HUGE shoutout to Harry, our dedicated technician, whose friendly demeanour, and assistance ensured that everything ran like clockwork. The team at The Gatehouse Theatre went above and beyond to promote our show, keeping us in the loop every step of the way to ensure a seamless experience upon our arrival. Without a doubt, I would highly recommend this venue to fellow small-production tours - it is not just the prime location that is appealing, but also the fantastic audience it attracts.  

For those eager to learn more about this theatre, be sure to check out their website HERE. 

Whether you are a theatre company seeking the perfect performance space in the West Midlands or simply planning a visit to the charming market town of Stafford, The Gatehouse Theatre should definitely be on your radar. 

Chris at the entrance of The Met Studio