About the Venue
The Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse is Sheffield’s most intimate and flexible theatre space, designed for bold, imaginative and up-close performances. Located within the Crucible Theatre building on Norfolk Street, this studio theatre is part of the Sheffield Theatres complex and is known for championing new writing, experimental work and Sheffield-made productions. Formerly known as the Studio Theatre, the Playhouse can be reconfigured for each show, creating a unique experience every time you visit.
With seating that flexes from around 100 to 400, the Playhouse offers an immersive atmosphere where audiences are close to the performers and the action. Renamed in 2022 in honour of pioneering theatre designer Tanya Moiseiwitsch, the venue continues her legacy of innovative, audience-focused theatre design. From fringe favourites and local talent to exciting new discoveries, the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse is a vital space for creative risk-taking at the heart of Sheffield’s theatre scene.
Key details
Opened: 1971 (rebuilt 1994)
Capacity: Up to 400 (flexible layouts)
Type: Studio theatre
Owner/Operator: Sheffield Theatres
Website: sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
Compact but endlessly adaptable, the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse is a must-list venue for innovative live performance in Sheffield.
Upcoming Events
Our Public House is a bold, funny and big-hearted piece of contemporary theatre that brings a community together inside a familiar setting: the local pub.
Set in a town just like yours, the story begins after an extraordinary event — an entire community spoils their ballots and casts no vote. As a storm rages outside, landlady Sanjana, Scott the guitar-playing regular, and a group of unexpected guests find themselves trapped together in their pub. As the night unfolds, tensions rise, secrets spill, love sparks, and everyone begins to speak their mind.
What makes this show different?
This production blends:
Live music
Theatre rooted in real voices
Direct audience relevance
The script incorporates the real words of people from across England, giving the show an immediacy and authenticity that reflects contemporary public life. The result is a piece of theatre that feels urgent, relatable and deeply human.
Who created the show?
Our Public House comes from award-winning Dash Arts, in association with Leeds Playhouse.
The creative team includes:
Written by Barney Norris (“of grace and luminosity” – The Stage)
Created and directed by Josephine Burton (“immersive ingenuity” – The Observer)
Music by Jonathan Walton
Lyrics by Jonathan Walton and people across the country
Why is this show worth seeing?
Our Public House explores democracy, community, and belonging through humour, warmth and live performance. By setting big ideas in a familiar pub environment, the show makes national conversations feel personal — and invites audiences to reflect on their own voices and choices.
Who is this event for?
This production will appeal to:
Fans of contemporary and political theatre
Audiences who enjoy live music within drama
Those interested in community-led storytelling
Anyone looking for thought-provoking things to do in Sheffield
(Suitable for ages 12+)
🎟 Tickets and full event details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/our-public-house
Take Flight is a beautiful, gentle aerial theatre experience for babies aged 0–2 and their grown-ups, presented by Rebel Sparks at the Playhouse.
Created especially for very young audiences, the show follows a musical mother bird as her baby hatches, grows and explores the world — navigating hunger, sleep and play — before reaching a tender, uplifting moment where the baby is supported to leave the nest and take flight.
What makes this show special for babies?
This is a multi-sensory and interactive performance, designed to ignite curiosity and imagination in the earliest stages of life. After the show, babies are invited into the performance space to:
Explore a baby-safe set and props
Interact with performers
Experience gentle movement, including a supervised swing in the aerial silks
The experience is calm, immersive and carefully paced to suit very young attention spans.
Is it designed with child development in mind?
Yes. Take Flight was developed in collaboration with Valentina Sclafani, a development psychologist from University of Lincoln, to ensure the content:
Supports early neurological and motor skill development
Encourages bonding between babies and their grown-ups
Creates a positive, reassuring first theatre experience
What have audiences said?
Parents and carers have praised the show for holding babies’ attention and creating a shared, emotional experience:
Who is this event for?
This performance is ideal for:
Babies aged 0–2
Parents, carers and grandparents
First-time theatre-goers
Families looking for calm, enriching things to do in Sheffield during the day
🎟 Tickets and full event details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/take-flight