Printers Playhouse: Give Your Event a Second Act
Printers Playhouse is already used to putting on a show.
Known in Eastbourne for live music, theatre and the arts, this lively venue brings together an upstairs theatre space, bar snug and attractive courtyard garden, alongside food and drink and a strong community atmosphere.
That makes it an interesting setting for celebrations that need more than one mood. A private event here can move from performance to food, conversation to children's entertainment, or indoors to the garden without every part of the occasion competing for the same space.
Cookes Castles can add another ingredient, with suitable Bouncy Castles, Inflatable Games and other entertainment available depending on the part of the venue being used and the practical setup arrangements.
Act One: Guests Arrive
The first part of an event is rarely the loudest.
People arrive at different times. Adults order drinks. Children inspect the venue, work out who else they know and generally begin asking when something is going to happen.
Printers Playhouse already has different areas where those first few minutes can unfold naturally, including its bar snug and other social spaces.
For a family celebration, that means there is no need to launch immediately into two hours of continuous entertainment. The event can build.
Act Two: Let the Children Take Centre Stage
Once everybody has arrived, younger guests will usually be ready for something more energetic.
A suitable Bouncy Castle can provide a dedicated activity for children, while a Bouncy Castle Slide Combo introduces two forms of play within one inflatable where space and clearance allow.
For older children or events where brief participation works better, Inflatable Games may provide a more flexible alternative.
The important point is that the entertainment can form one part of the programme rather than becoming the entire programme.
There Is Already a Stage
The upstairs theatre gives Printers Playhouse a feature that most party venues simply do not have.
Depending on the type of booking and the arrangements agreed with the venue, a stage or theatre setting can create opportunities for performances, speeches, children's entertainers, presentations or other organised moments.
That means a family event can combine active entertainment with something more structured.
Children could bounce for a while, gather for a performance or birthday moment, stop for food, then return to play afterwards.
Instead of one activity stretching from beginning to end, the occasion can change pace several times.
The Courtyard Garden Gets Its Own Scene
Printers Playhouse also has a suntrap courtyard garden, giving the venue an outdoor element that contrasts with its theatre and bar spaces.
In suitable weather, this can provide somewhere for guests to step outside, socialise and enjoy a different part of the venue.
If inflatable entertainment is being considered outdoors, the exact area would need to be assessed for space, access, ground suitability and anchoring requirements, and any setup must be agreed with the venue beforehand.
Outdoor options are also weather dependent, so the garden should be treated as an additional possibility rather than an automatic inflatable site.
Not Every Event Here Needs a Traditional Bouncy Castle
An arts venue attracts a broad range of functions, and some suit interactive entertainment better than a conventional children's castle.
For community events, family fun days or social occasions, Inflatable Games can allow guests to take part for a few minutes at a time without committing to a full children's play setup.
Sports Games may also suit suitable events where guests are encouraged to participate rather than simply watch.
For larger outdoor occasions with sufficient appropriate space, Inflatable Assault Courses can provide a very different kind of activity, although these require substantially more room than a standard castle.
A Theatre Crowd and a Party Crowd Behave Differently
Printers Playhouse is accustomed to audiences gathering for performances, but an inflatable event creates a different type of movement.
Children circulate repeatedly between the attraction, parents, food and other activities. People may stop to watch rather than remain seated. Queues can form around interactive equipment.
That is why the entertainment layout needs to consider more than simply whether a product fits.
There should still be sensible routes between the theatre, bar, garden, entrances and other spaces being used during the event.
Food and Drink Deserve Their Own Space
Printers Playhouse is also known for its food and drinks, which gives organisers another way to structure the occasion.
Rather than trying to serve refreshments beside active inflatable equipment, keep the two elements separate.
Children can have a defined activity period, then move away from the inflatable for food and drinks before returning later if appropriate.
This also helps protect the equipment. Food, drinks, face paint, glitter, silly string and similar materials should always be kept away from Cookes Castles inflatables.
A Children's Birthday Can Borrow From the Theatre
There is no reason a birthday at an arts venue has to follow the standard village-hall formula.
The surroundings make it possible to create something with more of a programme.
You might combine:
- a period of free play on a suitable Bouncy Castle;
- a performance or organised activity in the theatre space;
- food and cake away from the inflatable;
- time in the courtyard garden when conditions allow; and
- a final round of active play before home time.
That kind of changing format can help children remain engaged without requiring a new piece of hired entertainment every twenty minutes.
Younger Guests Need a Quieter Production
Toddlers and preschool children do not necessarily need the biggest or loudest attraction available.
Toddler Play and Soft Play And Juggler Ball Pond can create a more age-appropriate area for younger guests.
This may be especially useful for mixed family events where toddlers are attending alongside older children and adults.
Rather than placing everybody on the same equipment, each age group can have something more appropriate to the way they play.
Could a Disco Dome Work at Printers Playhouse?
On paper, a Disco Dome and a music-focused arts venue sound like natural companions.
In practice, dimensions come first.
The available floor area, ceiling height, access route and operating clearance all need to be checked before any indoor inflatable is confirmed.
The same principle applies to larger castles, slide combinations and assault courses.
A venue having several rooms does not automatically mean every Cookes Castles product can be installed inside them.
If headroom is limited, Low Height / Indoor is a sensible section to explore first.
Community Events Fit the Personality of the Venue
Printers Playhouse has built its reputation around community arts as well as professional and live entertainment.
That makes it a natural setting for events that bring local people together rather than purely private parties.
For organisers planning Community & Council Events, Charity Events or family-oriented programmes, inflatable entertainment can give younger attendees something active to do alongside the main event.
The result does not need to resemble a children's party. The inflatable can simply be one attraction within a much broader programme.
Corporate Events Can Lose the PowerPoint for a While
The theatre space can also support presentations and organised sessions, but a corporate event does not have to remain seated from beginning to end.
Suitable Inflatable Games can introduce a more informal element after talks or meetings, particularly for social events where colleagues are meant to interact outside their usual working roles.
Corporate Events & Company Fun Days and Team Building Days contain further ideas for workplace entertainment.
Backstage Logistics Still Matter
The audience may only see the finished setup. We still have to get the equipment there.
Inflatables arrive rolled and can be heavy, so the route from our vehicle to the final setup position must be practical.
For an event at Printers Playhouse, tell us which part of the venue you are hiring and provide any useful information about doors, corridors, stairs, changes in level or restricted access.
For indoor setups, we will also need suitable dimensions. For outdoor possibilities, the proposed location and surface need to be considered.
Before the Curtain Goes Up
- Confirm which Printers Playhouse spaces are included in your booking.
- Agree any proposed inflatable setup with the venue.
- Provide accurate floor and ceiling measurements for indoor equipment.
- Check the delivery route to the intended setup position.
- Keep entrances, exits and routes between venue spaces clear.
- Allow room for guests to watch or queue without blocking circulation.
- Keep food, drinks and staining materials away from inflatables.
- For outdoor entertainment, have a contingency plan for unsuitable weather.
- Build setup and collection time into the venue booking.
Finale: An Eastbourne Event That Does Not Follow the Usual Script
Printers Playhouse already has character before the decorations arrive.
Its theatre, arts identity, bar snug, food and drink and courtyard garden give organisers several ingredients to work with. Cookes Castles can then provide the energetic part of the production.
For a children's celebration that might mean a Bouncy Castle. For a community or corporate event, Inflatable Games may fit the programme better. Younger guests may be happier with Toddler Play, while bigger outdoor events can explore more substantial equipment where suitable space is available.
Browse All Our Products for the wider range, or see Bouncy Castle Hire Eastbourne for more information about our local service.
If Printers Playhouse is on your venue list, use Contact Us, call David on 07929109186 or Dale on 07739498500 and tell us which space you are using and what kind of event you have planned.
