If you have a household full of curious minds, the Grand Opera House has something that should land well this weekend. Brainiac Live, the Olivier Award-winning science show, is in York for a limited run, with its first preview and opening night falling on Sunday 13 September. It is a family-friendly evening of experiments and interactive fun, recommended for ages five and up but pitched at the whole family, and it runs from 13:00 for an hour with no interval.
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The show is billed as a breathless ride through the wild and wonderful world of science, and it is not shy about the more explosive end of that spectrum. Expect exploding dustbins, combusting microwaves, liquid nitrogen clouds, vortex smoke rings, exploding hydrogen balloons and spinning CO2 chairs, alongside live daredevil stunts that come with the usual warning not to try them at home. It is worth noting the content warnings before you book: there are loud bangs, flashing lights, smoke and haze effects throughout. The production picked up the 2025 Olivier Award for Best Family Show, which gives you a fair idea of the level it is playing at.
The venue itself has a bit of history to match. The Grand Opera House on Cumberland Street first opened in 1902 with the pantomime Little Red Riding Hood, starring Florrie Ford, and was restored in 1987 by the Shepherd of Shambles and the India Pru Co. Ltd at a cost of £4,000,000. It reopened under its current name in 1989, brought back to its original use as a theatre and restored with its Art Nouveau decoration. It seats 1,000 and sits right in the historic centre of York, North Yorkshire.
A few practical things are worth knowing before you head down. The box office is on Clifford Street and opens 90 minutes before the performance, staying open until the show begins. For accessibility, there is an accessible entrance on King Street with step-free access and a gender-neutral accessible toilet, though there is no lift in the building, so the bars, Dress Circle and Grand Circle are only reachable by stairs. Guide dogs are welcome in all areas, and the venue uses MobileConnect for audio assistance.
On the house rules, the theatre is cashless and takes Visa, Mastercard and Amex only. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on site, and you cannot take hot or alcoholic drinks, hot or cold food, or cans, tins and glass bottles into the auditorium. Children under three are not admitted unless the booking specifically says the event is suitable for them, babies under 18 months go free on an adult's lap, and children from 18 months up to 15 need a full-price ticket. Getting there is easy enough: York station is less than a 15-minute walk from the theatre, so it is an easy one to reach by train. Prices are available from the venue, so it is worth checking before you go.
Published Date
11 September 2026
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